Jesus had to become human because only a human being could serve as a perfect substitute for humanity and offer a sacrifice that truly takes away our sins. By taking on flesh and blood, Jesus was able to experience death, defeat the devil’s power, and represent us as a merciful High Priest. This profound act of the incarnation allowed God to bridge the gap between his holiness and our brokenness, providing a way for us to receive eternal life.
The Necessity Of A Human Substitute
The central reason Jesus had to become human involves the legal and spiritual requirement for a substitute. From the very beginning, God established that the penalty for sin is death. Because humans were the ones who sinned, a human had to pay that price. An angel or a different created being could not represent the human race in the courtroom of God’s justice. Jesus entered the world as a man to stand in our place and take the punishment we deserved.
This necessity is rooted in the “descendants of Abraham,” meaning the human family. If Jesus had remained only in his divine form, he would have been incapable of dying. Divinity is eternal and immortal. Therefore, the Son of God added a human nature to his divine nature so that he could possess a body capable of sacrifice. Without a physical body, there could be no blood shed, and without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness for sins.
Because God’s children are human beings—made of flesh and blood—the Son also became flesh and blood. For only as a human being could he die, and only by dying could he break the power of the devil, who had the power of death (Hebrews 2:14).
Breaking The Power Of Death And Fear
Before Jesus arrived, humanity lived under the shadow of death. This shadow was not just a physical end but a spiritual bondage. The devil held a certain power over death because sin gave him a legal claim to accuse and condemn us. By becoming human and dying a perfect death, Jesus broke that power. He went into the grave and came out the other side, proving that death no longer has the final word for those who follow him.
By sharing in our humanity, Jesus also addressed the psychological and spiritual “slave to the fear of dying” that haunts every person. We no longer have to fear the afterlife or the judgment of God because a human representative has already passed the test on our behalf. He transformed death from a terrifying dead end into a doorway to eternal life. He did this by experiencing the full weight of human mortality so we wouldn’t have to face it alone.
A High Priest Who Understands Our Weakness
Another vital reason for the incarnation was the creation of a sympathetic mediator. A mediator is someone who stands between two parties to bring them together. To bridge the gap between God and man, Jesus had to be fully both. Because he lived a human life, he understands exactly what it feels like to be hungry, tired, tempted, and betrayed. He does not look down on our struggles with cold detachment; he looks at us with the empathy of someone who has been there.
The Bible calls Jesus our “Great High Priest.” In the Old Testament, the priest represented the people before God. Jesus fulfills this role perfectly because he has faced “all of the same testings we do.” Whether you are struggling with grief, temptation, or physical pain, you can go to Jesus knowing he understands. His humanity makes him approachable. We don’t have to clean ourselves up before we talk to him; we can come boldly to his throne of grace.
This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most (Hebrews 4:15-16).
Solving The Problem Of Sin
Ultimately, the incarnation was about the “sacrifice that would take away the sins of the people.” In the Old Testament, animals were sacrificed to cover sin temporarily. However, the blood of bulls and goats could never truly wash away human guilt. A perfect human life was required to pay for the sins of all other human lives. Jesus lived the life we should have lived and died the death we should have died.
Because he was fully human, his sacrifice counted for us. Because he was fully God, his sacrifice had infinite value, enough to cover every sin of every person who has ever lived. This is the “great exchange.” Jesus took our sin and gave us his righteousness. This could only happen if he truly became one of us, stepping into our world to rescue us from the inside out.
The Takeaway
Jesus had to become human to fulfill God’s plan for our salvation. By taking on flesh, he became the perfect sacrifice for sin, defeated the power of the devil, and became a sympathetic High Priest who understands our struggles. His humanity ensures that we have a representative who can lead us back to God. Because Jesus became like us, we now have the opportunity to become like him and spend eternity in the presence of our Creator.
