Jesus Identifies with Us

One of the great insights of the Incarnation is that in Jesus, God identifies with us. God does not remain aloof but joins us humans through the birth, life, and death of Jesus. God humbled himself to be born of a woman and raised by his parents Mary and Joseph.

Mary and Joseph were not perfect parents, Like all parents, they made mistakes in raising their son and their other children. Consider that God humbled himself to be born without fully developed faculties, as all children are, and to let Mary and Joseph learn how to be parents by raising him. This aspect of the theology of the Incarnation gives us tremendous insight into the character and humility of God.

At the dawn of his public ministry, Jesus chose to be baptized by John. John baptized people who wanted to be cleansed from their sins in preparation of the coming Messiah. Jesus did not need or have to be baptized. He was without sin yet chose to identify with sinful humans. In one respect, there could have been two lines for those desiring John's baptism: one line for sinners and another for "He who is sinless"!

Yet Jesus chose to join the line of sinners. Jesus chose to wash the feet of Judas even though he knew he would betray him. Jesus chose to go to the cross. Jesus chose again and again to serve us and not to be served. Why would we fear a God who came to save and serve us? The theology of the Incarnation in terms of Jesus identifying with humanity, should lead us into wonder, worship, and wellbeing, which is the goal of good theology and the Incarnation itself.