The Humanity of Christ

“And on the next day, when they had departed from Bethany, He became hungry.”

– Mark 11:12

The writers of the Synoptics seemingly pass over many years of Jesus’ life, and we are left with the uncertainty of how long our Savior’s ministry truly was. In his book “Christ Crucified,” Donald Macleod points out that the Gospels “have passed over in silence whole decades of Jesus’ life, and even when they pick up the threads of the public ministry, there are weeks and months of which they say nothing.” Early church tradition held that Jesus only ministered for one year. John tells us three Passovers were implying three years. In comparison, Mark hints at only two years. Even in the beginning, in the Book of Genesis, thousands of years are summarized within a few verses. Yet when it came to man’s creation and salvation through Jesus’ shed blood on the Cross, the “tempo” changed significantly by giving us a frame-by-frame view.

Mark’s Gospel provides us with a beautiful view of the daily happenings during Jesus’ last week of earthly ministry. We are told that on the morning after His triumphal entry, “He became hungry.” This was not the first time our Savior craved something to eat. However, what it does for us here is reminds us of his humanity at such a critical time.

The incarnation of Christ gives us the whole reality of the Savior. According to the Father’s will, Jesus is the One who came from the Father’s side to become our substitute on the Cross (Romans 5:8). His dual nature should not be minimized but emphasized. By identifying with us, Jesus has “empathy with those he had come to save.” He understands us and what we go through, even in the depths of our souls. What great news this is! Jesus Christ being fully human and divine, gives us the glorious end result that “because He Himself suffered when He was tempted, He is able to help those who are being tempted” (Hebrews 2:18). Whatever your temptation, Jesus understands. Run to Him, He is your refuge!

“No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.”

– 1 Corinthians 10:13