The Human Jesus: 73 Traits and Experiences
Sourced from the New Testament Books of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John
Sudarium is an exploration of how God lived in human form, and what that might mean for each of us who is only human. So when I started writing this book, I attempted to identify every trait and experience of Jesus that seemed completely human. In other words, what are the aspects of his life that could happen to any person? My goal: include each aspect as part of Jennifer’s life, somewhere in what is planned as The Sudarium Trilogy.
For example, Jesus ate figs, and in Sudarium Jennifer finds tasty figs in a local deli.
I would love to add to this list.What other traits and experiences can you find in the Gospels to add to our understanding of Jesus as fully human? Just add your suggestions in Comments below. If we agree, we will add your contribution with attribution.
Jesus’ First 30 Years and the Launch of His Ministry
(traits 1-17)
His mother carried him to normal term.
He was born in a small barn among farm animals.
When he was born, his parents were traveling and under stress.
Herod wanted to kill him, so his parents had to take him to Egypt.
His family returned from Egypt when he was young, but they had to settle in Nazareth, a new town.
Jesus had four brothers and at least two sisters, so he was the oldest child in a large family.
He had cousins named Elizabeth and John.
When he was 12 on a trip to Jerusalem, he got separated from his parents for three days while speaking with other adults in the temple, and was obedient to his parents after that.
His dad was a carpenter, and so was he.
He grew up strong and filled with wisdom.
He did not have a formal education.
Around age 30, Jesus was baptized by John, who recognized him as messiah.
Jesus understood this recognition, and counseled John to wait on announcing it.
He went by himself into the desert wilderness for forty days.
He fasted during this time, which made him hungry.
He was tempted to sin.
When he heard that John had been arrested, he fled Nazareth and went to Capernaum.
The Ways He Worked When He Was 30-33 Years Old
(traits 18-45)
He traveled around Galilee, teaching, preaching, baptizing, and healing.
He traveled a lot, mostly by walking.
He sometimes got tired from traveling so much.
He delegated authority to heal and cast out demons (we don’t know how many people can do these things, but the fact that he delegated the behaviors means that at least some humans can do so).
He asked two pairs of brothers who were fisherman to follow him, and they did. He called people to follow him (e.g. the Twelve and later the Seventy).
He liked children and used them as examples in his teachings.
He also related open-heartedly to women, and included them in his group of followers and his teachings.
His mother and brothers were with him during some of his ministry.
He planned ahead and organized people to prepare locations for his arrival.
Great crowds followed him and appeared where they thought he would be.
Boats were part of his life: he was comfortable in a small boat, even to sleep in a violent storm; he used a boat to protect himself from being crushed by the crowd; he also used boats for transportation.
He directed his disciples on what to do, where to go, and how to focus on the people who were ready to learn.
He sometimes wrapped his teaching to large groups in parables, and then he would explain his meaning to the disciples.
He attended feasts and at least one wedding.
Jesus chose to withdraw to lonely places when he had hard thinking and praying to do; he also took his followers to lonely places so they could rest.
He sometimes knelt when he prayed, and sometimes prayed with his eyes open.
He lived simply.
He regularly relied on the hospitality of others to feed and house him.
He believed in servant leadership, and practiced it with humility.
He was very compassionate, particularly for people who were in pain or had lost a family member.
He surprised people with the authority and courage of his teaching.
He became so famous in the region that he had to teach out in the country because going into towns was too difficult.
He had to live with a lot of people around most of the time, and they often wanted to touch him, so he did not get much privacy.
He ate fish, corn, figs, and bread, and he drank water and wine.
He and his followers were so busy sometimes that they couldn’t find time to eat.
He taught in centers of worship.
His followers knew how to organize 5,000 people into groups of 100 and 50 to be fed.
He rode a young donkey into Jerusalem.
The Good Troubles of Jesus
(traits 46-73)
He was willing to heal a Roman centurion’s servant, a person many hated as an occupier.
People were afraid of his power, and they asked him to go away.
He taught with authority, and the religious authorities were threatened by this.
He was intuitive; he knew the thoughts of the religious leaders.
He was willing to verbally confront religious authorities.
He associated with people whom the religious leaders looked down on, like tax collectors, and used the Other in stories like the Good Samaritan.
He was willing to relate directly to people who appeared deranged or suffered from an illness like leprosy.
He was willing to confront people with his words – even those who were powerful enough to hurt him, and sometimes his debating skills were so good that his opponents could not respond.
He was also ready to criticize his own disciples and people in the crowds who followed him.
He understood that he would die in Jerusalem, and that he would be resurrected.
He expected people to resolve conflict with love.
He counseled unlimited forgiveness.
He forcefully drove merchants out of the temple.
He permitted a woman to touch his hair, against custom.
He didn’t see fishing as unethical.
Hardness of heart – a lack of empathy – in others made him angry.
He was accused of being a foreigner and under the power of evil.
He experienced ridicule.
People often did not understand what he was saying.
He knew his enemies wanted to silence or kill him.
He was skilled at escaping from those who wanted to kill him, until he chose not to.
He had to deal with people from his home town who doubted him and were offended by what he could do, and they drove him out of town and wanted to kill him.
Sometimes he did not wash before eating.
The King felt threatened by him.
He was a victim of torture.
He was deeply troubled as he faced a violent death.
He felt separated from God at the end of his life.
He died.
