Jesus' Heavenly Humanity vs Earthly Humanity in Scripture
The distinction between Jesus' heavenly humanity and earthly humanity is primarily drawn from 1 Corinthians 15, where the Apostle Paul contrasts "the first man, Adam," who is "of the earth, earthy," with "the second man," who is "the Lord from heaven" [1, 2]. This passage highlights two distinct types of humanity: one natural and earthly, the other spiritual and heavenly [5].
Adam represents a humanity enslaved to sin and death, destined to return to dust (Genesis 3:19) [4, 6]. In contrast, Christ represents a new humanity, purified and destined for unending spiritual life [4, 5]. John Gill, in his commentary on 1 Corinthians 15:45, explains that just as Adam's body was earthy, so are the bodies of his descendants, being "houses of clay" that return to the earth. Similarly, as Christ's body is glorious and spiritual in heaven, so will be the bodies of those who are "heavenly" or "heaven born" [10].
The concept of Jesus' true humanity is essential to Christian doctrine. He was born of a woman, sharing in "flesh and blood" (Hebrews 2:14), which is fundamental to his likeness to humanity and his role as a brother to mankind [3]. John Calvin, in his Institutes of the Christian Religion, defends the "orthodoxy doctrine as to the true humanity of our Saviour" against various heresies that denied Christ's genuine human nature [7].
However, this true humanity is also uniquely exalted due to its union with his divine nature [8]. Charles Hodge notes that the incarnation involved the Son of God taking into "personal and perpetual union with Himself a nature infinitely lower than his own" [3]. This union means that while Christ possessed a true human nature, it was also distinct from Adam's fallen humanity. The "heavenly man" (Christ) supersedes the natural life, and the spiritual body will supersede the physical body [5]. This does not imply that Christ's humanity was not real or that his divine nature overshadowed his human experiences, but rather that his humanity was perfected and glorified through its union with divinity [9].
Sources
- King James Version “[KJV] 1 Corinthians 15:47 — The first man is of the earth, earthy; the second man is the Lord from heaven.”
- I Corinthians “I Corinthians 15:47 (ASV) — The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is of heaven.”
- CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 2, section 126: substance of the Virgin Mary.” This is involved in the Scriptural statement that He was born of a woman, which can only mean that He was born in the sense in which other children of men are born of women. This is essential to his true humanity, and to that likeness to men which makes them his brethren, and which was se cured by his taking part in flesh and blood. ( Heb. ii. 14 .) The incarnation of the Son of God, his stooping to take into personal and perpetual union with Himself a nature infinitely lower than his own, was an act of uns”
- 1 Corinthians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on 1 Corinthians 15:48: 15:48 Earthly people (literally those of the dust): Like Adam, natural human beings are under the curse of sin and death. All return to dust (see Gen 3:19)—they all die. • heavenly people are like the heavenly man: Those who belong to Christ are like him in having an unending spiritual life.”
- 1 Corinthians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on 1 Corinthians 15:45: 15:45-49 Adam and Christ founded two distinct humanities: One is natural and earthly, enslaved to sin and death; the other is spiritual and heavenly, purified and destined for life. Adam represents the natural (physical) body and Christ the spiritual (resurrection) body. See also 15:21-22; Rom 5:12-21. 15:45-46 Just as Christ’s life-giving Spirit supersedes the natural life, the spiritual body will supersede the physical body.”
- 1 Corinthians (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on 1 Corinthians 15:48: As is the earthy--namely, Adam. they . . . that are earthy--All Adam's posterity in their natural state (Joh 3:6-7). the heavenly--Christ. they . . . that are heavenly--His people in their regenerate state (Phi 3:20-21). As the former precedes the latter state, so the natural bodies precede the spiritual bodies.”
- CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 49: 409 CHAPTER 13. CHRIST CLOTHED WITH THE TRUE SUBSTANCE OF HUMAN NATURE. The heads of this chapter are, I. The orthodoxy doctrine as to the true humanity of our Saviour, proved from many passages of Scripture, sec. 1. II. Refutation of the impious objections of the Marcionites, Manichees, and similar heretics, sec. 2–4. Sections. 1. Proof of the true humanity of Christ, against the Manichees and Marcionites. 2. Impious objections of heretics further discussed. Six objections answered. 3. Other eight objections answered. 4. Other thr”
- CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 2, section 80: that is, whosoever religiously worships Him and looks to Him as his God and Saviour, shall be saved, whether in a dungeon or alone in a desert. The Exaltation of the Human Nature of Christ. Another consequence of the hypostatical union is the exaltation of the humanity of Christ. As the human body in virtue of its vital union with an immortal soul, is immeasurably exalted above any mere material organization in the universe (so far as known or revealed), so the humanity of Christ in virtue of its union with his divine nature is immeasurab”
- CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 2, section 83: to be involved in the Lutheran doctrine of Christ’s humiliation. The idea is that after the incarnation the Logos is not extra carnem , that all his activity is with and through the activity of his humanity; and yet it is affirmed that the humanity did not exercise, while on earth, except occasionally, its divine perfections. This seems of necessity to involve the admission that the Logos did not exercise those perfections during the period of the humiliation. 416 That is, while Christ was on earth, the knowledge and power of the Logos we”
- 1 Corinthians (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on 1 Corinthians 15:45: As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy,.... As was Adam's body, so are the bodies of those that descend from him; they are houses of clay, earthly houses of this tabernacle, which rise out of the earth, are maintained by the things of it, and return to it again: and as is the heavenly, such are, or will be they also that are heavenly; as is the glorious and spiritual body of Christ, the Lord from heaven, as that now is in heaven, and will be when he descends from thence; so will be the bodies of them that are heavenly, that are heaven born so”