"Q. 22: How did Christ, being the Son of God, become man? A. Christ, the Son of God, became man, by taking to himself a true body and a reasonable soul, being conceived by the power of the Holy Ghost in the womb of the virgin Mary, and born of her, yet without sin." (Westminster Shorter Catechism)Christ is the eternal Son of God, of one substance with the Father. At a particular time, for our salvation, he became man. He did this without giving up his divine nature, but united the two natures in one person. This is one of the great wonders of the Christian faith. It is such a wondrous thing that from time to time some heretics have felt the need to tone it down. But our catechism explains what God has revealed in his word concerning Jesus, that because we “share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things” and was made to be “like his brothers in every respect” so that he might be our high priest and die on our behalf (Heb. 2:14-18). As a man, he “in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin” (Heb. 4:15).
The Human Nature of Christ
What kind of body did Jesus take to himself?
He took to himself a true body. Some heresies have denied this, such as Docetism and Marcionism. Even in the days of the apostles, John warned of deceivers who “do not confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh” (2 John 1:7). Jesus took to himself a true human body with flesh and bones (Luke 24:39-42). He took to himself a mortal body, with its common infirmities, in weakness. His body was a true body, subject to the limitations of a human body.
Did Jesus have a human soul as well as a human body?
Yes, he took to himself a human soul. Contrary to the heresy of Apollinarianism, he took to himself a “reasonable soul” (that is, a rational soul, a soul that could reason). This too was part of being "made like his brothers in every respect" (Heb. 2:17). He took on a human mind, will, and affections - all willingly subject to his divine will. He fully shared in our human experience, both in the outer life and in the inner life. When he suffered for us, he suffered in both body and soul. When he was in Gethsemane, he told his disciples, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with me” (Matt. 26:38). He is able to sympathize with our weakness (Heb. 4:15). While he remained without sin, and thus did not experience any temptation arising from evil desires, yet he did experience things like hunger, thirst, sorrow, and weakness, as well as the temptations of the world and the evil one.
Jesus did not come as superman, a man of steel, but a man in your humble and mortal condition, capable of suffering. He hungered (Matt. 4:2). He got tired (John 4:6). As a youth he studied and grew in wisdom (Luke 2:52). As he prepared to offer himself as a sacrifice for sin, he was in agony, praying with loud cries and tears, with sweat that became like great drops of blood (Heb. 5:7, Luke 22:44). He experienced fear and yet pressed on for the joy that was set before him, entrusting his spirit into his Father’s hands. It was not enough to merely take on a visible appearance to talk with humans, as angels have done, but it was essential to become one of us, in order to die our death and raise us to new life and immortality.
What use should we make of the doctrine of Christ’s true humanity?
(1) Gratitude to Christ. (2) Confidence in his mercy and compassion, seeking his help. (3) Confidence in his sacrifice and redemption, receive and resting upon him. (4) Imitation of his love and humility. (5) Imitation of his perfect humanity. (6) To not despise human nature, body or soul, but to give thanks for Christ’s redemption of our whole nature.
The Virgin Birth
Was Jesus begotten by an earthly father?
No, he was conceived apart from any earthly father in the womb of a virgin.
Of whom was Jesus conceived? Out of what was his flesh made?
The flesh of Christ came from the virgin Mary, although miraculously conceived. Jesus was conceived “of her substance” (WLC 37, WCF 8.2). Even before his birth, Jesus was called by Elizabeth the fruit of Mary’s womb (Luke 1:42). Mary also nourished him in her womb and gave birth to him. As regards his divine nature, the Son is begotten of the Father before all ages, but as regards his manhood, he was conceived of Mary, of her substance. Jesus is the promised offspring of the woman (Gen. 3:15), of Israelite and Davidic descent according to the flesh (Rom. 1:3, 9:5).
Of whom was Jesus conceived? Out of what was his flesh made?
