Jesus: Human & Divine
The Two Natures of Jesus
Human Mind, Human Heart
• Joys and trials of human nature:
– Close friends and family
– Shared meals and celebrations
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Wedding
Dinner with Martha, Mary and Lazarus
Visited the homes of others
Experienced hunger, frustration, pain, fatigue, suffering and
sorrow
• Cries
• Psychological fear, genuine pain, and emotional anxiety
• Dies
• We join our everyday experiences to those of Jesus and
are able to grow in holiness
A Faithful Jew
• Raised in a Jewish home
– Mary and Joseph are devout Jews who bring Jesus up
in the Jewish faith
• Circumcised
• Presented at the Temple
– Sacrifice of lamb and turtledove
• Practiced his faith
– Celebrates the Jewish holidays
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Passover, Tabernacles, Dedication
Travels to Jerusalem for feasts
Studied the Torah and teaches with it
Goes to synagogue on the Sabbath
Anti- Semitism
• Prejudice against the Jewish people
– Canaanites
– Book of Esther
– Charged with “deicide”
– Called “Christ killers”
– Holocaust
Life in the 1st century
• Historical background
– Under Roman control since 63 AD
– Local kings ruled but must remain faithful to the emperor
– Three territories of Palestine ruled by the three sons of King Herod
• Eventually Judea was given over to the control of a Roman procurator, Pontius
Pilate
• Realities of Roman occupation
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Roman money
Roman presence
Roman taxes, in addition to local taxes
Opposition met with violence and cruelty
• crucifixion
• Roman religion
– Emperor worship
– Mystery religions
• Greek influences
• Egyptian influences
Historical Context
• Jesus is at odds with the society of the day
– Cruelty and oppression from leaders
• Jesus just barely escapes death as a baby
– Tax collections
• Jews employed by Rome to collect taxes were despised by
the people
– Political and economic oppression
• Threats of violence and cruelty were a constant presence in
their lives
– Marginalized people
• Poor, sinners, women, sick, tax collectors
Union of Human and Divine
• Early Church Councils
– Response to the heresies circulating regarding Jesus’
nature
• Chalcedon
– Proclaimed the hypostatic union of Jesus’ human and divine natures
• Constantinople (2nd)
– Everything that human Jesus did, God did, including suffering and dying
• Hypostatic Union
– The union of Jesus Christ’s divine and human natures in
one divine person, joined completely as one
• We experience Jesus divinity through his humanity
• Jesus never stops being God
– Everything Jesus did, God did
Lord and Redeemer
• Lord
– OT name for God is YHWH
– Substitute- adonai or Lord
• An indication of Jesus’ divinity
• In Greek Kyrios
• Redeemer
– Ancient practice of paying a ransom for a slave by
someone known as a redeemer.
– Jesus paid the price to free us from our sins
1. Name some examples from the Scriptures that illustrate Jesus’
experiencing both the blessings and frustrations of normal life.
The Gospels tell us that Jesus experienced the ups and downs of any
human life. He attended weddings such as the one at Cana (see John
2:1–11). He enjoyed visiting friends, such as his visit to Martha, Mary,
and Lazarus (see Luke 10:38–42). He also visited those who were
misunderstood or outcast, such as Pharisees and tax collectors (see Luke
7:36–50, 19:1–10). When hungry and thirsty during his fast in the desert,
Jesus faced temptations from the Devil (see Matthew 4:1–11). He
grieved when his friend Lazarus And most obviously, Jesus experienced
fear, anxiety, and physical pain in his Passion and death.
2. How do the Gospels help us to understand Jesus’ religious life as a
faithful Jew?
The Gospels give us many examples of Jesus as a faithful and
observant Jew. They tell us that Jesus was brought up in a Jewish family
in accordance with Jewish laws and traditions. For example, Jesus was
circumcised eight days after his birth, a physical sign of God’s Covenant
with Israel that identified him as one of the descendants of Abraham,
God’s Chosen People. Mary and Joseph presented Jesus at the Temple in
Jerusalem and sacrificed two turtledoves, following laws given in Exodus
and Leviticus.
The Gospels show us how Jesus celebrated Jewish holidays, such
as Passover. Finally, in the Gospels we often find Jesus clearly
demonstrating his deep knowledge of the Hebrew Scriptures, or Old
Testament. In one case he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath, read a
passage from the Book of Isaiah, and taught the assembly about the
passage.
3. How did the Roman rule in Palestine affect Jesus and the Jewish
community?
The Roman Empire was a constant reality in the lives of Jesus and his
companions. They used Roman money, encountered Roman soldiers
patrolling the streets, and paid Roman taxes and tolls. The Romans
allowed local kings to rule regions. At Jesus’ birth, the Palestinian king was
Herod, who had all baby boys executed when he heard rumors of the birth
of a new king of the Jews, Jesus. By the time of Jesus’ death, the Romans
had set up Pontius Pilate as a procurator to rule in place of Herod’s son.
The Romans were officially tolerant of the many cultures under their rule,
but as a militant society, they put down rebellions quickly and violently to
discourage opposition. Their methods included crucifying rebels and other
lawbreakers. Citizens were expected to follow the official religion of
emperor worship. Many other traditions were also practiced, but Judaism
was still a religious minority.
4. What is the hypostatic union?
The hypostatic union refers to the union of Jesus Christ’s divine and
human natures in one Divine Person.
The two natures do not simply exist separately and side by side. Rather,
they are united so completely that both are fully present.
5. Why is the hypostatic union important to us today?
Jesus is one Divine Person, fully united in his human and divine natures.
Thus, we can know and experience the divinity of Jesus through his
humanity. Furthermore, because of the hypostatic union, we become
part of Christ’s Body, the Church, when we are baptized into Christ.
This allows us to experience God not only through Jesus’ humanity but
also through our own.
6. What does it mean to call Jesus “Lord” and “Redeemer”?
When we call Jesus “Lord,” we recognize his divinity.
Recognizing Jesus as our Lord demonstrates reverence and trust,
recognizes the mystery of Jesus’ divinity, and acknowledges that the
honor we show God the Father is due to the Son as well.
We call Jesus “Redeemer” because he ransomed us from our
enslavement by sin. In the Roman Empire, someone who paid the
ransom to free a slave was called a redeemer, and the early Christians
adopted this terminology to reflect our salvation in Christ. Jesus could
only redeem or save humanity through his suffering and death
because
(1) he is fully human and could fully experience that suffering and
death,
(2) he is also fully divine, with the power to save us. As our Redeemer,
therefore, Jesus united humanity with God and made salvation
possible.