Ye he was fully God and fully man. Even though He could call on angels as the Son of God, He chose to face the trials as the Son of man so that it would fulfill the prophecy in Gen 3:15 that the seed of the woman.. man.. would crush satan's head. It is interesting in his temptation by satan in the desert.. satan tempts him to reveal himself and use his powers as the Son of God.. but Christ always replies as the Son of man.
The apostle John wrote that he who did not believe that Christ came in the flesh is antichrist in his thinking. This I believe has greater depth than simply answering the question, 'was Jesus a man?'
A little thought would reveal that if Jesus came to redeem sinful man, then it must be in the likeness of sinful man that he came. Not the seed of the unfallen Adam, but the seed of Abraham, and the offspring of David. Death would have had no power over a sinless man as Adam was before the fall, and death would not have had any power over Christ unless the Father had laid on Him the iniquity of us all.
Also, because Jesus took upon Himself the likeness of sinful flesh, He therefore also accepted the sinful tendencies and weaknesses that are the natural component of fallen man, yet He never in one instant succumbed to that weakness but through faith in the Father overcame all temptations.
Hebrews 2:16 For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham.
17 Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.
18 For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.
If He was made like unto His brethren, then He must have been tempted and suffered all the same infirmities of His brethren.
Romans 8:3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son
in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:
4
That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
Above bold is the very reason for, and the promise of the gospel. Let no-one think that all Jesus came to accomplish was to grant us eternal life.Not at all, He came to give us victory...victory over the flesh, victory over sin...victory over the world.
2 Cor. 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin;
that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
Not our own righteousness which is born in our own feeble attempts to obey the laws of God, but the righteousness of God Himself which is graciously given to us as a gift, enabling us to obey, just as Jesus obeyed.
Ephesians 3:14 ¶ For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
15 Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,
16 That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;
17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,
18 May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;
19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.
Knowing that Christ came in the likeness of sinful flesh yet was able to live a sinless life due to the divine power abiding in Him, is extremely comforting for man because that same fulness of the Godhead is made available to all men who have the faith to believe and receive. We therefore can live the life of the Lifegiver.
As for the temptation in the wilderness James, that is interesting. And I agree, Satan was tempting Jesus to use His powers and thus involve Him in sin...selfishness. But Jesus hanged tough and trusted in His Father to reveal Him in due time.
