“…an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son…”” – Matthew 1:20b 

Scripture reading: Matthew 1:17-25

The reading today focuses on Jesus as a son—the emphasis is on His humanity. What a picture the Bible paints of the humanity of Jesus. We read of Joseph, His earthly father, in the early part of Jesus’ life, but not later in His life. Jesus lost His earthly dad.

Before Jesus was tempted, He fasted for forty days and nights. It is such a blasé statement to describe what must have been going on inside His body—He’d be near to starving. He experienced real, gnawing hunger, and was without sin.

Jesus saw the crowds coming to Him and He had compassion on them “because they were like sheep without a shepherd” (Mark 6:34). Jesus Himself had just learned that His cousin, John the Baptist, had died. Around the same time, His disciples who’d been sent out to various towns to prepare them for His coming to teach there, returned to Jesus and clamoured for His attention. He experienced complex emotions.

Just before Jesus began the conversation with the Samaritan woman at the well, John informs the reader that Jesus was weary from His journey (John 4:6). In other places of Scripture, you read, “Jesus wept”. Why mention all these things? The Bible shows that Jesus is fully human. Because a man sinned against God the Holy One, a man must bear the wrath of God against sin. The Bible shows Jesus to be fully human. Think of Jesus as human as you are and yet, without sin. What a glorious Redeemer He is!

Suggestions for prayer

Pray that God the Father will teach you more about the humanity of Jesus so that you can draw closer to Jesus and know Him better; so that you can truly love Him and be more amazed at the grace He brings you.

Rev. Richard Vander Vaart served as a minister in the Christian Reformed Church of North America for over twenty years, before joining the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church. He is now serving as the Atlantic Region prison-visiting pastor working with Redemption Prison Ministry. Get this devotional delivered directly to your phone each day via our RP App. It is also available in print, for purchase, at NTGDevotional.com.