In Luke 1:35 the angel speaks of the human nature of Christ as “that holy thing.” The incarnation - “God with us” - was an unprecedented act of condescension when God came in the likeness of man to restore the image of himself in man, the Creator took on the likeness of his creation, the Holy One in the place of the sinful one. The term “holy thing” identifies Emmanuel and speaks of his human nature. This was a common term in Israel and is used throughout the Old Testament Scriptures to speak of things that were dedicated or committed to the service of God.
We see secondly, the condescension of Christ’s humanity. This "holy thing" was born naturally of a woman to be one of us. He was not made as Adam was, out of the dust of the ground, nor from stones (Matthew 3:9). Nor was he created out of nothing. He was made in the womb of a woman – according to the promise of Genesis 3:15; “the seed of the woman." He was part of Mary, formed in her womb and nurtured from her body – this was necessary if he was truly human.
But notice also the consecration of Christ’s humanity; this “Holy thing” was supernaturally born – Mary was a virgin. This shows that he is separate from us (Hebrews 7:26). He was conceived by the power of the Holy Ghost, not by a man. He is therefore, what we are not, i.e. Holy. He was born of a woman; human (from Mary) but a virgin woman, without the pollution of Adam’s transgression (1 Corinthians 15:22). He was Holy Humanity; the only logical and effective cure for sin.
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Aaron Dunlop, who is originally from Northern Ireland, graduated from the Geneva Reformed Seminary, SC. He pastored for ten years in Victoria, British Columbia and is currently preparing to move to Kenya with his family to work with the FAME Reformed Theological College.
