Jesus - divine or human?

We know that Jesus is known as the son of God, we are probably used to this way of defining who Jesus is. He clearly demonstrates that he is God's son when we read the Bible; we see Jesus doing the right things, saying the right things and caring about people above and beyond what we do. 

Do we see Jesus as human too? 

We know he came in human form; he looked, talked and walked like us, but internally is he the same? As well as being known as the Son of God, Jesus is also referred to as 'the son of man'. It's important that we recognise Jesus as both, because if he is entirely God then he's somewhat out of reach- no wonder he's a goody-two-shoes! We are not as perfect, so, as people we could just dismiss the idea of who Jesus is because he can't help being perfect, he's God, therefore unreachable, and incomprehensible. If he is human, entirely, then we can relate to and understand something of who Jesus is.

So, how can we see Jesus' humanity when his divinity is so clearly displayed?

Well, in the Bible there are a few great passages that show the emotion of Jesus, he had thoughts, temptations and fears like the rest of us. He even had to do things he didn't want to do - did you know that?

I've been looking just at the following few verses which I think depict the humanity of Jesus. There are more, but today I'm focussing on these:

"Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But for this purpose I have come to this hour. 28 Father, glorify your name.” 

John 12:27-28

He told them, “My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.” 

Mark 14:34

Both of the verses relate to Jesus speaking about his coming death. The first verses in John, were just after Jesus triumphant arrival at Jerusalem, complete with palm leaves and a donkey. The second, form Mark, was the night Jesus called his close disciples to pray with him in the garden of Gethsemane, just before he was arrested.

"Now is my soul troubled."

Jesus felt; anxiety, agitation and terror at what was to come. He realised the pain would be mental, physical, emotional and spiritual. There was great degradation dying in this way, the torture was going to be horrendous. His disciples who he'd lived for the last few years would disown and abandon him- in the moment he would need them most. Jesus knew what was coming, but he didn't know what it'd actually be like -he'd not experienced it before. The coming time was the most terrifying and painful time of his life, and it would end his life. No wonder he was troubled! 

Doesn't this show the humanity of Jesus? When we know we are facing something new, difficult, horrendous or painful don't we also feel 'troubled'? 

Jesus does understand what that is like. He is human too. 

He told them, “My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.” 

Have you ever felt, "crushed with grief"? The overwhelming heartache and pain that makes you feel like you can't go on? Jesus has felt that same pain. Being crushed makes me think of being forcefully squashed. Unable to function as yourself, being forced into a situation that you can't get out of, but having to bear it. Not destroyed, but feeling close to it. 

Jesus grieved, did you know that? I think most people have experienced what that is like for themselves, the aching, screaming pain of loss. "to the point of death" feeling so distraught, so much pain, that it might as well all be over. Did Jesus feel that depth of sorrow, of grief and distress that he'd rather die than go through it? 

The recognition that Jesus also suffered as intense emotional distress as you and me should help us to understand that he too is human. He too pleaded with God for certain things to happen (or not). He felt misery, loneliness, and intense physical pain. Just like we all do. Jesus is human inside and out.

Jesus' divinity doesn't subdue his humanity.

Jesus' humanity exhibits his divinity. 

'Even now' faith

John 11:20 - 27

when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, but Mary remained seated in the house. 21 Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you. Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” 24 Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” 25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, 26 and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” 27 She said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.” 

V39-40

Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, “Lord, by this time there will be an odour, for he has been dead four days.” 40 Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God? So they took the stone away” 

It is interesting how we can read these verses and think that perhaps Martha isn't really as devoted to Jesus as first she appears. 

She initially states that, "even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.” This seems like Martha has complete, absolute trust in Jesus. She recognises that he has a special connection with God, and whatever Jesus asks from God, he gets. When Jesus speaks, it happens. 

Then, a while later, probably a few hours later (not a few days, weeks or months, but a few hours), Martha says, "Lord, by this time there will be an odour, for he has been dead four days". This seems to be in the opposite vein to her declared faith a few hours ago. She had declared that, 'even now' she knew Jesus could ask for whatever he wanted, and it would happen. 

I think what this 'even now' means, is that, eventhough her brother has died, Martha has not lost her faith in who Jesus is. 

