Re: [TruthTalk] The Humanity of Jesus

[LBetz]

"Christ Jesus... thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men..." Philippians 2:5-7 I.    One of the first heresies to enter the early church was the doctrine of docetism       (from the Greek verb dokeo, "to seem").                1 John 4:2, 3       A.   This teaching claimed that Jesus Christ only seemed to be human, that He             did not actually become flesh.       B.   Advocates of this doctrine taught that Jesus possessed divinity only from             the time of His death. This denies the truth of the incarnation as taught in             scripture (Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:18, 22, 23; Luke 1:26-31, 34, 35). II.   Except that He never sinned (John 8:29; 14:30; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Hebrews        4:15; 7:26; 9:14; 10:7; 1 Peter 1:19; 2:22; 1 John 3:5), Jesus Christ was fully        man as well as He was God.                Acts 3:22                John 1:14                Philippians 2:7                Hebrews 2:14, 17 III.   Physically, He was the same as we are.                Romans 5:15 (Christ was man even as Adam was man.)        A.   He was born of our flesh, of a woman.                     Genesis 3:15                     Isaiah 7:14 (Matthew 1:23)                     Matthew 1:16, 21, 25                     Luke 1:31, 32; 2:7                     John 1:14                     Acts 2:30                     Romans 1:3; 8:3                     Galatians 4:4                     Hebrews 2:14-18         B.  He grew physically.                     Isaiah 53:2                     Luke 2:40, 52         C.  He had a body of flesh and bones.                     Luke 24:39                     1 Timothy 3:16                     Hebrews 2:14          D.   His veins contained blood.                     John 19:34          E.   He hungered.                     Matthew 4:2 (Luke 4:2)                     Matthew 21:18                     Mark 11:12           F.   He thirsted.                     Psalms 69:21                     John 19:28          G.   He became weary and slept.                     Matthew 8:24 (Mark 4:38)                     John 4:6          H.   He died.                     Matthew 27:50 (Mark 15:37; Luke 23:46; John 19:30)                     1 Peter 3:18                     Hebrews 2:9, 14 IV.   Jesus also had a human soul and therefore possessed the same         emotions as any other man.         A.   He rejoiced.                     Luke 10:21         B.   He was angered.                     Matthew 21:12, 13; 23         C.   He suffered great mental anguish.                     Luke 22:44               1.   Isaiah described Him as "a man of sorrows and acquainted                     with grief."                           Isaiah 53:3                           Matthew 26:37, 38 (Mark 14:33, 34)                           John 11:33, 38; 12:27; 13:21               2.    He was forsaken, deserted, alone. One of His closest friends                      betrayed Him. Matthew 26:56                           Mark 14:50                           Isaiah 53:3                           Psalms 69:20                3.   He was laughed at and mocked.                           Matthew 9:24b (Mark 5:40)                           Luke 22:63        D.   He felt compassion for those to whom He ministered.                     Matthew 9:36; 14:14; 20:34; 15:3                     Mark 6:34; 8:2, 3                     Luke 7:13        E.   He wept.                     Hebrews 5:7              1.   At Lazarus' death.                           John 11:33, 35              2.   Over Jerusalem.                           Luke 19:41 V.   The fact that He was the Son of God did not make Jesus Christ        exempt from spiritual warfare, either.       A.   He, too, struggled in prayer.                     Luke 22:41-44       B.   He was tempted as we are.                     Matthew 4 (Mark 1:13; Luke 4)                     Hebrews 2:17, 18; 4:15 VI.   Therefore, having lived a normal life as the carpenter's son (Matthew        13:55; Mark 6:3; Luke 2:51), and having endured much suffering        Himself, Jesus understands and can "sympathize" with our feelings        and weaknesses.                 Hebrews 4:14, 15 ("be touched" = "sympathize," Greek)                 Hebrews 5:2 Jesus was both divine and human but perhaps we do not think often enough of the humanity of Jesus.  Jesus came to break down barriers between between God and us and if do not acknowledge the humanity of Jesus, that Jesus was like us in every way except sin as the Letter to the Hebrews says in 4:15, we are erecting barriers between God and us once again. Also Heb 2:17-18 states. "It was essential that he should be made completely like his brothers so that he could become a compassionate and trustworthy high priest for their relationship to God, able to expaite the sins of the people.  For the suffering he himself passed through while being put to the test enables him to help others when they are being put to the test." <BGSOUND SRC="" LOOP="infinite">