Theologian Wayne Grudem defines omniscience this way: “the attribute of God whereby he fully knows himself and all things actual and possible in one simple and eternal act.” Knowing everything, then, is a clear attribute of God.
Mark 13:32 (ESV) “But concerning that day or that hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven nor the Son, but only the Father.”
From Mark 13:32, it appears Jesus didn’t know when He would return. Then He didn’t know everything. Jesus is God and omniscience is an attribute of God. Shouldn’t He be omniscient?
Some theologians think that in emptying Himself and becoming obedient to the Father, Jesus turned over control of His attributes to the Father. In this view, Jesus kept all His godly attributes but was not in full control of them, the Father was.
(Phil 2:7-9) but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
The fact Jesus said He could do nothing on His own, the Father worked through Him seems to support this view.
John 5:19 (ESV) So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise.”
Some theologians believe the answer to this is that Jesus had a sort of split omniscience, a moral and an amoral. He knew all things involving moral standards but not all things regarding other issues. I don’t see that indicated in Scripture nor do I agree with it.
I believe, in light of Phil. 2:7-8, Jesus emptied Himself of His glory in order to take on human form. I think we see this in Genesis. In chapters 18 and 19 we see three men who came to visit Abraham and Sarah to tell them they were to have a son. Remember Sarah laughed at the idea because she was beyond child bearing years? One of these men was identified as God Himself (Gen. 18:10).
My point here is that God had taken human form. Now look at what happens in the next chapter when this Person of the Godhead (I believe it was Jesus) destroys Sodom and Gomorrah:
Gen. 19:24 (ESV) Then the Lord rained on Sodom and Gomorrah sulfur and fire from the Lord out of heaven.
The Person identified as God standing on the earth calls down sulfur and fire from another Person identified as God of heaven. My opinion is in order take on human form, God needed to set aside His attributes – to empty Himself of His glory, so it was necessary to call on another Person of the Godhead to bring down punishment on the cities. Man cannot see God’s glory and live (Ex. 33:18-23). Perhaps humanity as we now know it and God’s glory cannot coexist.
In the same way, for God the Son to take on human form, He needed to empty Himself (Ex. 33:18-23).
My view, then, is that Jesus set aside His glory placing it in the hands of the father until He asked for it to be restored (John 17:5). Once Jesus’ body was glorified the use of His attributes returned to Him.
I’ve heard it described as similar to the human eye. When we close our eyes, the eye’s nature hasn’t changed, it has just been draped in flesh. It doesn’t really function as an eye, but the nature is still there. The Son draped in flesh still retained His godly nature but the use of that nature was withheld.
So, is Jesus omniscient now that He has His glory? Yes.
Rev. 19:12-13 (ESV) His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself. 13 He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God.
Why is this important?
1 Cor. 15:40 tells us of different bodies: There are heavenly bodies and earthly bodies, but the glory of the heavenly is of one kind, and the glory of the earthly is of another. We will be changed as Jesus was changed after His resurrection and ascension to the Father.
There were times when Jesus knew things beforehand: John 1:47-48, for instance, when Jesus knew who Nathanael was and where he had some from. I think this is answered by Jesus being full of the Holy Spirit (Luke 4:1) and a perfect man, the last Adam (1 Cor. 15:45). Being full of the Holy Spirit, Jesus had access to the gifts such as the gift of knowledge and prophecy.
Please understand this is my opinion on Christ’s omniscience while He walked the earth. I hold it because I believe it to be the best biblical answer to how Jesus could be God and Man and not know when he would return. Others hold their views just as strongly and for what they believe to be the same reasons. It is for you to decide through prayer and study.
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