Since Jesus came to this earth, controversy has surrounded Him. As He went about His public ministry, people argued as to whether He was just a good man or a deceiver (Jn. 7:12). Many of the Jews considered Him to be a deceiver and a troublemaker (Mt. 17:63; Lk. 23:5). They knew that He was a man, but they did not believe He was the Son of God. As time passed, other views began to surface. There were those who did not “confess Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh” (2 Jn. 7). Toward the end of the first century, and into the fourth, a group known as the “Ebionites” ac-cepted Jesus as the Messiah and su-preme lawgiver, yet they denied the divine nature of Jesus and thought Him to be a mere man. As we come into the twentieth century, we find groups such as the Jehovah’s Witnesses who deny the true identity of Christ by saying He was a created being who became “a god.” Thus, we find several ideas about Jesus espoused by various groups over the years.
Old issues do not lie dormant. Once again in our time questions have been brought up concerning the nature of Jesus. It cannot be denied that the church today is affected by the doc-trines of others. Some among us are digging deeply into the well of sec-tarianism. Many are no longer Bible students. Instead they are becoming theologians, modernists who are “thinking” more than studying. Then they give their doctrines a biblical “ring” to it and expect everyone to accept it. We must wonder at times if some get their ideas about Jesus from the Bible or from blasphemous portrayals such as “Jesus Christ Superstar” or “The Last Temptation of Christ.” It is now being boldly taught among us that Jesus Christ was just an ordinary man who gave up His divinity when He came to this earth. This is a serious matter and must be dealt with. This is being taught without much in the way of rebuttal. It is disturbing to think that such heresy can run among us unchallenged! It points to the serious need we have to study the nature of Christ.
The Basis For The Position
The premise for this doctrine is based on the issue of whether or not man “has to sin.” This issue, often referred to as the “continual cleansing” issue, has been very prominent in a nationally circulated quarterly that has consistently denied that man “has to sin.” This is not the problem in and of itself; however, in order to show that man does not “have to sin,” it is being taught that Jesus abdicated His deity and became just a man. Since this has been taught and no rebuttal has been given, a legitimate question can be raised as to whether or not it is an isolated belief of the publisher, or if it is representative of others who are in association with him. This is extremely serious, first of all, because of the issue itself. It has to do with who Christ is. Secondly, it is publicly taught and cir-culated; and thirdly, it is identified with this other issue concerning sin. In intro-ducing the discussion it is said, “we have the example of a man who did not sin; therefore man does not have to sin. That man was Jesus. However, the response has been that, in some way, Jesus was not really a man. He was able to refrain from sinning as a result of his deity.”1
This is said on the basis that brethren are teaching that “man has to sin.” If it can be shown that Jesus was “just a man,” then there is proof that man does not “have to sin.” Yet we must also wonder what is meant by the following: “the fact that he was sinless serves as proof that he is divine as well. Only one man (emphasis is on the manhood) was able to be sinless, and this clearly points to Jesus’ identity as the Son of God.”2
Great care is taken to show that Jesus lived sinless as a man, then it is taught that His sinlessness proves His deity, and that only one man was able to be sinless. (Question: is this Calvinistic? If only one man was able to be sinless, what does that say about the rest of us?) We wonder what would happen now if a man did happen to live sinlessly? Would that prove that he too is Deity? Or would it be done solely on the basis of humanity? It cannot be both ways. This is simply double-talk.
Perplexing Passages
Arguments to support the sole hu-manity of Christ are given on the basis of some “perplexing passages,” which are said to be understandable only if Jesus was just a human. Hebrews 4:15-16 is used to point out that Jesus was tempted. Then James 1:13 is used to show that God cannot be tempted. The argument goes, “If Jesus was God while he was here upon this earth, then he could not be tempted.”3
The obvious conclusion is that “Jesus was not God while on this earth.” This fails to take into account the uniqueness of the situation with Jesus. No, God cannot be tempted in His spiritual (non-physical) state. Bur Jesus took upon Himself flesh, and voluntarily agreed to be limited and tempted. This does not mean He gave up deity in order to do so.