The flesh of Christ came from the virgin Mary, although miraculously conceived. Jesus was conceived “of her substance” (WLC 37, WCF 8.2). Even before his birth, Jesus was called by Elizabeth the fruit of Mary’s womb (Luke 1:42). Mary also nourished him in her womb and gave birth to him. As regards his divine nature, the Son is begotten of the Father before all ages, but as regards his manhood, he was conceived of Mary, of her substance. Jesus is the promised offspring of the woman (Gen. 3:15), of Israelite and Davidic descent according to the flesh (Rom. 1:3, 9:5).
By whose power was Jesus conceived in Mary’s womb and of her substance?
The Holy Spirit was the one who did this work. This is the angel’s answer to Mary’s question, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?” How? By the Holy Spirit. Nothing will be impossible with God. The same explanation was given to Joseph: “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for what which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit” (1:20). The Holy Spirit does not act the part of a father, but as the worker of a miracle. The virgin conceived without intercourse, and this happened by the power of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit wrought this miraculous conception, and did so in such a way that the personal union of Christ’s two natures existed from the moment of conception and what was conceived was holy, without original sin.
What implication might this doctrine have for the debate as to when personhood begins?
Note that the Son of God was an unborn baby. The incarnation began at conception. Beginning at conception, a person was in Mary’s womb, conceived of her substance, but no longer her body. She was the “mother of my Lord” while pregnant (Luke 1:43).
How did this miraculous conception fulfill prophecy?
Christ was conceived in this way in accord with the prophecy of Isaiah 7:14 (cp. Is. 9:9-7 and Matt. 1:22-23). "Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel" (Is. 7:14).
Besides fulfilling prophecy, why is it important that Jesus was conceived of a virgin by the Spirit?
That Jesus might be the second Adam, a new beginning for the old humanity.
The covenant of works was made with Adam and all his natural posterity, all those descended from him by ordinary generation. Adam’s corruption was conveyed and his guilt imputed to his natural descendants. But Jesus took on Adam’s human nature without being his descendant by ordinary generation. The point is not that original sin comes from the man rather than the woman, but that original sin is passed on by the course of nature and that Christ was not conceived through the course of nature.
Jesus is the head of a renewed humanity, a new beginning for the old humanity, having the same human nature as Adam but without his headship and corruption. Jesus was descended from Adam, but not in a natural way. He was conceived of Mary’s substance by a supernatural work. He is the last Adam (Rom. 5:12-21), the one who would renew the lost children of the first Adam. Thus his miraculous conception is like our own spiritual rebirth in him: not by nature, but by the Spirit of God.
Note that the Son of God was an unborn baby. The incarnation began at conception. Beginning at conception, a person was in Mary’s womb, conceived of her substance, but no longer her body. She was the “mother of my Lord” while pregnant (Luke 1:43).
How did this miraculous conception fulfill prophecy?
Christ was conceived in this way in accord with the prophecy of Isaiah 7:14 (cp. Is. 9:9-7 and Matt. 1:22-23). "Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel" (Is. 7:14).
Besides fulfilling prophecy, why is it important that Jesus was conceived of a virgin by the Spirit?
That Jesus might be the second Adam, a new beginning for the old humanity.
The covenant of works was made with Adam and all his natural posterity, all those descended from him by ordinary generation. Adam’s corruption was conveyed and his guilt imputed to his natural descendants. But Jesus took on Adam’s human nature without being his descendant by ordinary generation. The point is not that original sin comes from the man rather than the woman, but that original sin is passed on by the course of nature and that Christ was not conceived through the course of nature.
Jesus is the head of a renewed humanity, a new beginning for the old humanity, having the same human nature as Adam but without his headship and corruption. Jesus was descended from Adam, but not in a natural way. He was conceived of Mary’s substance by a supernatural work. He is the last Adam (Rom. 5:12-21), the one who would renew the lost children of the first Adam. Thus his miraculous conception is like our own spiritual rebirth in him: not by nature, but by the Spirit of God.
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