THE HUMANITY OF JESUS

SHEKINAH GLORY
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word
was God" (Jn. 1:1)
John 1:14 - John used the word "flesh" (sarx) to express the human nature of
Jesus
(this word is also used in Rom.1:3, 8:3; 1 Tim 3:16; 1 John 4:2)
Many authors see a reference to the Sinai theophany rather than to setting of
the tabernacle. The points of contact between John 1 and Exodus 33 are:
EXODUS 33
7 Now Moses used to take the tabernacle
9 the pillar of cloud (the SHEKINAH) descended
10 all the people saw the pillar of cloud
11 YHWH spoke to Moses face to face
20 you cannot see MY face
23 you will see MY back; but MY face shall not be
seen

JOHN 1
14 the Word became flesh and tabernacled
among us
We beheld his glory
17 the law was given through Moses
18 no one has ever seen GOD
The only begotten SON... Has made him known1

BRIDGING THE GULF

Sin separated the human race from GOD, but Christ became human, and
came to die, in order to bridge this yawning chasm. Paul describes the
Incarnation of Christ (Phil. 2:5-8).
His Incarnation required a CREATIVE ACT. The Creator-Christ to become a part
of His creation, and to live as a created being like any other human (the
mystery of the Incarnation).
Christ chose to live as a human, but for that He must to replace His essential
nature, from divine to human. He was GOD and MAN united together in one
Person. In His pre-existence, Christ related to creation as its Creator and
ruled over the universe as a part of the Trinity. But in the Incarnation Jesus
entered a new relationship: He came to serve...to be a slave, even TO DIE!
VIRGIN BIRTH
Matt.1:18 - 21 "Mary...pregnant through the Holy Spirit"; Luke 1:30-35;
Gal.4:4-5; Isa 7:14;
Emanuel- fully GOD & Human- We attempt to grasp the infinite wisdom of
God with finite minds
John 16:12-14-Col.2:2-3 - Only the Holy Spirit can give as "complete
understanding" about Christ
John 3:16 + All three members of the Trinity participated in the coming of
Christ into the World.
UNIQUE NATURE
1)He lived before He was born a human; 2) no human father; 3) Born of the
Holy Spirit through a virgin; 4) the Son of the Most High; 5)His birth was
supernatural and His life impeccable.

1 Morris, John, in The New International Commentary on the New Testament, 92

Monogenes - comes from "ginnomai" not from "gennao" - doesn't mean

"only begotten" but "one of kind", "unique", "incomparable" (Jn.1:14; 3:16; 1
Jn. 4:9). Not only unique in Himself, but He came with a unique mission = TO
SAVE HUMANS AND REVEAL GOD = Savior & Mediator.
SON OF MAN = Heb.1:3 & Isa.53:2
Her Immaculate Conception- "By the grace of God, Mary remained free of
every personal sin her whole life long." 2 = NOT BIBLICAL because Luke 1:4647
His Immaculate Conception- Mary is not the mother of God, for Christ is the
Son of God. 3
SECOND ADAM
1 Cor. 15:45; Rom. 5:17-19 - Both Adams gift the race: 1 (eternal)
death, 1 (eternal) LIFE!!!

2 Catechism of the Catholic Church (Liguori, MO: Liguori Publications, 1994),

124(493)
3 Ibid., 126(499)