Jesus, Son of God – a Human
With His divinity hidden in humanity, Jesus came to this earth to reach us and communicate with us in our weak, sinful condition. If He had come clothed with His heavenly brightness, we could not have endured the glory of His presence. Jesus “being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men” (Philippians 2:6, 7).
To be our perfect example and high Priest, our mighty God chose to experience how it is like to be human. “Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people” (Hebrews 2:17).
He understands us because He went through the same things we do. “For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin” (Hebrews 4:15). It was possible for Jesus to make a mistake, He was tempted unto death (Matthew 26:38).
He was also specifically tempted in the areas that Adam and Eve fell (Matthew 4:1). Christ met, overcame, and condemned sin in the sphere in which it had previously exercised its dominion. He was able to do so through quoting the scriptures. Through Christ, human flesh, the scene of sin’s former triumphs, became the scene of sin’s defeat.
It was also Christ’s purpose to demonstrate how humanity can successfully resist sin. Jesus proved that obedience to the will of God is possible through the grace of God. Since the fall of Adam, Satan had pointed to man’s sin as proof that God’s law was unjust and could not be obeyed. But Christ came to show that God is able to give humanity victory over sin.
He was made like unto His brethren in all things, He suffered and was tempted in all points like we are, yet He did not sin. We too, can overcome sin as He overcame, through the grace of God. Because of His victory over sin we too may triumph over it (Romans 8:1–4). In Him we can be “more than conquerors” (Romans 8:37), for God “give us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:57), over both sin and its wages, death (Galatians 2:20).
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In His service,
BibleAsk Team