Did Jesus take on a human nature at the incarnation, or did he always have one?

The New Testament describes the Son, who already existed "with God", as *becoming* flesh at a point in history: "born of a woman" and "made like his brothers". It does not describe him as human before that. Most Christians therefore hold that he took on a human nature at his conception. A minority of views read the texts differently.

What the text says

Where readers differ

The words it turns on

• σάρξ σάρξ (sarx)

  Flesh: physical, mortal human existence, often with a sense of weakness. In John 1:14 it means real human life, not just a body worn like clothing.

  Drift: English 'flesh' can sound merely physical. John's word covers the whole frail human condition, which is why the classical view says Christ took a human mind and soul as well as a body.

• γίνομαι γίνομαι (ginomai), ἐγένετο

  To come into being, to become. John 1:1–2 uses ēn ('was') for the Word's continuous existence. John 1:14 switches to egeneto ('became') for the flesh.

  Drift: 'Became' does not mean the Word stopped being what he was. The contrast between 'was' and 'became' in John 1 marks something new beginning.

• σκηνόω σκηνόω (skēnoō)

  To pitch a tent, to dwell in a tent. It echoes God's presence in the wilderness tabernacle.

  Drift: 'Dwelt' loses the tabernacle image: God taking up residence among his people in a human body.

• μορφή μορφή (morphē)

  Form: the outward expression of what something really is. In Philippians 2:6–7 it is used both for 'form of God' and 'form of a servant'.

  Drift: In modern English 'form' can mean mere appearance. In the passage the two parallel uses imply he was really God and really a servant.

• ὁμοίωμα ὁμοίωμα (homoiōma)

  Likeness, a corresponding form (Philippians 2:7; Romans 8:3).

  Drift: 'Likeness' is sometimes read as 'only looked human'. Paul uses it for real correspondence, and Hebrews 2:17 says 'like his brothers in every respect'. In Romans 8:3 the word is chosen carefully: 'the likeness of *sinful* flesh', real flesh but not sinful.

• κενόω κενόω (kenoō)

  To empty, to make of no effect. 'He emptied himself' (Philippians 2:7). Paul explains it straight away: 'by taking the form of a servant'.

  Drift: 'Emptied himself' is often taken to mean he gave up being God. The verse describes the emptying as an act of taking something on, not of subtracting divinity.

• μετέχω μετέχω (metechō)

  To share in, partake of (Hebrews 2:14). He took part in the same flesh and blood the children already had.

• מַלְאָךְ מַלְאָךְ (mal'akh)

  Messenger, angel. It is used for the 'angel of the LORD', who sometimes speaks as God himself (Genesis 16:13; Exodus 3:2–6).

  Drift: 'Angel' now suggests a winged creature. The Hebrew word names a role (messenger), which is why some readers identify this figure with the pre-incarnate Son.

What the Bible doesn't say

Key verses

1. John 1:14

   The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

   The Word, who already 'was' (1:1), 'became' flesh. This is the clearest statement that his humanity had a beginning.

2. Philippians 2:6

   Who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,

   He existed in the form of God, then 'took' the form of a servant, being made in human likeness.

3. Galatians 4:4

   But when the time had fully come, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under the law,

   The Son was 'sent' and then 'born of a woman', which ties his humanity to a birth in history.

4. Hebrews 2:14

   Now since the children have flesh and blood, He too shared in their humanity, so that by His death He might destroy him who holds the power of death, that is, the devil,

   He 'partook' of flesh and blood because the children already shared it. His humanity was added and was the same as ours.

5. Hebrews 2:17

   For this reason He had to be made like His brothers in every way, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, in order to make atonement for the sins of the people.

   He was 'made like his brothers in every respect', which rules out a different or merely apparent humanity.

6. John 1:1

   In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

   Establishes that the Word existed, was with God, was God and made all things before becoming flesh.

7. John 17:5

   And now, Father, glorify Me in Your presence with the glory I had with You before the world existed.

   Jesus refers to glory he had with the Father before the world existed.

8. Hebrews 10:5

   Therefore, when Christ came into the world, He said: “Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, but a body You prepared for Me.

   'A body you prepared for me' presents his body as something given at his coming into the world.

9. Luke 1:35

   The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the Holy One to be born will be called the Son of God.

   Places the start of his human life at the conception by the Holy Spirit.

10. Romans 1:3

    regarding His Son, who was a descendant of David according to the flesh,

    He descended from David 'according to the flesh': a real human ancestry, not a body from heaven.

11. 1 Timothy 2:5

    For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,

    After the ascension he is still 'the man Christ Jesus'. His humanity continues.

12. 1 Corinthians 15:47

    The first man was of the dust of the earth, the second man from heaven.

    'The second man from heaven' is the main verse used for heavenly-origin readings, so it matters to the debate.