The idea of Jesus being fully God and fully man is something I'll never quite grasp, but I think I've made some progress in the past year. I think I've overemphasized, in the past, the divinity of Christ at the expense of his humanity during his time on earth (it's even hard for me to NOT capitialize 'his', but maybe I need to stop capitalizing it when I'm speaking of Jesus' time on earth, at least for a while as a reminder of what I sense God is teaching me).
You see, I don't think Jesus was all-powerful, all-knowing, or everywhere-present when He was on earth. I believe that everything that He did was done as a fully obedient and Spirit-led man. Sure he did miracles, but so did Spirit-filled Apostles. Sure he had great insights into future events, but so did Spirit-inspired Prophets. I think Jesus let go of those divine characterists b/w the conception and the cross.
Jesus did all sorts of things that He wouldn't have been able to do had He been grasping His divine status. God can't be tempted, but Jesus was tempted. God doesn't grow weary, but Jesus got tired. God can't die, but Jesus died. Does this imply that Jesus ceased to be God during this time? In my mind it doesn't imply that at all. He certainly did, though, cease to exist as He did prior to the incarnation.
*please ignore the mixed used of H's and h's
2 comments:
I once heard Stephen Manley speak on this very thing... it changed my view of incarnation, and of a Spirit filled life. I tried to find the sermon online, but I can only find where you can order it, not listen to it. Sorry!
Sounds interesting
Yeah, this has been a couple years of transitioning my thoughts about Jesus' time on this earth. It's only now really starting to become crystal clear.
It's amazing how often, now, I read that Jesus was 'full of the Spirit' or a similar phrase now that I have my eyes open for it. When I was a teen I just flat out missed that and assumed Jesus did cool stuff b/c He was God.
This also helps me understand John 14:12
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