Question 66

The scriptures* are clear about the answer to this question. The Bible* tells us that Jesus was truly a man. The scriptures also tell us that Jesus was truly God. He is both God and man at the same time. The scriptures tell us that this is true. But the answer is a mystery to us.

 

The Bible, in the Gospel* of John*, tells us that Jesus is the one who made all things.[1] He is God. He has always been. He will always be. Then John tells us that the one who made all things ‘became flesh. ‘[2] God the creator* came to be a part of the world he created.* He came to live among his own people.[3]

 

One day, more than 2000 years ago, an angel* spoke to a woman named Mary.* Mary was a virgin.* She had never been with a man.

 

The angel said this to Mary. ‘The Holy Spirit* will come to you. The power of the Most High will cover you. The holy* child you give birth to will be called the Son of God.[4]’ This baby she carried was God in the flesh.

 

This had never happened before. This will never happen again. God would come into the world. He would be born through the body of a woman. God would be born into this world as a baby. His mother would give him the name Jesus. As God, Jesus is not created. But a body was made for him by a miracle* from the Holy Spirit.

 

When the disciples* of Jesus first met Jesus, they understood that he was a man. They saw him as a teacher and a prophet.* They heard him speak of where he lived as a boy. As a young boy, he had to grow and learn. They heard how Satan* had tempted* him. They saw him when he was thirsty. He could be tired. He could be hungry. He needed to sleep. He wept when he lost his friend. He ate bread and drank water just as they did. They heard him pray. As a man, they saw him suffer in all of the ways that men suffer. They watched him die on a cross.*

 

But they also saw him do things that only God could do. He made water into wine. He fed 5000 people with only a few loaves of bread and fish. He spoke to a storm and it became calm. He removed evil* spirits* from people to make them well. He was able to give life to a young girl who was dead. He would heal those were sick and in pain. They heard Him say that he had come down from heaven.* They heard him say that God was his Father. They heard him forgive* sins.* They heard him say many things about the Law* and the Temple.* They saw him after he had come back from death.

 

After Jesus rose again from death, the disciples understood. Jesus was truly a man. And Jesus was truly God. So, all that God is, Jesus is. All that we are, Jesus became. He was and had always been God. He became a human being in every way that we are. But there is one way that Jesus was not as we are. Jesus was not born in sin. He was pure and never did anything that did not please God the Father. There was no sin in him.

 

Jesus is both God[5] and man[6]. It is important that we believe this, even if it is a mystery to us. If we deny that either of these things is true, we will not be right with God. Paul* said that a person cannot be right with God unless they confess* that Jesus is God.[7] John wrote that if a person denies that Jesus was truly a man, they cannot be right with God. [8]

 

This is a hard thing to understand. Even Jesus’ disciples did not understand this until Jesus rose from the dead! When they did understand it, they told everyone everywhere they went.

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[1] John 1:1-3
[2] John 1:14
[3] John 1:10-12
[4] Luke 2:35
[5] John 20:28; Titus 2:13; Hebrews 1:8
[6] Romans 1:2-4; 1 John 4:2-3
[7] Romans 10:9
[8] 2 John 1:7