Hebrews 5:7-8 is used to show that Jesus “feared.” The KJV says that Jesus “was heard in that he feared.” This is used to say that Jesus was afraid. Of what? “Our fear of death is that question concerning the real existence of God and the life beyond. Our fear is not only of the pain of dying, but also of the unknown.”4
The argument is that Jesus has this kind of fear.
“Jesus was a man’ he feared death with all the fulness of fear that mankind knows.”5
Thus, Jesus was afraid because “he didn’t have absolute certain knowledge. Why? Because he was a man; he was just like you and me.”6
Keep in mind now that “our fear,” we are told, is that question about the real existence of God and the life beyond. This doctrine has Jesus being unsure about God’s existence, crying in the garden because the resurrection was not a foregone conclusion. He feared the unknown, not sure about the life beyond. This is blasphemy!
The New King James Version in Heb. 5:7 says that Jesus was heard “because of His godly fear.” The New American Standard Version says “because of His piety.” This verse simply speaks of Jesus’ reverence and piety. Yes, He cried. But then what else would you expect when He was about to take upon Himself the sins of the world? Besides the physical agony, He was made “to be sin on our behalf” (2 Cor. 5:21). God is not without emotion. He shed tears over what He was about to go through. Yet He was not unsure about it. He often prophesied about the resur-rection. He knew His mission, and He knew what would be happening. He never doubted the word of God. Yet, the Jesus of this doctrine had less faith than Abraham, who is not God (Heb. 11:19). Who can believe it?
Several passages are cited to show that Jesus was a man(Heb. 5:8; Lk. 2:52; Heb. 2:12-13). With this we certainly cannot argue. He was a man, and none of those verses are in doubt. But there is a major difference between saying “Jesus was a man” and saying “Jesus was just (only) a man.” The humanity of Christ is not in question. However, this doctrine denies that Jesus was God while in the flesh. Thus, Jesus’ hu-manity is not the problem; His deity is.
According to this teaching, Jesus is from everlasting. Micah 5:2 and John 1:1-3,14 are quoted to show this. “Jesus is divine, make no mistake.”7 This is fine, but contradictions about this fill the air. What is meant is that Jesus was Deity, but when He came to this earth, He gave it up.
“What we’re trying to figure out is what happened while he was here on earth... We know he’s been from everlasting. We know he has been divine. What happened when he got to this earth? These passages we’ve read can only be understood if he was a man, a man, just a man.”8
Notice the statement that Jesus “has been” divine. This doctrine concurs with the Jehovah’s Witnesses translation of John 8:58, “Before Abraham came into existence, I have been.”
Philippians 2:5-8
The clearest effort to show that Jesus was “just a man” is seen in the treat-ment of Philippians 2:5-8. To introduce this verse, it is said:
“By what process can Jesus be said to be both divine and human at once? Was he a mixed breed-half-human and half divine? Was he as one man said 100% human and 100% divine at the same time? Was he a monstrosity at birth possessing all the knowledge and power of the universe in the body of a baby? Was he a superhuman as the modernists claim?”9
“I’ve heard people make the silly state-ment that he was 100 percent God and 100 percent man ... there’s no such creature.”10
One cannot believe that Jesus was God while here and at the same time ridicule that truth. He wasn’t even a superhuman according to this doc-trine; he was just an ordinary man. What’s interesting is that it is later taught,
“Jesus establishes, through the temptation, his divinity by the superb nature of his humanity.”11
Superb nature? Divinity? Is this like one of those modernists that say Jesus was superhuman? Or was Jesus just a man? Or was He God and man? We were told that the idea that Jesus was God and man at the same time is silly. One who believes that Jesus was a “superhuman” is referred to as a “modernist.” Yet here we are told He had a “superb nature” of humanity. This is just non-sensical.
