Why did God become a man?
God the Son became a man because only One who is both fully God and fully man could save us. He came to reveal the Father, to share our nature and take our place in death, to be a high priest who sympathizes with our weakness, and to bring us into God's family as children. The incarnation is not a detour; it is the only road to our salvation.
This question arose from studying Is Jesus really God? and Who is Jesus?.
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What the Scripture says
He came to reveal God and to give us life
John opens with the deepest reason: 'The Word became flesh, and lived among us. We saw his glory... full of grace and truth.' No one has seen God at any time, but the only Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, has made Him known. And John names the outcome: God sent His one and only Son into the world 'that we might live through him.' God became man so that we could see Him and so that we could live.
The Word became flesh, and lived among us. We saw his glory, such glory as of the one and only Son of the Father, full of grace and truth.And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
No one has seen God at any time. The one and only Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he has declared him.No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.
By this God’s love was revealed in us, that God has sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.
He came to take our place
Paul puts it in a sentence: 'what the law couldn't do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God did, sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh.' The Son who had known no sin came into the world, as Hebrews says, to do the Father's will and to offer Himself. A true substitute must share our nature, and He did.
For what the law couldn’t do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God did, sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh;For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:
For him who knew no sin he made to be sin on our behalf; so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
Therefore when he comes into the world, he says, “Sacrifice and offering you didn’t desire, but you prepared a body for me;Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me:
Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come (in the scroll of the book it is written of me) to do your will, O God.’”Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God.
He had to be truly man, and truly God
Only God could save, and only a man could die in a man's place. Hebrews explains the necessity: 'Since then the children have shared in flesh and blood, he also himself in the same way partook of the same, that through death he might bring to nothing him who had the power of death.' And he had to be made like his brothers so that he could become a merciful and faithful high priest. Paul names the One who did it: Christ Jesus, who was in the form of God and emptied Himself to take the form of a servant, and who is the one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. The incarnation is what makes both true: He is the man who can represent us, and the God who can save us.
Since then the children have shared in flesh and blood, he also himself in the same way partook of the same, that through death he might bring to nothing him who had the power of death, that is, the devil,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;
Therefore he was obligated in all things to be made like his brothers, that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make atonement for the sins of the people.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 there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;
who, existing in the form of God, didn’t consider equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, yes, the death of the cross.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.
He became man to sympathize with our weakness
Because He became man, Christ was tempted in every way that we are, yet without sin, and because He suffered when He was tempted, He is able to help those who are being tempted. This is why we can draw near to the throne of grace with confidence, to find mercy and grace in time of need. God became man not only to atone for our sins but to feel our grief, so that His mercy would come to us as a brother's, not a stranger's.
For in that he himself has suffered being tempted, he is able to help those who are tempted.For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.
For we don’t have a high priest who can’t be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but one who has been in all points tempted like we are, yet without sin.For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
Let us therefore draw near with boldness to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy, and may find grace for help in time of need.Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
And to bring us into His family
The end of the incarnation is family. God sent His Son, born of a woman, 'that he might redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of children.' To as many as received Christ, He gave the right to become children of God, and Paul says we have received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry 'Abba! Father!' And Hebrews adds the astonishing note: because He sanctified us, 'he is not ashamed to call them brothers.' The eternal Son took our humanity so that, in Him, we might share His sonship.
But when the fullness of the time came, God sent out his Son, born to a woman, born under the law, that he might redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of children.But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.
But as many as received him, to them he gave the right to become God’s children, to those who believe in his name:But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
For both he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all from one, for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brothers,For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren,
For you didn’t receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
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Who is God the Father?→God the Father trail“Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you such a long time, and do you not know me, Philip? He who has seen me has seen the Father. How do you say, ‘Show us the Father?’Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?”How does the old story reach Jesus?→Prophets & Exile trail“But when the fullness of the time came, God sent out his Son, born to a woman, born under the law, that he might redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of children.But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.”Hold onto these
Verses to meditate on
The Word became flesh, and lived among us. We saw his glory, such glory as of the one and only Son of the Father, full of grace and truth.And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
Since then the children have shared in flesh and blood, he also himself in the same way partook of the same, that through death he might bring to nothing him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and might deliver all of them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. For most certainly, he doesn’t give help to angels, but he gives help to the seed of Abraham. Therefore he was obligated in all things to be made like his brothers, that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make atonement for the sins of the people.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 what the law couldn’t do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God did, sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh;For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:
For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;
But when the fullness of the time came, God sent out his Son, born to a woman, born under the law, that he might redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of children.But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.
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