Jesus' Humanity and the Will of God in Theology
Christ's humanity stands as a necessary component of his mediatorial office, enabling him to bridge the chasm between God and humanity. Paul writes that "there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus" [3], emphasizing that the mediator must himself be human to represent humanity before God. This necessity extends to his entire redemptive work: "it behooved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest" [2].
The Reality of Christ's Human Nature
The Gospels document Christ's full participation in human experience through concrete physical and emotional realities. His humanity is demonstrated through conception in the virgin's womb, birth, circumcision, growth in wisdom and stature, weeping, hunger, thirst, sleep, and weariness [2]. These are not mere appearances but genuine human experiences. John's Gospel records that "the Word became flesh" (1:14), a claim that "stunned both Greeks and Jews" because it asserted that "God himself became flesh in Christ" [6]. The theological formulation that emerged holds that "Jesus' humanity and divinity were complete, not partial," establishing that Christ is "100-percent divine and 100-percent human" [6].
The Will of God in Christ's Person
Christ's human will operated in perfect alignment with the divine will, yet remained genuinely human. As man and Mediator, Christ possessed "a human soul" [2], which means he exercised human volition within the constraints of incarnate existence. His righteousness as man consisted in complete obedience to God's law [5], and he "fulfilled all righteousness" [5]. The righteousness of God, described as "very high" and "beyond computation" [1, 7], finds its expression in Christ, who "is made righteousness to his people" and "is the end of the law for righteousness" [5].
The incarnation reveals that God's righteousness and mercy converge in the person of Christ. God's faithfulness and mercy are "with him" as Mediator [9], enabling him to be "just and the one who justifies the person by faith in Jesus" [4]. This union of divine attributes in a human person constitutes what one tradition calls "the mystery of godliness," describing the incarnation as "a great one, next, if not equal, to the doctrine of a trinity of persons in the divine essence" [8].
Sources
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Righteousness of God, The — Is part of his character -- Ps 7:9; 116:5; 119:137. Described as Very high. -- Ps 71:19. Abundant. -- Ps 48:10. Beyond computation. -- Ps 71:15. Everlasting. -- Ps 119:142. Enduring for ever. -- Ps 111:3. The habitation of his throne. -- Ps 97:2. Christ acknowledged -- Joh 17:25. Christ committed his cause to -- 1Pe 2:23. Angels acknowledge -- Re 16:5. Exhibited in His testimonies. -- Ps 119:138,144. His commandments. -- De 4:8; Ps 119:172. His judgments. -- Ps 19:9; 119:7,62. His word. -- Ps 119:123. His ways. -- Ps 145:17. His acts. -- J”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Human Nature of Christ, The — Was necessary to his mediatorial office -- 1Ti 2:5; Heb 2:17; Ga 4:4,5; 1Co 15:21; Ro 6:15,19. Is proved by his Conception in the Virgin's womb. -- Mt 1:18; Lu 1:31. Birth. -- Mt 1:16,25; 2:2; Lu 2:7,11. Partaking of flesh and blood. -- Joh 1:14; Heb 2:14. Having a human soul. -- Mt 26:38; Lu 23:46; Ac 2:31. Circumcision. -- Lu 2:21. Increase in wisdom and stature. -- Lu 2:52. Weeping. -- Lu 19:41; Joh 11:35. Hungering. -- Mt 4:2; 21:18. Thirsting. -- Joh 4:7; 19:28. Sleeping. -- Mt 8:24; Mr 4:38. Being subject to weariness. -- Joh 4:6. ”
- I Timothy “I Timothy 2:5 (Darby) — ForGod is one, and [the] mediator ofGod and men one, [the] man Christ Jesus,”
- Romans “Romans 3:26 (LEB) — in the forbearance of God, for the demonstration of his righteousness in the present time, so that he should be just and the one who justifies the person by faith in Jesus.”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Righteousness — Is obedience to God's law -- De 6:25; Ro 10:5; Lu 1:6; Ps 1:2. God loves -- Ps 11:7. God looks for -- Isa 5:7. Christ Is the Son of. -- Mal 4:2. Loves. -- Ps 45:7; Heb 1:9. Was girt with. -- Isa 11:5. Put on, as breast-plate. -- Isa 59:17. Was sustained by. -- Isa 59:16. Preached. -- Ps 40:9. Fulfilled all. -- Mt 3:15. Is made to his people. -- 1Co 1:30. Is the end of the law for. -- Ro 10:4. Has brought in everlasting. -- Da 9:24. Shall judge with. -- Ps 72:2; Isa 11:4; Ac 17:31; Re 19:11. Shall reign in. -- Ps 45:6; Isa 32:1; Heb 1:8. Shall execute.”
- John (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on John 1:14: 1:14 The idea that the Word became human (literally became flesh) stunned both Greeks and Jews. Greeks separated the sphere of God from the mundane world of humanity, which they called flesh (Greek sarx). John wrote that God himself became flesh in Christ (cp. 1:1). Jesus’ humanity and divinity were complete, not partial. The two ideas—Jesus as 100-percent divine and 100-percent human—form the bedrock of a Christian understanding of Christ. • the Word . . . made his home (Greek skēnoō, “pitched his tent”) among us: This Greek word is related to the word used for the”
- Psalms (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Psalms 71:19: Thy righteousness also, O God, is very high,.... Or, "unto the place on high" (f); it reaches unto heaven, as the mercy, truth, and faithfulness of God, are said to do, Psa 36:5. The righteousness of Christ is accepted of with God the Father in heaven; it is in Christ, who is there at the right hand of God; and it is higher and infinitely above any righteousness of a creature, angel's or man's; who hast done great things; in nature, in forming the world out of nothing, and in upholding all creatures in their beings; in providence, in governing the world, and orderi”
- 1 Timothy (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on 1 Timothy 3:16: And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness,.... What follows is so, the incarnation of Christ, his birth of a virgin, the union of the two natures, divine and human, in his person; this is a mystery, which though revealed, and so to be believed, is not to be discerned nor accounted for, nor the modus of it to be comprehended by reason: and it is a great one, next, if not equal, to the doctrine of a trinity of persons in the divine essence; and is a mystery of godliness, which tends to encourage internal and external religion, powerful and practical g”
- Psalms (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Psalms 89:23: But my faithfulness and my mercy shall be with him,.... The "faithfulness" of God was and is with Christ, in performing promises made to him respecting his work, and strength to do it, as man, and the glory that should follow; and also those made to his people in him, relating to grace here, and happiness hereafter: and though there was no "mercy" shown to Christ, as the surety of his people, but he was dealt with in strict justice; yet, as Mediator of the covenant, the special mercy of God is with him, even every blessing of it, called "the sure mercies of David"; a”