Philippians 2:5-8 is quoted. It is then pointed out that the American Standard version replaces “humbled himself” here with “emptied himself.” Then, “Jesus, prior to his birth could adequately be described as equal with God. He divested himself of the glory, honor, divinity, godhood and became subject to the Father as a man. Whatever qualities and characteristics had been his as divine were foregone. Whatever privileges and powers there might have been were stripped from him. He was a man.”12
This is referred to as “abdication,” which is said to mean that He gave up all His rights, privileges, prerogatives, and power.13 Furthermore, “He could not deny being the son of his Father and thus had every right to claim the title ‘Son of God’ in that very unique sense that he is described as the only begotten, but whatever privilege there had been was foregone.”14
“He was given blessings and power on this earth, but it was only those which other men had. He had given up all the power and privilege of the son of God. Because he was the son of his Father he could still be described as the Son of God and Emmanuel (God with us), but he had become in full point of fact a man.”15
“He could not while he was on this earth deny whose Father was his. He could not deny what he had been. He was the Son of God. But while he was here, ladies and gentlemen, he was a man; just an ordinary guy, ordinary man like you and me.”16
Here it is plainly stated that Jesus gave up his “divinity, godhood” and became “just an ordinary guy, an ordinary man like you and me.”
First, Philippians 2:5-8 does not say all that this doctrine purports. The text is twisted from “humbled” or “emptied himself” to “divested himself of glory, honor, divinity, godhood.” The text does not say that He humbled Himself by taking upon Himself flesh. But the text does not say that He quit being God. He did not change or divest Himself of His divine nature. More is being made out of that than what is there. In whatever way we understand this passage, we cannot make it contradict what the Bible clearly teaches elsewhere about the deity of Christ. To make it say that Jesus divested Himself of His divinity and godhood does just that.
Did Christ give up the power of Deity? Mark 2:1-12 records where the paralytic was let down through a roof to get to Jesus. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to him, “Son, your sins are forgiven you” (vs. 5). But the Jews thought this to be blasphemy, for “Who can forgive sins but God alone?” (vs. 7). They were correct about this (cf. Isa. 43:25). Yet Jesus goes on to show that He is God by healing the paralytic. This is irrefutable testimony to His deity, and shows that He still had that power, even while on earth. Curiously enough, this is used to prove Christ’s deity17, but we are left to wonder again why this is done after the idea of Jesus being both God and man at the same time is ridiculed. This proves, not that He had been Deity, but that He was God in the flesh. Furthermore, as noted, it was said that Jesus was only given power that was also given to others. Where is there any indication of any other man having the power to forgive sins? Only God could do this; end Jesus could do this because He is God, even while in the flesh. He did not abdicate the power of Deity.
Did Christ give up the rights and honor of Deity? A right of Deity would be something that belongs only to God. Man cannot take upon himself a right that belongs to Deity. To be worshipped is one such right. If Jesus gave up all the rights and honor of Deity and became just an ordinary man like you and me, then He could not accept the worship that belongs to God. But He did accept worship (see Matt.8:2; 9: 18; 14:23; Jn. 9:38; Heb. 1:6, et al). Jesus Himself said to Satan, “You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only you shall serve.” Then He proceeded to accept the worship and service that only belongs to Jehovah. Even as a baby he was worshipped (Matt. 2:11). If He gave up all the rights of Deity, this would indeed be blasphemy, because men would be worshipping an ordinary man. Obviously, He was not an “ordinary guy.” Though He was in the flesh, His nature was still Divine. The reason why Paul and Barnabas refused worship in Acts 14:15 is because, “We also are men with the same nature as you” (see Also Ac. 10:26). If Jesus was an ordinary man with only a human nature, why did He not respond the same way when people offered worship to Him? And what about the honor? Jesus said, “that all should honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him” (Jn. 5:23). Does this sound like He gave up all the honor? No, in fact, He commanded the same honor that the Father receives. He could not do this if He were just an “ordinary guy”; otherwise, He would be guilty of sin. He did not abdicate by giving up honor, divin-ity, godhood. This doctrine outrightly denies the very nature of Christ.
