There is another question the Bible needs to answer for us. Did Jesus shed His humanity when He returned to the Father? Is He still a man in heaven?
We know that Jesus took on humanity when He came to earth but…there were also many occasions, before His incarnation, that He appeared to people in the form of an angel. He is called “the Angel of the Lord” as distinct from “an angel”. He spoke as God, for example, as He spoke to Abraham…
“But the angel of the Lord called out to him from heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!” “Here I am,” he replied. “Do not lay a hand on the boy,” he said. “Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.”
Genesis 22:11-12 NIV
However, these appearances were temporary and for a specific purpose…and not as a man.
Jesus, the man, was sent by the Father. He came to earth…His advent planned before creation, predicted, in great detail, by God through the prophets…at God’s appointed time. He was conceived in the womb of a woman. He was born in the natural way. He accomplished the Father’s purpose…He died as a man…and then He returned to heaven to fulfil His role as Lord but…
Is Jesus still a man now? What does the Bible say?
There is no specific Scripture that tells us that Jesus retained His humanity as Lord, but there are hints…description of Him that suggest that He is still a man in His deity and unity with the Father and the Spirit. Let’s look at two examples.
“For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus,”
1 Timothy 2:5 NIV
The present tense is clear…”There IS one mediator…(not WAS), the man, Christ Jesus.“
Jesus’ role as our eternal High Priest also suggests that He fulfils that role as a human being…His experience as a man who overcame temptation…qualifying Him to be our representative.
“For this reason he had to be made like them, fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he IS able to help those who are being tempted.”
Hebrews 2:17-18 NIV
The second example is a description of Jesus as the mighty warrior-conqueror in John’s vision.
“I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and wages war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. Coming out of his mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. “He will rule them with an iron scepter.” He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: king of kings and Lord of Lords.”
Revelation 19:11-13, 15-16 NIV
This is a vivid picture of Jesus in very human terms…not an angel or a spirit…but a human…a warrior who conquered by shedding His own blood…a man who rules by the power of His word.
John also saw Jesus, in his vision on the Isle of Patmos, as a glorified man…
“When I turned to see who was speaking to me, I saw seven gold lampstands. And standing in the middle of the lampstands was someone like the Son of Man. He was wearing a long robe with a gold sash across his chest. His head and his hair were white like wool, as white as snow. And his eyes were like flames of fire. His feet were like polished bronze refined in a furnace, and his voice thundered like mighty ocean waves. He held seven stars in his right hand, and a sharp two-edged sword came from his mouth. And his face was like the sun in all its brilliance.”
Revelation 1:12-16 NLT
Daniel saw this “son of man” in a vision, approaching the Ancient of Days, and receiving an everlasting kingdom over which He ruled with authority and sovereign power.
“As I looked, “thrones were set in place, and the Ancient of Days took his seat. His clothing was as white as snow; the hair of his head was white like wool. His throne was flaming with fire, and its wheels were all ablaze. A river of fire was flowing, coming out from before him. Thousands upon thousands attended him; ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him. The court was seated, and the books were opened….“In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all nations and peoples of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.”
Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14 NIV
We can conclude, then, with a measure of certainty, that Jesus is still the God-man in heaven, who rules as Lord…but also stands in the presence of the Father as our human representative, forever making intercession for us, presenting His own blood, as our eternal High Priest.