Related Posts
Jesus was fully man while He was physically on the earth and the implications are worth considering closely. Being human he was clothed with mortal flesh and subject to weaknesses.
IMPLICATIONS
Limited in Knowledge
One of the major weakness humans have is the lack of infinite knowledge. This is a design of God and as such, it is a good thing because everything God has designed has a purpose in His plan for His glory and for the benefit of his creatures. It means that Jesus being fully man did not know everything except as it was revealed to Him by His Father, God. This amplifies Matthew 24:36.
Before His death, though the fullness of the GodHead dwelled in Jesus, His mortality was fully functional– a glorious mystery! So, it’s no surprise He did not know when the risen Christ Jesus would return for His bride in His full glory as God without His humanity. I pray this understanding may help us stop trying to be smarter than Jesus who is the only human that has operated in the full capacity of God as man. Nevertheless, Jesus gave God the glory due Him by accepting to leave the things God had chosen to keep for Himself. He trusted God completely as a faithful God who does all things for His (Jesus’) benefit though limited by His humanity.
Needed Faith
Faith is a wonderful gift from God to all humans because He knows the weakness our humanity places on us. This faith helps man to look up to the invisible to see and rely on the Creator- God. Hence, before Jesus’ death and resurrection, He had to look up to God consistently for all His needs and for victory over all difficulties, temptations and trials.
Subject to Temptation
All of humanity are subject to temptations from Satan, his cohorts and from self-will (power of the mind). Jesus was subject to temptation because He had the weakness of not knowing everything. This was the major reason His life was full of prayers and the word of God. He lived by “it is written” which is the same charge God gave to Adam and Eve and remains a standing order to us today till the end of time Matthew 4:4, 10.
Possibility of Falling
The fact that Jesus was consistently tempted and had needs made it an open possibility for Him to fall and fail if He looked away from God. He had emotions and desires which meant He loved people especially those close and in agreement with Him, like Peter and John. This was a very great temptation because He wanted to respect those people and live in good understanding with them but the fact that they could not always understand His good intentions and speech was a problem. For example, He at one time said to Peter “Get behind me, Satan” (Matthew 16:23). While today we know He was not referring to Peter, at that point in time, it would have been a shock to Peter and perhaps to those around him. Such words could have been a source of huge misunderstanding and quarrel.
Window of Repentance
God has given room to all humans to repent of their sin (Adamic nature that rejects God’s way- Jesus). And He calls His children to repent if they fall into sin — that window was also there for Jesus but praise God, He showed us that John was not bluffing when He wrote, “… That you may not sin” (1 John 2:1, Hebrews 4:15)
Option not to Repent
Everyone with the window of opportunity to repent also has the liberty not to repent if they so choose. Praise God Jesus did not need to repent– He set for us an example of perfection which, Paul the Apostle tells us, “No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead” (Philippians 3:13, 2 NIV 2 Corinthians 3:18).
By faith, humanity can touch God, live beyond humanity and participate in God’s divine nature through God’s promises in Christ Jesus the One to whom all things are subject Hebrews 11:6, 2 Peter 1:4, Eph 1:21.
The world has not ended today and will not end today not because God wants to mock mere humans who refuse to humble themselves before His holy word that has been tested in the furnace (mysterious fire) and proved purer than fine gold but because He is desiring to give room for you and I to repent from our wicked ways and kiss His Son.
Kiss the Son of God O people and live! Psalm 2:12.
In another article, we will consider Jesus: Fully God.
Maranatha!