The Same Power As Others?
Disagreement is anticipated with this doctrine by questioning the miracles and works Jesus did. We are informed, “They are not a part of his divinity, but the result of the work of the Holy Spirit.”18
“Thus, even though Jesus has powers, they are the same powers given to other mortals.”19
It was the Holy Spirit that enabled Him to do what He did. He was no different than other men, we are told. Several verses are quoted to show that Jesus had no power of Himself (Jn. 3:34; 5:30-31; 6:38; 7:16-18, 28; 8:28; 12:49-50; 14:10; 17:7-8; Matt. 12:17-18, 28; I Tim. 2:5 ASV).We could not argue with the fact that He had the Holy Spirit and did the will of the Father. But this is only half of the equation. Jesus knew what was in man (Jn. 2:25). He had power to forgive and the right to receive worship. Is all of this because He had the Holy Spirit? Did any other man who had the Holy Spirit ever have power to do the same? Did any other receive worship? Obviously there is something more to Jesus. He was not an “ordinary guy.” He is God.
What About Now?
Jesus was a man, and it is pointed out that He took His humanity to heaven.
“As best we can tell, there is some sense in which he remains a man.”20
Heb. 7:3; 5:1; I Tim. 2:5; and Heb. 10:12-13 are quoted, then it is said, “Jesus is said to remain a man in this passage. Since the world is to be subjected to him as a man, then we must assume that he will remain a man at least until the last enemy is destroyed death itself ,”21 Hebrews 2:6-8 is quoted, then,
“Jesus, mankind’s advocate and priest, remains a man. This makes his sacrifice profound in the extreme. It was not merely temporary. It was not transitory. He gave up all for us.”22
Here is the problem. Since this doctrine cannot reconcile Jesus being man and God at the same time, we must conclude that, according to this teaching, Jesus is not now God either. Not only did He give up His godhood when He came to earth, but He gave it up permanently. It was not temporary. This doctrine has us serving a man, “an ordinary guy, ordinary man like you and me.” One cannot deny the deity of Christ both on this earth and now and then say that we are serving “our great God and Savior Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13). It cannot be both ways. If He gave up His deity, then He is not God and we thus serve a man. There is no way around it.
The Temptation
Concerning the temptation of Jesus, all the emphasis is put on the phrase, “If thou be the Son of God...” (Lk.4:3). “Why does the devil use the word if ? The devil knew who Jesus was. He knew that he was the Son of God. There was no doubt at all.”23
“There’s only two people here on this occasion, only two. Which of those two might be unsure of whether Jesus is the Son of God? One of them, the devil, knew [Jas. 2:19 is quoted]. The devil knew who he was.”24
Here we are left with the impression that Jesus was unsure of who He was; but, “As surely as it was possible for Jesus to doubt, he did not do so.”25
So at one time we are told that Jesus knew who He was, then we are told that only the devil knew for sure. Which Jesus was being tempted? Lest we be frightened by this position, we are assured of the divinity of Christ, as if that takes care of all the problems. Yet it has been said that Jesus gave up his divinity and godhood. It is affirmed that Jesus is still a man; and according to this doctrine, being both God and man at the same time is incompatible. So the deity of Christ is taught only as it pertains to his pre-incarnate state. Yet, in affirming the deity of Christ, material that covers His life on earth is used to prove He is God. Again, it just cannot be both ways. Either he was God while on this earth or He was not.
