Fully human

Definition

The term 'fully human' refers to the complete embodiment of human nature, encompassing both physical and spiritual aspects, as experienced by Jesus Christ. This concept emphasizes that Jesus not only possessed divine attributes but also lived a genuine human experience, including emotions, relationships, and physical limitations. Understanding Jesus as fully human is essential for comprehending His role in salvation and His ability to relate to humanity.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Jesus experienced hunger, thirst, pain, and emotions like any other human being, which illustrates his full participation in human life.
2. The doctrine of the Incarnation asserts that being fully human does not diminish Jesus' divinity but complements it, allowing Him to serve as the mediator between God and humanity.
3. Understanding Jesus as fully human helps to affirm the belief that He can empathize with our struggles and temptations.
4. In Christology, recognizing Jesus as fully human is crucial for grasping the importance of His suffering and sacrifice for humanity's salvation.
5. Early church debates, such as those leading to the Council of Chalcedon, were significant in affirming the belief in Christ's full humanity against heretical views that downplayed this aspect.

Review Questions

• How does understanding Jesus as fully human influence our view of His ability to empathize with human experiences?
  • Recognizing Jesus as fully human allows us to see Him as someone who truly understands our struggles, temptations, and joys. Since He experienced life just like any other person, including suffering and emotional turmoil, this deepens our connection to Him. It reinforces the idea that He is not just a distant deity but someone who genuinely relates to our human condition.
• Discuss the implications of the Hypostatic Union for Christology and how it relates to the concept of being fully human.
  • The Hypostatic Union is critical in Christology as it articulates how Jesus can be both fully divine and fully human simultaneously. This union means that while He possessed a complete human nature with all its characteristics, He also retained His divine nature. Understanding this concept helps clarify that being fully human did not compromise His divinity but rather enriched His role in salvation and His ability to connect with humanity on a profound level.
• Evaluate how the early church's discussions about Jesus' nature impacted contemporary Christian beliefs about what it means to be fully human.
  • The early church's debates regarding Jesus' nature laid the groundwork for contemporary Christian beliefs about what it means to be fully human. The discussions leading to key councils emphasized that understanding Jesus' full humanity is essential for comprehending salvation and divine grace. These debates helped shape modern perspectives on humanity's worth and dignity, asserting that being fully human involves both physical existence and spiritual identity reflecting God's image.

Related terms

Incarnation:

The Christian belief that God became human in the person of Jesus Christ, fully embodying both divine and human natures.

Hypostatic Union:

The theological term that describes the union of Christ's two natures, divine and human, in one person without confusion or separation.

Atonement:

The reconciliation between God and humanity achieved through Jesus' death and resurrection, which is significant due to His fully human experience.