Sunday, April 23, 2017
IF JESUS IS GOD, WHY WAS HE BORN AND TOOK ON HUMAN FORM?
Dear reader,
After all the arguments and questions we have already addressed concerning the legitimacy of the divinity of Jesus, this question naturally arises: If Jesus truly possesses a divine nature, how is it possible for Him to also take on human form—something He acquired by being born of Mary? At the core of this question is the apparent paradox of Jesus having a divine origin yet appearing in human likeness, obtained through a physical birth.
Why, if He is God, would He become human?
The sin of Adam and Eve placed humanity in a debt that no human could ever repay. Let us read:
Genesis 3:17
“But of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”
Here, God, after placing Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, gave them a command regarding what they should and should not eat. They were specifically forbidden from eating the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, with a clear warning that the consequence of disobedience would be death. Thus, their act of disobedience incurred a debt—sin, whose penalty is death (spiritual and physical).
Humanity, therefore, needed deliverance from this debt of sin. But who has the authority and power to pay this debt of death and rescue mankind? The Bible tells us:
Psalm 49:7-8
“No man can by any means redeem his brother or give to God a ransom for him—8 for the redemption of their souls is costly, and he should cease trying forever.”
This is a clear biblical statement: No human can save himself or anyone else, for the price of a human soul is too high.
The crucial question is: What authority has the ability to pay the debt of death and thus save mankind? To answer this, we must look for certain qualifications, primarily:
-
The ability to originate life (create).
-
Authority over death.
Based on these qualifications, it quickly becomes clear that the task of redemption falls upon Jesus, for He alone possesses these characteristics. Both the Bible and the Qur’an affirm this truth. Let us examine further:
The Power to Originate Life (Create)
The Bible:
The Apostle John makes it clear that Jesus (the Word) is the Creator of all things:
John 1:3
“All things were made through Him; and without Him nothing was made that was made.”
The Qur’an:
Other religious texts, including the Qur’an, acknowledge Jesus’ creative power, although they attribute it to the permission of God. For example:
Qur’an 3:49
“And He will make him a messenger to the Children of Israel, (saying): ‘Indeed, I have come to you with a sign from your Lord in that I create for you out of clay, as it were, the figure of a bird, and I breathe into it, and it becomes a bird by God’s leave...’”
This verse demonstrates that during His ministry, Jesus created a bird out of clay and gave it life, an act that the Qur’an says was by God’s permission. Even so, Jesus’ participation in the act of creation—something that is solely the prerogative of God—is recognized.
Isaiah 44:24
“This is what the LORD says—your Redeemer, who formed you in the womb: ‘I am the LORD, the Maker of all things, who stretches out the heavens, who spreads out the earth by myself.’”
God Himself emphasizes that creation is an exclusive act; He does it alone. Therefore, Jesus’ involvement in creation grants Him a unique status and right regarding redemption.
Qur’an 22:73
“O people! A parable is set forth, so listen to it: Those whom you invoke besides Allah cannot create [even] a fly...”
Thus, Jesus’ creative power qualifies Him as the only one able to pay the ransom for mankind, since this is a divine prerogative.
Authority Over Death
The other key qualification is authority over death. Scripture shows that Jesus not only had the power to raise the dead, but He Himself conquered death:
Qur’an 3:49
“…and I heal the blind and the leper, and I give life to the dead, by God’s leave…”
The Qur’an acknowledges that Jesus could raise the dead. This is echoed in the Bible:
John 11:25
“Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die.’”
Only God can deliver mankind from the power of death. The Bible says:
Psalm 68:20
“Our God is a God who saves; from the Sovereign LORD comes escape from death.”
Therefore, redemption from death is a divine act, confirming Jesus’ role in human salvation.
Why Did Jesus Have to Take on Human Nature?
The Bible gives a clear answer:
Hebrews 2:16-17
“For surely it is not angels He helps, but Abraham’s descendants. For this reason He had to be made like them, fully human in every way, in order that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that He might make atonement for the sins of the people.”
Jesus had to become truly human to fulfill the work of atonement and to bridge the gap between God and man.
A Parable: The Samaritan Mother
There was a Samaritan woman living in a cold region. One day, as she sat warming herself by the fire, she saw a bird outside struggling in the freezing cold. The bird landed on a tree near her window. She took a stick and tried to reach out to help the bird, but the bird saw the stick and, fearing for its life, flew away into the cold and died. The woman lamented, “If only I could become like that bird, I could approach and lead it to warmth and safety!”
This parable illustrates why Jesus took on human form—to approach us, communicate with us, and lead us to salvation.
If Jesus had come in all the fullness of His divine glory, mankind would have been terrified and destroyed, as we see in the following biblical accounts:
Exodus 33:20
“But,” He said, “you cannot see My face, for no one may see Me and live.”
Thus, God needed to find a way to reveal Himself to mankind without causing their destruction.
Exodus 19:11-21 (paraphrased)
When God descended on Mount Sinai, the people trembled with fear, and many died due to the overwhelming presence of God.
So, how should God come so that mankind can endure His presence?
1 Timothy 3:16
“Beyond all question, the mystery from which true godliness springs is great: He appeared in the flesh, was vindicated by the Spirit, was seen by angels, was preached among the nations, was believed on in the world, was taken up in glory.”
The Bible reveals that God manifested Himself in human form so that mankind could behold Him and be saved.
Can God Manifest in Different Forms? (Other Religious Texts)
Qur’an 57:3
“He is the First and the Last, the Evident and the Hidden; and He has knowledge of all things.”
This passage describes God as both manifest (Evident) and hidden, suggesting God’s ability to reveal Himself in different ways.
Qur’an 20:9-12
“Has the story of Moses reached you? When he saw a fire and said to his family, ‘Stay here; I have seen a fire. Perhaps I can bring you a burning brand therefrom or find some guidance at the fire.’ But when he came to it, he was called, ‘O Moses! Indeed, I am your Lord, so take off your sandals; indeed, you are in the sacred valley of Tuwa.’”
Here, God revealed Himself to Moses in the form of a burning bush, a way Moses could comprehend without perishing.
Conclusion
The story of salvation is that God, in His love, chose to take on human form so that He could save us without destroying us by the sheer force of His divine presence. Jesus is uniquely qualified to save humanity because He alone possesses the power to create life and authority over death—traits only attributed to God Himself in the scriptures.
Shalom.
Translated into English by Dr. Maxwell Shimba, Shimba Theological Institute
No comments:
Post a Comment