The whole point of this material on the humanity of Christ is to prove that man does not “have to sin.” But in establishing the divinity of Christ, it is stated,
“Only one man (emphasis is on the manhood) was able to be sinless, and this clearly points to Jesus’ identity as the Son of God.”26
Then, “Jesus establishes, through the temptation, his divinity by the superb nature of his humanity.”27
So at one time we are told that there was nothing innate in Jesus to resist sin, then we are told he had a superb nature which proves His divinity. This indeed is puzzling. What is the point of trying to prove the divinity of Christ by showing His life on this earth when it is denied that He can be God while on this earth? This is a ludicrous position.
This doctrine that Jesus was “just a man” while on this earth is false and pernicious. It has arisen among us and we cannot keep silent about it. We must defend the integrity of our Lord Jesus Christ. He was a man, but He was also God –“God was manifested in the flesh” (I Tim. 3:16). “For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily” (Col 2:9). He did not divest Himself of His deity. This doctrine proclaims another Jesus (2 Cor. 11:4).
Jesus Is Deity
Having reviewed much of what is taught concerning Jesus being “just a man,” we must now show that Jesus Christ is Deity both now and in the flesh. The fact of the deity of Christ would not be disagreed with in and of itself, but we have shown that what is taught concerning this is that Jesus was God before He came to this earth, but He gave up His “divinity, godhood” and became just an “ordinary guy.” This is what we must take issue with.
We must understand the fact that Jesus is Jehovah. The name” Jehovah” can be applied to Christ just as it is to the Father. Isaiah 8:13-14 refers to Jehovah as “a stone of stumbling and rock of offense.” This is fulfilled in Christ (I Pet.2:8). Isaiah 42:8 speaks of the glory that belongs only to Jehovah. Jesus prayed, “Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was” (Jn. 17:5). Isaiah 40:3 is a prophecy concerning John. He would come before Christ (in the flesh). Isaiah says, “Prepare the way of the LORD (Jehovah)” (see Matt. 3:3). The way was being prepared for Jehovah, and it was Jesus who came. In Isaiah 44:6, Jehovah said, “I am the first and I am the last; besides Me there is no God.” Jesus applies that to Himself in Revelation 1:17; 2:8; and 22:13-16. Notice that this is after He has ascended to heaven. He is God now. Psalm 102 is a prayer to Jehovah, yet this is applied to Jesus in Hebrews 1:10-12. The evidence is abundant. Jesus is Jehovah, not only before His incarnation, but during His stay on this earth and now.
Isaiah 9:6 refers to Jesus as “mighty God, everlasting Father.” When is this applied to Jesus? Only before His incarnation? No, it identifies the time when “a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called...” At the time this was written it was speaking of the future, and Jesus fulfilled it after being in the flesh. How can it be so applied if Jesus was “just a man” who divested Himself of His divinity and godhood? That doctrine is at odds with this verse.
In Matthew 16: 13-20, Jesus asked His disciples, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am? So they said, ‘Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” These people had a fairly high opinion of who Jesus was. They were incorrect, but at least their opinion was higher than many modernists who say He was just a man with nothing special about Him. Jesus asked, “But who do you say that I am?” These disciples had been with Him. They saw the works; they knew the evidence. And Peter responded, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” This is an affirmation of Christ’s deity in the flesh. He is (not “had been”) the “Son of God.”
The phrase “son of” is open to different meanings. Some use it to mean “offspring of, “ to try to prove Jesus was created. This is how the Jehovah’s Witnesses use it. Some use it the same way it can be applied to us now as “sons of God” (I Jn. 3:1). when Jesus made this claim, however, the Jews understood it to be a claim to Deity. One of the reasons the Jews sought to kill Him is because He “said that God was His Father, making Himself equal with God” (Jn. 5: 18). “Son of” in the case of Jesus means sameness (see Mk. 3:17; Lk. 10:6;Jn. 8:44, etc. for similar uses). It is a claim to Deity and expresses His unique relationship with the Father. He did not indicate that they misunderstood His claim, but rather told them to “honor the Son just as they honor the Father” (vs. 23). Jesus was still “equal” with God in nature. His claim to be the “Son of God” shows this.
