Incarnation
σὰρξ ἐγένετο (Sarx Egeneto — 'became flesh')
God becoming human in the person of Jesus Christ
The Incarnation (from Latin 'incarnare,' meaning 'to make flesh') is the foundational Christian belief that the eternal Son of God took on human nature and was born as Jesus of Nazareth — fully God and fully man.
"And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth." — John 1:14 (KJV)
Key Verses
John 1:14
“And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.”Read in context
Philippians 2:6-7
“Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men.”Read in context
1 Timothy 3:16
“And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.”Read in context
The Word Made Flesh
John 1:14 is the supreme statement of the Incarnation: 'The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us.' The eternal Word (Logos) — who 'was with God' and 'was God' from the beginning (John 1:1) — entered the material world as a human being. He did not merely appear human or temporarily inhabit a human body. He became genuinely, fully human while remaining genuinely, fully God. This is the great mystery at the heart of the Christian faith.
Why God Became Man
The Incarnation was not an accident but the fulfillment of God's eternal plan. God became man to reveal God to humanity: 'No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him' (John 1:18). He became man to redeem humanity: only a perfect human life could satisfy the demands of the law, and only God could bear the infinite weight of sin's penalty. He became man to model humanity: in Christ we see what human life was always meant to be.
Fully God and Fully Man
The early church wrestled deeply with how Jesus could be both divine and human. The Council of Chalcedon (AD 451) affirmed that Christ has two natures — divine and human — united in one Person 'without confusion, without change, without division, without separation.' Jesus experienced hunger, thirst, weariness, grief, and death as a real human being. He also calmed storms, forgave sins, knew thoughts, and rose from the dead as God. Both natures are fully and simultaneously present.
The Ongoing Incarnation
The Incarnation is not merely a past event but an ongoing reality. The risen Christ retains His glorified human body for eternity. He ascended bodily into heaven and sits at the right hand of the Father in His humanity. He will return in the same body (Acts 1:11). This means humanity has been permanently elevated — a human being sits on the throne of the universe. The Incarnation dignifies human nature beyond all measure.
Frequently Asked Questions
Did Jesus stop being God when He became man?
No. The Incarnation is an addition, not a subtraction. The Son of God did not cease being divine when He took on human nature. Philippians 2:7 says He 'emptied Himself' (kenosis), which theologians understand as voluntarily laying aside the independent use of certain divine prerogatives — not the loss of His divine nature. He was fully God at every moment of His earthly life.
Was Jesus born with a sinful nature?
No. While Jesus was fully human, He was born without the sinful nature inherited from Adam. His miraculous conception by the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:35) preserved Him from original sin. He was 'in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin' (Hebrews 4:15). He experienced genuine human temptation but never yielded to it.
Why is the virgin birth important to the Incarnation?
The virgin birth (more precisely, the virginal conception) demonstrates that Jesus' origin is both divine and human. He was born of a human mother (truly human) by the power of the Holy Spirit without a human father (truly divine). It also preserved Him from inheriting the sin nature transmitted through Adam. The virgin birth is the means by which the eternal Son entered the world as a human being.
What is the Greek word for "Incarnation" in the Bible?
σὰρξ ἐγένετο (Sarx Egeneto — 'became flesh'), pronounced "in-kar-NAY-shun." It means god becoming human in the person of jesus christ. It is the word behind "Incarnation" in the New Testament, for example in John 1:14.
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Incarnation (σὰρξ ἐγένετο (Sarx Egeneto — 'became flesh'))
God becoming human in the person of Jesus Christ
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