OCIA Session 2 Supplement - Who is Jesus Christ - True God and true man

Who is Jesus Christ - True God and true man

When Jesus turned to His disciples and asked, “But who do you say that I am?” (Matthew 16:15), He asked the single most important question in human history. And He asks the same question of you today. Who is Jesus Christ to you? Is He simply a good teacher, a miracle worker, a prophet, or something more? The Church proclaims with certainty that Jesus is both fully God and fully man. This truth is the heart of Christianity. If He were only a man, His teachings would have been inspiring but not saving. If He were only God, He could not have truly shared our humanity. By being both God and man, Jesus bridges heaven and earth, revealing God’s love and redeeming us through His life, death, and resurrection.

Let’s look at Jesus’ humanity first. He was born into a real family, in a real place, at a real time. He learned carpentry from Joseph. He grew tired, hungry, and even wept. John 11:35 records the shortest verse in the Bible: “Jesus wept.” Think about that. God wept. He felt grief at the death of His friend Lazarus. He wasn’t distant from human pain - He entered into it. Hebrews 4:15 says, “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are - yet he did not sin.” That means Jesus knows exactly what it is like to be you. When you are tired, lonely, or struggling, you can know with certainty that Jesus has walked that path.

At the same time, Jesus is fully God. From the very beginning, John’s Gospel proclaims His divinity: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1). And in verse 14 we read: “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.” This is the heart of the Incarnation - God took on flesh. Jesus Himself made astonishing claims that go far beyond what a mere teacher could say. He declared, “I and the Father are one” (John 10:30). He said, “Before Abraham was, I am” (John 8:58), directly invoking the divine name of God given to Moses in Exodus 3:14. These are not the words of someone who was just a wise philosopher. They are the words of the eternal Son of God.

The early Church wrestled with this mystery. How could Jesus be both God and man? After prayer, reflection, and guidance of the Holy Spirit, the Church proclaimed in the Nicene Creed that Jesus Christ is “true God from true God, begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father.” At the same time, He “became man.” This union of divinity and humanity in one Person is called the hypostatic union. Big phrase, but here’s what it means: Jesus is one Person with two natures - fully God and fully human. Not half and half, but 100 percent God and 100 percent man.

So why does this matter for us? Because if Jesus is not fully God, He cannot save us. Only God can forgive sins and conquer death. And if He is not fully human, He cannot represent us, suffer with us, or redeem our humanity. In Jesus, heaven meets earth, and humanity is lifted into God’s life. St. Athanasius, one of the early Church Fathers, put it powerfully: “The Son of God became man so that we might become God.” He didn’t mean we become divine beings, but that we are drawn into God’s own life through Christ.

Let’s pause for a humor break. Many of us imagine Jesus with long hair, a glowing halo, and perfectly folded robes - like the holy cards or stained-glass windows. But think about it: Jesus lived in the dusty Middle East, walked for miles every day, worked with His hands, and probably looked a lot less like a shampoo commercial and a lot more like a rugged laborer. The Incarnation means God got dirt under His fingernails, calluses on His hands, and sweat on His brow. And that is good news for us, because it shows how close He is to our real, messy lives.

Here’s another way to understand why Jesus matters. Imagine a huge canyon separating humanity and God. People throughout history have tried to build bridges - through philosophy, good works, or spiritual practices. But every human bridge falls short. Jesus is the only bridge strong enough, because He is both divine and human. His cross spans the chasm, and through Him we have access to the Father. Jesus says in John 14:6, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

So how do we encounter Jesus today? He is not simply a figure of history but alive and present. We meet Him in prayer, in Scripture, in the sacraments, and in His Body, the Church. In the Eucharist, His humanity and divinity come to us in a way that is intimate and transformative. At Mass, when the priest consecrates the bread and wine, we truly receive Jesus - body, blood, soul, and divinity. He is as close as your next breath.

Take time this week to reflect on who Jesus is to you personally. He once asked His disciples, “Who do you say that I am?” (Matthew 16:15). Write your answer. Maybe it’s “Lord,” “Friend,” “Savior,” or maybe you’re still searching. Wherever you are, that answer matters. Pray with John 3:16, perhaps the most famous verse in the Bible: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” Put your own name into that verse: God so loved you that He gave His Son.

Here’s your challenge for the week: read the first chapter of John’s Gospel. Reflect on what it means that the eternal Word became flesh and dwelt among us. Pray each morning, “Jesus, help me to know You more deeply.” And try to share one thing you’ve learned about Jesus with someone else - a friend, family member, or even a stranger. You might be surprised at how open people are to talking about Him.

In closing, remember this: Jesus Christ is not a myth, not a distant figure, and not just a good moral teacher. He is true God and true man, the Savior who entered history to redeem it, and who enters your life today to transform it. He knows what it is like to be you, and He invites you into His divine life. Next time, we’ll talk about how God continues to speak to us through the Bible and through Tradition - the two lungs of the Church that keep our faith alive. Until then, spend time with Jesus in prayer, and let Him answer the question: “Who do you say that I am?”