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (Jn. 1:1). “And the Word became flesh” (vs. 14). Jesus is God’s expression to man. He took upon Himself humanity so that He could pay the price for sin. A mere man could not do this. It took the One who was God manifested in the flesh (I Tim. 3:16), the One in whom “dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily” (Col.2:9). How can Colossians 2:9 be true if He divested Himself of His divinity and godhood? The truth is, He did not. Was He a man? Yes, but not an ordinary man. The temptations He faced were real, and He struggled in the flesh with them as we do. But His deity does not have to be destroyed in order to show that man does not “have to sin.” If just an “ordinary guy” died on the cross, then at best He saved Himself because of His own sinlessness, but that would be all. He was God while in the flesh, and as such He paid the price for our sins. He came to save us, not Himself (Heb. 2 9).
How important is this issue? It stands at the very core of our salvation. It is not an issue to be taken lightly or overlooked. Jesus stated it in John 8:24, “for if you do not believe that I am (He), you will die in your sins.” “He” is supplied by the translators. Jesus was making a claim to Deity: “unless you believe that I AM.” Keep this in context with the rest of the chapter. As He spoke with the Jews about Abraham, He said, “before Abraham was, I AM” (vs. 58). This is the same claim, and by that time they knew what Jesus was saying. He was claiming to be (not just to have been) the God of Exodus 3:14 who told Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” This claims timelessness in existence of One who was, who is, and who is to come (cf. Rev. 1:8). He is self-existent, eternal, and unchangeable. He was God before He came to this earth, He was God in the flesh, and He is God now. This, to us with finite minds, is nearly incomprehensible. But the Jews knew what Jesus was claiming. It was for this reason that they “took up stones to throw at Him” (vs. 59). Jesus is Deity always. If we do not believe this, we will die in our sins. Our salvation depends upon how we view Jesus Christ.
The gospel of John was written to prove the deity of Christ (Jn. 20:30-31). That He was a man was evident to all who saw Him. But evidence was given of His deity. He is “our great God and Savior” (Titus 2: 13) and we all need to fall at His feet with Thomas and say, “My Lord and My God” (Jn. 20:28). He is worthy of our worship and service, adoration and praise. Let us ever be careful as to how we picture Jesus. And let us be careful how we teach Him to others. He is the great I AM, and the only One through whom we can be saved eternally.
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References
1. John A. Welch, “The Abdication of Jesus.” Faith and Facts, Vol. 15, no. 2, p. 7.
2. John A. Welch, “Flesh and Blood Hath Not Revealed It.” Faith and Facts, Vol. 18, no. 1, p. 57.
3. John A. Welch, “Humanity of Jesus,” taped sermon, Shively Church of Christ, Louisville, Ky. March 15, 1990.
4. Welch, Faith and Facts, Vol. 15, no. 2, p. 9.
5. Ibid.
6. Welch, taped sermon.
7. Ibid.
8. Ibid.
9. Welch, Faith and Facts, Vol. 15, no. 2, p 12.
10. Welch, taped sermon.
11. Welch, Faith and Facts, Vol. 18, no. 1, p. 59.
12. Welch, Faith and Facts, Vol. 15, no. 2, p. 1 2.
13. Welch, taped sermon.
14. Welch, Faith and Facts, Vol. 15, no. 2, p. 12.
15. Ibid, pp. 12-13.
16. Welch, taped sermon.
17. Welch, Faith and Facts, Vol. 18, no. 1, p. 61.
18. Welch, Faith and Facts, Vol. 15, no. 2, p. 13.
19. Ibid.
20. Ibid, p. 16.
21. Ibid.
22. Ibid.
23. John A. Welch, “The Temptation of Jesus,” Faith and Facts, Vol. 15, no. 3, p. 45.
24. Welch, taped sermon.
25. Welch, Faith and Facts, Vol. 15, no. 3,p.48.
26. Welch, Faith and Facts, Vol. 18, no. 1, p. 59.
27. Ibid.
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