The Man Christ Jesus:
“For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;” (1 Timothy 2:5, KJV)
When the Apostle Paul wrote about,
“the man Christ Jesus“
in 1 Timothy 2:5, Jesus Christ had already lived, died, was risen from the dead and seated at God’s right hand.
Paul clearly expressed that Jesus Christ, in his resurrected heavenly glory, is a man.
Some of us may be thinking:
“Isn’t calling Jesus, a man, diminishing who Jesus really is/was?”
The answer,
“No.”
Not according to the bible:
The first gospel message preached by an apostle to the New Testament Church, was about God working through Jesus Christ, who Peter described as
“… a man …” (Acts 2:22)
“Men of Israel, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know. This man was handed over to you by God’s set purpose and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross.” (Acts 2:22-23)
The prophet Isaiah also called Jesus Christ,
“… a man …”
“He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief …” (Isaiah 53:3, KJV)
King David spelled out the words Jesus Christ would say on the cross:
“My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?” (Psalm 22:1)
Jesus’ last words, were:
“’Father, into Your hands I commit My Spirit.’ And when He had said this, He breathed His last.” (Luke 23:46)
According to these scriptures, Jesus Christ is a man, who has a human spirit, and Jesus clearly proclaims our Father in heaven, as his God.
The Temptation of Christ:
Adam forfeited his right to subdue the earth when he made the decision to follow Eve in the transgression.
Because of Adam’s sin, Satan gained:
“… the power of death …” (Hebrews 2:14, NASB)
over man, and the earth was delivered into his hand for a season.
This is why, during the temptation of Christ, the devil could offer Jesus:
“… all the kingdoms of the world …” (Matthew 4:8, NASB)
If Jesus Christ was just God in a body, or a person of God, then Satan would have been offering God, or a person of God:
“… all the kingdoms of the world …” (Matthew 4:8, NASB)
which does not make sense.
In Christ’s Own Words:
In the Gospel of John, Jesus speaking about himself, said he was:
“… a man …” (John 8:40, NASB)
“But as it is, you are seeking to kill Me, a man who has told you the truth, which I heard from God; this Abraham did not do.” (John 8:40, NASB)
In the Gospel of Luke Jesus said:
“Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” (Luke 22:42, NIV)
When Jesus Christ spoke of:
“… my will …” (Luke 22:42, NIV)
Jesus made it clear that he had a will of his own!
And that is the beauty about who Jesus really is.
The man Christ Jesus willingly
“… endured the cross …”[1]
redeeming all of us who have faith in him![2]
The Man Christ Jesus in the New Testament:
“… He [God] has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead.” (Acts 17:31, NASB)
For more on this subject:
■ Chapter 1 — Seven Seals of the Apocalypse — Rich Kelsey
■ Who Is Jesus Christ? — Rich Kelsey
Endnotes:
1. “… fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:2 NASB)
2. “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Romans 5:1, NASB)