In every respect, Jesus’ body was just like that of any other human. Jesus was fully human with a human nature. He had a human genealogy (Matthew 1:1–17; Luke 3:23–28); a human birth and childhood; conceived in Mary’s womb (Matthew 1:20; Luke 1:26–27); a human birth by a woman (Matthew 1:25; Luke 2:1–7; Galatians 4:4); circumcised on the eighth day (Luke 2:21); visited the Temple as a boy (Luke 2:41–51); grew up as any other human (Luke 2:52); had a human soul (Matthew 26:38; Luke 23:46), and was handled by people (1 John 1:1; Matthew 26:12). At His passion (suffering, death, and burial), Jesus experienced bloody sweat in the garden (Luke 22:44); death on the Cross at Calvary (Matthew 27:50; John 19:33; Philippians 2:7–8); blood and water flowed from His wound (John 19:34–35); His body was taken down from the Cross (Luke 23:53); His body was prepared and laid in a tomb (John 19:39–41); and burial clothes were used (John 20:6–7).
Nonetheless, the New Testament states clearly that even in His humanity, Jesus did not sin. Jesus lived a human life with a complete absence of sin (Exodus 20:1–21; Deuteronomy 5). Unlike Adam and Eve, Jesus never disobeyed God (Genesis 3; 1 Peter 1:19–22; 1 John 3:5). Jesus fully obeyed God in our place and as our representative, thus succeeding where Adam and Eve failed, where the people of Israel in the wilderness failed, and where King David failed (2 Samuel 11–12; Romans 5:18–19; 1 Corinthians 15:45–47). Jesus never lied, cheated, coveted, disobeyed His Father, committed adultery, murdered, nor did He commit any of the many other sins noted in the Old Testament (John 15:10; John 18:38; 2 Corinthians 5:21). No deceit was found in Jesus’ mouth (1 Peter 2:22). However, King David did sin and he committed adultery, murder, and deceit (2 Samuel 11:27; 2 Samuel 12:1–15); nonetheless, he remained wholeheartedly devoted and loyal to God. Once his sin was revealed, King David confessed, repented, and received God’s forgiveness. However, the consequences of King David’s sin never departed from his household (2 Samuel 12:10, 15).
The author of Hebrews states that Jesus was tempted but He never sinned (Hebrews 4:14–16). He faced every temptation humans faced and continue to face (Hebrews 4:4–16). Being human, Jesus could not conquer temptation without a struggle. As fully God, Jesus did not yield to these temptations and, in fact, resisted and defeated evil in accordance with God, the Father’s, plan (John 5:19, 30). Jesus was tempted by evil—to disobey God for self-gratification, self-display, and self-aggrandizement (Matthew 4:1–11), and the temptation to avoid the Cross (Matthew 16:23; Luke 22:28). However, Jesus remained faithful to God and sinless, “a Lamb without blemish or defect” (Romans 6:6–7; 1 Corinthians 6:20; Colossians 2:13–14; Hebrews 9:12; 1 Peter 1:18–19). “Because He [Jesus] Himself suffered when He was tempted, He is able to help those who are being tempted” (Hebrews 2:18).
Throughout Jesus’ earthly ministry, while temptations were real, the Holy Spirit kept Jesus from committing any sin. Jesus had the Holy Spirit without measure to help Him in His earthly ministry (John 14–16). References to the Holy Spirit precede the temptation narrative in the Gospels: Jesus was “full of the Holy Spirit… and was led by the Spirit in the desert, where for forty days He was tempted by the devil” (Luke 4:1–2). Thereafter, “Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit” (Luke 4:14). Jesus suffering as a human being led to His exaltation by God the Father (see Philippians 2:5–11; cp. Isaiah 52:13–53:12).
Nonetheless, the New Testament states clearly that even in His humanity, Jesus did not sin. Jesus lived a human life with a complete absence of sin (Exodus 20:1–21; Deuteronomy 5). Unlike Adam and Eve, Jesus never disobeyed God (Genesis 3; 1 Peter 1:19–22; 1 John 3:5). Jesus fully obeyed God in our place and as our representative, thus succeeding where Adam and Eve failed, where the people of Israel in the wilderness failed, and where King David failed (2 Samuel 11–12; Romans 5:18–19; 1 Corinthians 15:45–47). Jesus never lied, cheated, coveted, disobeyed His Father, committed adultery, murdered, nor did He commit any of the many other sins noted in the Old Testament (John 15:10; John 18:38; 2 Corinthians 5:21). No deceit was found in Jesus’ mouth (1 Peter 2:22). However, King David did sin and he committed adultery, murder, and deceit (2 Samuel 11:27; 2 Samuel 12:1–15); nonetheless, he remained wholeheartedly devoted and loyal to God. Once his sin was revealed, King David confessed, repented, and received God’s forgiveness. However, the consequences of King David’s sin never departed from his household (2 Samuel 12:10, 15).
The author of Hebrews states that Jesus was tempted but He never sinned (Hebrews 4:14–16). He faced every temptation humans faced and continue to face (Hebrews 4:4–16). Being human, Jesus could not conquer temptation without a struggle. As fully God, Jesus did not yield to these temptations and, in fact, resisted and defeated evil in accordance with God, the Father’s, plan (John 5:19, 30). Jesus was tempted by evil—to disobey God for self-gratification, self-display, and self-aggrandizement (Matthew 4:1–11), and the temptation to avoid the Cross (Matthew 16:23; Luke 22:28). However, Jesus remained faithful to God and sinless, “a Lamb without blemish or defect” (Romans 6:6–7; 1 Corinthians 6:20; Colossians 2:13–14; Hebrews 9:12; 1 Peter 1:18–19). “Because He [Jesus] Himself suffered when He was tempted, He is able to help those who are being tempted” (Hebrews 2:18).
Throughout Jesus’ earthly ministry, while temptations were real, the Holy Spirit kept Jesus from committing any sin. Jesus had the Holy Spirit without measure to help Him in His earthly ministry (John 14–16). References to the Holy Spirit precede the temptation narrative in the Gospels: Jesus was “full of the Holy Spirit… and was led by the Spirit in the desert, where for forty days He was tempted by the devil” (Luke 4:1–2). Thereafter, “Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit” (Luke 4:14). Jesus suffering as a human being led to His exaltation by God the Father (see Philippians 2:5–11; cp. Isaiah 52:13–53:12).
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