As fallen human beings with limited knowledge, we can only marvel at what we know about our faith: the Creator, the most exalted Being in the universe, the One greater than the universe, the One who stood over it, became the lowest of the low and suffered the pain of the second death in order that no repentant sinner would have to face that death themselves. The One who is equal with God, the One who is God, the One who is the highest and most exalted in all Creation, becomes at the cross the lowest, even “a curse for us” (Galatians 3:13) in order that we would never have to face that curse ourselves. The apostle Paul wrote about Jesus: “Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.” Philippians 2:6-8. The One who made everything “made Himself nothing” so that we could have the promise of eternal life.
Yet there’s incredibly more, a point that we don’t often dwell on but that makes Christ’s work for us even more amazing. Ellen White wrote, “By His life and His death, Christ has achieved even more than recovery from the ruin wrought through sin. It was Satan’s purpose to bring about an eternal separation between God and man; but in Christ we become more closely united to God than if we had never fallen. In taking our nature, the Saviour has bound Himself to humanity by a tie that is never to be broken. Through the eternal ages He is linked with us. . . . To assure us of His immutable counsel of peace, God gave His only-begotten Son to become one of the human family, forever to retain His human nature. . . . God has adopted human nature in the person of His Son, and has carried the same into the highest heaven. It is the ‘Son of man’ who shares the throne of the universe.” –The Desire of Ages, p. 25
Not only did the Lord take upon Himself humanity, but He will retain that humanity forever; humanity, in the person of Christ, will share the throne of the universe for eternity. As if the life and death manifestations of Christ weren’t more than enough for our fallen minds to grasp, we now add this.
With something so incredible presented to us, the question is: What does the Bible say about the humanity of Christ after the cross?
In the Fiery Furnace
One of the most well-known stories in the Bible is that of the three Hebrews thrown into the fiery furnace for their refusal to break one of the Ten Commandments, and, in this case, the commandment against idolatry. Look at what happened: “Then these men [Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego] were bound in their coats, their hosen, and their hats, and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace. . . . Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonied, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto his counsellers, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king. He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.” Daniel 3:21–25. In this story, centuries before the cross, Jesus is depicted as “the Son of God.”
A few chapters later, in Daniel 7, the prophet is presented with a vision of the great pre-Advent judgment, a judgment that takes place just prior to the Second Coming of Christ, a judgment that seems to lead right to His coming itself. Notice: “I beheld till the thrones were cast down, and the Ancient of days did sit, whose garment was white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool: his throne was like the fiery flame, and his wheels as burning fire. A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened. . . . I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him.” Daniel 7:9–14
Unlike the earlier manifestation of Christ, which was centuries before the cross, this event, which occurs long after the cross, depicts Jesus as “the Son of man,” a phrase commonly understood to emphasize the humanity of Jesus. Thus, Christ is depicted with an image that points out His human nature long after His death and resurrection.
In the Clouds of Heaven
Numerous times while here in the flesh, Jesus referred to Himself as the “Son of man”—again a reference to His humanity and His ties to the human family. “When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am? Matthew 16:13. See also Matthew 17:12; Mark 14:41; Luke 9:58. All these pre-cross, pre-Resurrection references to Himself make sense when we consider how important and central Christ’s humanity is to the plan of salvation. He had to become human, He had to take upon Himself our humanity, in order to be our substitute and example.
Notice, however, the following few texts: “For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.” Matthew 24:27. “And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory” (verse 30). “Ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.” Mark 14:62
All these are unmistakable references to the second coming of Jesus, and all of them include the phrase “the Son of man.” If, somehow, after the cross and resurrection, Christ had forfeited His humanity (since His work on earth was done), why use the phrase “Son of man”—a clear reference to His humanity—when talking about the Second Coming? These texts point to His human nature long after His earthly incarnation.
Hands and Feet
Then there are Christ’s appearances after His resurrection, in which the reality of His human body is emphasized. When first appearing to His disciples, who thought He was some sort of apparition, Jesus said to them: “Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts? Behold My hands and My feet, that it is I myself: handle Me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see Me have. And when He had thus spoken, He shewed them His hands and His feet. And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, He said unto them, Have ye here any meat? And they gave Him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb. And He took it, and did eat before them.” Luke 24:38–43
Jesus’ hands and feet were obviously to show them His scars (see also John 20:26–28); the eating showed them the reality of His humanity, of His human flesh. Again, this is all after His death and resurrection. Though the emphasis here was that He truly was risen, He used the physical fact of His human body, His flesh, bones, and scars, along with the eating, to make His point.
