For billions of people, He is the greatest man who ever lived. For some, He never existed. Is Jesus Christ a human? Who was He?

Jesus Christ, was indeed a human person (and fully God) who walked the earth over 2,000 years ago.

Jesus was born to The Virgin Mary in a town called Bethlehem, not far from Jerusalem. He was raised in a town called Nazareth. He had a mother, Mary, and a father, Joseph who raised him.

Scholars agree Jesus was real human

Experts who have studied the bible and ancient texts all agree that Jesus was indeed a person. The four Gospels in the Bible are a true account of the life and ministry of Jesus. The Acts of the Apostles show how early Christians spread the faith. In the Gospel of Luke, the author even starts with a genealogy of Jesus Christ going back to Adam,

The New Testament is a great place to start learning about Jesus.

Historical evidence of Jesus

The evidence is clear that Jesus existed and was crucified. Historical accounts of Jesus from non-Christians make this clear.

For example, Josephus, a Jewish historian, criticized the actions of a high priest who had “the brother of Jesus, who is called Messiah, James by name and some others,” put to death.

In his writings about Nero and the initial followers of Christianity, the Roman historian Tacitus noted, "Their designation is derived from Christ, who was put to death by the procurator Pontius Pilate during the time Tiberius was emperor." The use of the term Christ is noteworthy because it translates to 'anointed one,' similar to Messiah. Despite being subjected to torture and blamed for crimes by Nero, these early Christians remained steadfast in their beliefs, refusing to renounce their faith to escape persecution.

The Shroud of Turin

One incredible artifact that has been argued about for centuries is the Shroud of Turin which is believed to be the burial cloth of Christ. Some say it's a fraud. Many have said their research points to its authenticity. The 14 foot cloth with blood that shows a beaten, crowned with thorns and crucified man. What’s so interesting about the shroud is that the only way the image on the shroud could appear could have been through a 34 trillion watt explosion of UV light that has to be emitted for this to exist !

Truly God and Truly Man

Finally, not only was Jesus human, He was also truly God. This mystery has been discussed and debated for thousands of years.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church states,

“The unique and altogether singular event of the Incarnation of the Son of God does not mean that Jesus Christ is part God and part man, nor does it imply that he is the result of a confused mixture of the divine and the human. He became truly man while remaining truly God. Jesus Christ is true God and true man.” (CCC 464)

I hope this blog post gave you a better understanding of Jesus’ humanity.