Brothers in God :

The Holy Spirit and Jesus

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1E. Perfectly Human, Completely Divine

Jesus has Human Emotions. We find a full range of human emotions in the life of Jesus. He is moved deeply to see the people in their need. "When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them." (1). He became hungry in the wilderness after an extended period without any food. "And he fasted forty days and forty nights, and afterward he was hungry." (2).

On the cross he cries out because his thirst was so great. "After this, Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfill the Scripture), "I thirst."" (3).

Jesus had other human characteristics. He suffered immensely on the cross "being in agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down upon the ground." (4). Christ was in human agony and not immune from pain at that moment.

Jesus Grows like a Child

Jesus grew up like any other youngster, developing physically and mentally. "And the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favour of God was upon him." (5). Again Luke records, "Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature, and in favour with God and man." (6).

But even as a child Jesus was aware of his destiny. He wandered away from his parents in order to listen to the holy men in the Temple. We are told that "when they saw him they were astonished; and his mother said to him, 'Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been looking for you anxiously.'" (7). Mary and Joseph naturally showed great concern for his well-being.

Jesus is a Perfect Human

Julian of Norwich of the Medieval Church addresses Jesus as "my sister and my mother." to emphasize his humanity.

Jesus, like the Holy Spirit, was described as pure and sinless, "therefore the child to be born will be called holy." (8) He lived without sin and was not subject to evil. "I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming. He has no power over me." (9) Because Jesus is pure and holy he can claim to be the "Way", and to offer himself as a perfect example for people to follow. "I am the way, and the truth" (10). By embodying purity, he authenticates his claim to be the Truth.

Jesus is Truly God

Because Jesus is pure and truly the holy God, he deserves our worship. "At the name of Jesus, every knee bows in heaven, on earth, and under the earth and every tongue confesses that Jesus Christ is Lord" (11).

The deity of Jesus is self authenticating. Lidden writes "The three aspects of the divine nature, denoted by the terms Life, Love and Light are attributed in St John's writings with abundant explicitness to the word made flesh." "The Light, the Love, the Life are the glory of the Word Incarnate which his disciples "beheld", pouring its rays through the veil of his human tabernacle." (12)

Notes

(1) Matthew 9.36 (2) Matthew 4.2 (3) John 19.28 (4) Luke 22.44 (5) Luke 2.40 (6) Luke 2.52 (7) Luke 2.48 (8) Luke 1.35 (9) John 14.30 (10) John 14.6 (11) Colossians 1.15 (12) Lidden p234-5. "The Divinity of our Lord and Savior."

"The Relationship of the Holy Spirit and Jesus."

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