Thread by @thebibleproject

We don’t normally think of humans as “spiritual” beings, because in most languages, the word for “spiritual” means “non-physical.” However, in the opening pages of Genesis, humans are presented as creatures of the earth and of the heavens.

God makes humanity from the dirt, but then he exhales his divine breath to bring the creature to life (Genesis 2:7). God also appoints humanity to rule over all creation as his image (Genesis 1:26-28)

and even invites them to share in his eternal life by eating from the tree of life (Genesis 2:16). Imagine a human who has “ingested” God’s own eternal life into their being. We’re talking humanity 2.0 here! But of course, that’s not what happens.

Humanity joins in a cosmic rebellion and forfeits their access to eternal life (see Genesis 3), and they become corrupt and violent (Genesis 4, 6, 11). So then, the biblical story doesn’t begin with humanity falling from perfection.

Rather, it begins with a lost opportunity, or as the apostle Paul puts it, humanity falls short of the glorious status God purposed for them (Romans 1:23 and 3:23). From this angle, the rest of the biblical story is about God’s raising up a *new human* who will be God’s forever

faithful partner in ruling the world. And (surprise!), this plot line is fulfilled in Jesus. This is why the Gospel of Mark portrays Jesus as a “new Adam” at peace with the animals (Mark 1:13). It’s why John has Pontius Pilate announce Jesus saying,

“Behold the human!” as he walks out with a bloody robe and crown of thorns (John 19:1-5). Paul the apostle calls Jesus the true “image of God” (2 Corinthians 4:4) and “the last Adam” (1 Corinthians 15:45), because his death and resurrection established him as “the new humanity”

who rules with God over heaven and earth (see Ephesians 1:19-21). In other words, the risen Jesus is a “physical-spiritual being.” He has a real body that can be touched and talked to, but it has also been transformed and exists in a different mode than our bodies.

The "new human Jesus" lives in heaven and earth at the same time (see Matthew 28:18-20). And for those who trust in him, he invites us to share in his new humanity through the Spirit that he is breathing upon his people still today (Romans 8:9-11).

Watch our brand new video, The New Humanity, here:

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