She knew, if Jesus had been there, her brother, Lazarus, would of been healed. She knows that God hears Jesus, and answers his prayers, she knows that Jesus is the son of God, she knows that he is the Christ. Martha has no doubt about who Jesus is.

Yet...

When Jesus comes to the tomb, and asks for the stone to be rolled away, Martha doesn't quite know what's happening. She doesn't understand what Jesus is up to, so she questions and puts into practice good old logical thinking.

Don't we all do that? 

In a difficult or odd situation, don't we look at the logical, practical outcome? Because we don't understand that something different could happen? 

What Jesus was asking was odd, it's like someone suggesting, after someone had been dead and buried that we dig up their coffin and have a look. Most of us would question why and probably think it's disrespectful and unnecessary.

To be honest, I marvel at Martha's faith. She is completely confident in who Jesus is. Grief, trouble and potential hardship are not knocking her faith. Her faith is secure. She doesn't question - does God exist? Does He care? Why doesn't He do something? No, Martha in fact asserts that she KNOWS who Jesus is - That doesn't change. Here Martha doesn't question who He is, she just doesn't understand what He is up to.

Who Jesus is doesn't change when your circumstances do. 

He is the same yesterday, today and forever, just because your situation may change, doesn't mean He does. Our perspective of who He is might, and we might not understand what God is up to at times, but it doesn't mean He has disappeared. 

Martha didn't understand why Jesus wanted the tomb opened, He was up to something that no-one ever does. Martha was being practical, sensible and level-headed. Don't we do just the same? 

It's easy to trust in our own experiences and the 'norms' of life, rather than tread down the unknown path. Jesus was doing something a bit weird, and no-one knew why. Jesus didn't explain himself either, he just asked a question, "Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God". This question inspired trust in those standing by, and some people who were present rolled away the stone. Expecting to see death and decay. Instead Lazarus was alive! They experienced the unbelievable! 

Sometimes, we have to hold onto that complete confidence in Jesus like Martha did. Recognise that, yeah, this is tough, I don't know what God is doing, but He is doing something. Wait, like they did. Jesus didn't force the issue, it was up to the people there to do what he was saying. They went with it, they had no idea why Jesus wanted to enter a tomb with a rotting body in it, but what was the worst that could happen? 

We need the same faith. Martha knew. She knew Jesus, she knew who He was, she had heard and seen what He can do. So, when it came to Jesus wanting to do something quite odd, she didn't understand it, she did question it, not in a bad way, but she went with it. Then she experience something so wonderful. In the midst of painful grief, she saw God do the impossible! 

So, let's aim to have faith like Martha, that strives on when it's tough, and that has eyes that are open to see what God is about. Then we might just experience the impossible! 

Can you see where you are going?

Most of us don't start a journey by blindfolding ourselves because:

- it's scary

- you could fall over

- you might not end up going the right way

Not having light makes a journey more difficult. It doesn't mean it's impossible,  but it does put us at a disadvantage. 

The journey of life is the same. Without light, it's more scary, there are obstacles and you might end up going in the wrong direction.

So I want to ask you, can you see where you are going? 

Are you trying to walk through life with the lights on or off? 

This is what Jesus says;

“I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

John 8:12

So, if you're walking life your own way, without Jesus as a part of it, you're walking with the lights off. 

Jesus is the light. 

He can show you the way to go.

If you've not accepted Him as a part of your life, then you are walking in darkness. It's scarier, there's uncertainty about where your going or what obstacles there are, and it's more difficult. 

Why make life hard for yourself? 

Invite Jesus to be part of your life, and he will light the way. 

He will show you the way to go, he'll be with you on the journey and give you insight, you might even be able to avoid the discomfort of a few obstacles!

Jesus is, 'the light of the world'. He provides us with the ability to see more clearly what our lives are about. 

We all know that in a dark room things become clearer once we turn a light on, it makes a big difference. 

Having Jesus in your life makes a big difference. 

When you turn the light on, you see the obstacles to avoid, you no longer have to trip over them. You see the route you need to take. There is less fear. Following Jesus is like that. What you see changes. 

The purpose of where you are going and what you are doing is made clearer.

Do you want to see where you are going?