The question of whether Jesus knew everything is a profound and complex one, touching on the very nature of Christ's divinity and humanity. This inquiry delves into the heart of Christology, the study of the nature and work of Jesus Christ. To adequately address this question, we must consider the biblical evidence, the theological implications, and the historical positions held by the church.
The New Testament provides varied insights into Jesus' knowledge. On one hand, we see instances where Jesus exhibits divine omniscience. For example, in John 1:48, Jesus reveals His knowledge of Nathanael's location before Philip called him: "Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you." Similarly, in John 2:24-25, it is said that Jesus "knew all people and needed no one to bear witness about man, for he himself knew what was in man."
However, there are also passages that suggest limitations to Jesus' knowledge. One of the most cited verses in this context is Mark 13:32, where Jesus speaks of the day and hour of His return: "But concerning that day or that hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father." This verse indicates that there was at least one aspect of knowledge that Jesus, in His earthly ministry, did not possess.
To reconcile these seemingly contradictory aspects, it is essential to understand the doctrine of the hypostatic union, which teaches that Jesus is fully God and fully man. The Council of Chalcedon in AD 451 affirmed that Jesus is one person with two distinct natures, divine and human, without confusion, change, division, or separation. This theological framework helps us navigate the complexities of Jesus' knowledge.
In His divine nature, Jesus possesses omniscience, as God is all-knowing. This is consistent with the attributes of God described throughout Scripture, such as in Psalm 147:5, which declares, "Great is our Lord, and abundant in power; his understanding is beyond measure." As the second person of the Trinity, Jesus shares in this divine attribute.
However, in His human nature, Jesus experienced the limitations inherent to humanity. Philippians 2:6-7 describes how Jesus, "though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men." This "emptying" (kenosis) is understood to mean that Jesus voluntarily refrained from using certain divine attributes independently of His Father while on earth.
The interplay between Jesus' divine and human natures can be further illuminated by considering the concept of communicatio idiomatum, or the communication of properties. This theological principle asserts that the attributes of both natures can be ascribed to the single person of Jesus Christ. Thus, while Jesus, as God, is omniscient, His human experience involved growth in wisdom and knowledge, as described in Luke 2:52: "And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man."
The early church fathers grappled with these issues as well. For instance, Athanasius, in his work "On the Incarnation," emphasized the unity of Christ's person and the distinction of His natures. He argued that Jesus' human experiences, including any limitations in knowledge, did not detract from His divinity but rather revealed the mystery of the incarnation.
Moreover, Thomas Aquinas, in his "Summa Theologica," addressed the knowledge of Christ by distinguishing three types of knowledge in Jesus: beatific, infused, and acquired. Beatific knowledge refers to the direct vision of God, which Jesus had from the moment of His conception. Infused knowledge was given to Him by God, allowing Him to know things beyond human capacity. Acquired knowledge was that which Jesus learned through human experience and observation. Aquinas posited that while Jesus had perfect beatific and infused knowledge, His acquired knowledge grew as He lived His human life.
The notion that Jesus did not know everything in His human experience does not imply a deficiency in His divinity. Instead, it highlights the profound mystery of the incarnation, where the infinite God took on finite human nature. This self-limitation was part of Jesus' mission to fully identify with humanity and to be the perfect mediator between God and man (1 Timothy 2:5).
Additionally, the purpose of Jesus' earthly ministry must be considered. Jesus came to reveal the Father (John 14:9), to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10), and to provide the ultimate sacrifice for sin (Hebrews 10:12). His knowledge was perfectly suited to accomplish these purposes. The moments where Jesus' knowledge appeared limited serve to underscore His genuine humanity and His reliance on the Father, modeling for us a life of faith and dependence on God.
In conclusion, the question of whether Jesus knew everything requires a nuanced understanding of His dual nature as both fully God and fully man. While Jesus, in His divine nature, possesses omniscience, His human experience involved voluntary limitations. This theological tension is a testament to the profound mystery of the incarnation, where Jesus fully embraced human limitations to accomplish the redemptive purposes of God. The biblical narrative and the reflections of church tradition both affirm that Jesus' knowledge, whether divine or human, was perfectly aligned with His mission to reveal God's love and to bring salvation to the world.
