Why is the humanity of Jesus important?

Answer  
  

The humanity of Jesus is as equally important as the [deity of Jesus](deity-of-Christ.html). Jesus was born as a human being while still being totally divine. The concept of the humanity of Jesus co\-existing with His deity is difficult for the finite mind of man to comprehend. Nevertheless, Jesus’ nature—wholly man and wholly God—is a biblical fact. There are those who reject these biblical truths and declare that Jesus was a man, but not God (Ebionism). [Docetism](Docetism.html) is the view that Jesus was God, but not human. Both viewpoints are unbiblical and false.  
  

  

Jesus had to be born as a human being for several reasons. One is outlined in Galatians 4:4–5: “But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons.” Only a man could be “born under the law.” No animal or angelic being is “under the law.” Only humans are born under the law, and only a human being could redeem other human beings born under the same law. Born under the law of God, all humans are guilty of transgressing that law. Only a perfect human—Jesus Christ—could perfectly keep the law and perfectly fulfill the law, thereby redeeming us from that guilt. Jesus accomplished our redemption on the cross, exchanging our sin for His perfect righteousness (2 Corinthians 5:21\).  
  

Another reason Jesus had to be fully human is that God established the necessity of the shedding of blood for the remission of sins (Leviticus 17:11; Hebrews 9:22\). The blood of animals, although acceptable on a temporary basis as a foreshadowing of the blood of the perfect God\-Man, was insufficient for the permanent remission of sin because “it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins” (Hebrews 10:4\). Jesus Christ, the perfect Lamb of God, sacrificed His human life and shed His human blood to cover the sins of all who would ever believe in Him. If He were not human, this would have been impossible.  
  

Furthermore, the humanity of Jesus enabled Him to be tempted. “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin” (Hebrews 4:15\). In His humanity, Jesus was subjected to all the same kinds of trials that we are, and that should give us great confidence that He is a sympathetic and understanding high priest. Of course, being God, Jesus knew our situation and was sympathetic to us prior to His incarnation; but the fact that He lived a human life means that He experienced all the temptations, discomforts, and miseries that accompany life in the flesh. He suffered with us. He was poor; He was despised; He suffered physical pain; and He endured the sorrows of a lingering and most cruel death.  
  

Declaring that Jesus has come in the flesh is the mark of a spirit from God, while the Antichrist and all who follow him will deny it (1 John 4:2–3\). Jesus has come in the flesh; He sinlessly experienced our human frailties; His human blood was shed for our sins; and He was fully God and fully Man. These are biblical truths that cannot be denied.  
  

