WAS JESUS REALLY HUMAN?

The Incarnation is a dogma that states:


Jesus Christ, the Son of God, “assumed a human nature in order to
accomplish our salvation in it.” (CCC,461)
The word of God took human flesh from his mother
Mary by the power of the Holy Spirit.

As a result Christians believe that Jesus is both 100% human and
100% divine.
WAS JESUS REALLY HUMAN?

Docetism:




1st Century heresy
Docetism comes from the Greek word meaning “to seem”.
The belief that God would not demean himself by becoming
human in all our weakness and humanity.
Their belief was that Jesus:
was a ghostly figure who only appeared to instruct us about the
divine.
 only seemed to be human.
 only seemed to die and resurrect.

WAS JESUS REALLY HUMAN?


The author of John’s Gospel (Greek word sarx, in Latin
carne meaning “flesh” or “meat”) insists that Jesus is
human.
A human person cannot be a human being without a
body.

Thus, the Incarnation literally means God became flesh.
THE PURPOSE OF THE INCARNATION

According to Church teaching, the Incarnation resulted
in many benefits for all human beings:




First, the word became flesh to save us by reconciling us
with God.
Second, as God’s Son, Jesus reveals God’s love to us.
Third, as God –made-Man, Jesus serves as the perfect
model of holiness.
Fourth, by becoming man, the Word of God makes it
possible for us to share in God’s nature.