Stephen’s Testimony
Acts 7 tells of Stephen before the religious leaders of Israel, to whom he had been brought concerning his faith in Christ. Stephen then launches into a long speech about the history of the Hebrew nation, which he ends by condemning those who resist the Holy Spirit, an act that leads to his martyrdom. Before he is killed, the Bible gives the following account of what happened: “But he [Stephen], being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.” Acts 7:55–56
Stephen clearly calls Jesus “the Son of man,” as he sees a vision of Him in heaven alongside the Father. Again, why not “the Son of God” as opposed to “the Son of Man,” which indisputably points to Christ’s humanity?
Taken together, these verses provide ample evidence of the humanity of Christ after His death and resurrection. Thus the humanity that He acquired in the act of becoming a human being, a “Son of man,” stayed with Him even after His work on earth was finished.
A Human Mediator
The book of Hebrews, with its emphasis on Christ as our High Priest in heaven, makes a powerful case for the continued humanity of Christ, even after He returned to heaven. In fact, these texts give the idea that His continued humanity is crucial to His work of mediation.
Notice: “Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also Himself likewise took part of the same; that through death He might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. For verily He took not on Him the nature of angels; but He took on Him the seed of Abraham. Wherefore in all things it behoved Him to be made like unto His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. For in that He Himself hath suffered being tempted, He is able to succour them that are tempted.” Hebrews 2:14–18
Not only did Jesus take upon Himself human nature, He needs that nature to be a “merciful and faithful High Priest” in heaven. The humanity of Christ is the bond through which He has linked Himself with us, a link that He kept long after His work on earth had finished, a link that is crucial to the work He is doing for us in heaven as our High Priest.
If all this isn’t clear enough, Paul makes the point unambiguously: “Who [God] will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.” 1 Timothy 2:4–5. The man Christ Jesus: Jesus, though still divine, still retains the humanity that He first took upon Himself when He was born into this world. The Greek word for “man” in that text, anthropos, is the common Greek word used for “humanity” in general. Thus, after the cross, even after the resurrection, Christ—who took upon Himself our humanity—has taken that humanity with Him into heaven, and in that humanity He ministers in our behalf.
In the House of My Friends
One might argue that once Christ’s mediation was done, perhaps there would no longer be any need for Him to retain that humanity. Maybe so, except we have looked at numerous texts that point to His second coming (an act that follows the work of mediation), and in all those texts the humanity of Christ is emphasized. These prove that His human nature stayed with Him, even when His mediation was finished. Unless something in the Bible teaches that after the Second Coming, Christ’s humanity were to disappear (and nothing in Scripture does), we have to believe that this humanity will never leave Him. In other words, the Bible gives us powerful reasons to believe that Christ is “forever to retain His human nature,” the nature that He took with Him to heaven after His work on earth was done.
Many scholars over the centuries have seen the words of Zechariah 13:6—“And one shall say unto him, What are these wounds in thine hands? Then he shall answer, Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends”—in messianic terms. They apply it to Jesus and the scars of His crucifixion. With that interpretation, these words of Ellen White become even more powerful. Writing about the end of sin and the final destruction of the lost and the beginning of a new heaven and a new earth, she wrote: “One reminder alone remains: Our Redeemer will ever bear the marks of His crucifixion. Upon His wounded head, upon His side, His hands and feet, are the only traces of the cruel work that sin has wrought. . . . And the tokens of His humiliation are His highest honour; through the eternal ages the wounds of Calvary will show forth His praise and declare His power.” –The Great Controversy, p. 674
No question: grasping the incredible truth of the cross, of the Creator dying in our humanity for humanity’s sins, is hard enough. Add to that truth this other revelation: that Jesus not only has taken this acquired humanity with Him to heaven but will forever retain that humanity—then all we can do (as did Job when God revealed Himself to him) is abhor ourselves and “repent in dust and ashes” (Job 42:6). We thank God that there is a door to salvation and that if we are willing to make a complete commitment of our lives to Jesus Christ, He will give us the Holy Spirit so that we may receive a new heart, a new spirit , a new mind, and a new life.
So may our heavenly Father help us to have our Lord’s example before our eyes always and walk accordingly is my wish and prayer. AMEN!
With brotherly love,
Nicholas Anca