Exploring the Nature of Jesus: Divine, Human, or Both?

^{Glass painting depicting the nature of Jesus | Photo by Magda Ehlers}

What is the nature and role of Jesus?

The nature of Jesus Christ was both fully divine and fully human. In Christian Theology, we refer to this concept as the “Hypostatic Union.” This concept teaches us that Jesus has two distinct but unified natures. Jesus is one divine, for He is the eternal Son of God. And He is one human, as He is the son of Mary, born into the world.

While He remains sinless and divine, Jesus took on human form and experienced the range of humanity. His human nature allows us to get closer to Him. But the path to Christ can be full of obstacles.

There will be moments of doubt. But do not fret. “Building Bridges Made in His Image” by Yareni Beltran—a guide to Christian faith—is here to illuminate your journey. Be inspired by Yareni’s personal journey with Jesus.

May her personal narrative illuminate your path from doubt to devotion and strengthen you as you cross the bridge of faith.

Biblical Evidence for the Divine Nature of Jesus

We revere Him as a great teacher and prophet. More than that, Christ’s divinity manifests as God Himself. In the Bible, we see the divine nature of Jesus Christ and His special qualities.

In this passage, “the Word” refers to our Lord and Savior. From the very beginning, Jesus had already existed with God, even before everything was created. Because He is one with God, this passage reveals Christ’s divine nature.

Jesus had already existed with God and was God. And yet He chose to become one of us; to live among us. He took on human form and came to our world not just as a messenger, but as God Himself.

Jesus is the Son of God, made in His image and liking. He is the concrete representation of God Himself. As the firstborn of all creation, Jesus has the supreme role over the cosmos.

In verse 16, it says that “in Him all things were created.” When everything came into existence—the hills, the stars, the trees, and beings made of flesh—Jesus is the source and purpose of creation. Even the seen and unseen supernatural forces, their source and purpose of creation was Jesus Christ Himself.

In simple terms, Jesus was both the agent of creation and the reason for creation.

The Human Nature of Jesus Christ

Jesus is God Himself, and He came down to Earth in the form and character of a human. This is how we see Him and understand His being in a way that we can better understand.

Hunger is a distress of the need for nourishment—a part of our humanity. When Jesus fasted in the wilderness, He became physically weak as He experienced a moment of hunger. His human nature made Him vulnerable to physical needs, much like us.

The human nature of Jesus Christ is that He wasn’t immune to bodily limitations. In the same way we get tired from traveling or doing strenuous exercises, Jesus also became physically exhausted after traveling. He experienced fatigue like we do.

At the moment of Mary’s grief over the death of Lazarus, Jesus’s tears fell. This showed His deep empathy and compassion. A testament to His human capacity for sorrow. The human nature of Jesus was imbued with emotions.

Furthermore, Jesus Christ also became vulnerable to human urges. As part of His human nature, He also faced temptations of hunger and power. These are the very struggles that reflect our human desires for security, recognition, and sustenance.

But He resisted. His strength surpasses all temptations that come to pass Him.

As we reflect on His dual nature, may we be able to see that He is one of us. That despite His divine nature, He chose to walk among us.

The sum of His human and divine nature is natural love. When you love someone, you choose to walk with them. Do what they do, feel what they feel, and face the same circumstances—both the glorious and miserable.