Proclaimer Blog
The humanity of Christ and sloppy teaching
New Word Alive felt a bit like a working holiday, but it was stirring nonetheless and one of the highlights for me was Bruce Ware on the humanity of Christ. He was largely going through material from his book (here) also explained in his recent EN interview here. There were several things that stirred me about it, not least that something like 500 people sat through four 75 minute sessions – going at a fairly rapid pace – on something that was both deep, stretching and mind blowing. It's not the sort of thing you could easily do in a church because of the variety of different levels, but it works well at something like NWA.
However, it was really the content that stirred me most. Evangelicals have so long been defending the deity of Christ that they have neglected the humanity he shares. This is crucial for understanding the temptations of Jesus (and how he helps us resist), the doctrine of the atonement and the command to follow in his footsteps.
And most of us don't get it right, I would venture. How many Sunday School lessons have looked at Jesus' miracles, for example, and said "Only God can do that!"? But what if, as Bruce asserted, Jesus does these miracles as the Messiah in the power of the Spirit (see Acts 10.38)? This is more than a simple nicety. It is critical that Jesus lived a fully human life for his sacrifice to be sufficient to save us from our own human sin.
My only question is that I'm not sure Ware goes far enough. I say this cautiously. But he asserts that "most" things Jesus did were done in his humanity. "So although Jesus was fully God and fully man, it is remarkable and, for many, even startling to realise that he lived his life, for the most part, as a man in the power of the Spirit." (my italics). He uses the example of some miracles as being those Jesus did in his deity.
Hmm. Not sure. If Jesus could voluntarily switch between his deity and humanity (to use simple language – I realise that this is theologically imprecise), then it still raises problems about his full human life being counted to me. Moreover, what is going on at the Transfiguration, if not that one glimpse into his deity – not seen elsewhere in his life.
A minor quibble though. It did get me thinking, I wonder if we're actually teaching truth, especially to our youngsters. It's not that we're deliberately teaching falsehood, but I wonder if, on the humanity of Christ, we're just a bit sloppy.
And thank you NWA for stretching us.