The Omniscience of Christ

The only limitation which the Lord had during His earthly sojourn was that He wasn’t omnipresent. This was because He took on flesh for our sake. The scriptures attesting to this fact described Him as being made a little lower than the angels. Hebrews 2:9;

But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.

While this is true, the Holy Spirit which was given to the Son without measure is omnipresent and not limited to time and space. Nevertheless, the divine attribute of omniscience was displayed by Christ during his earthly ministry on several occasions. As a matter of fact His disciples firmly believed that He was omniscient while in the body of flesh. See John 16:30;

Now are we sure that thou knowest all things, and needest not that any man should ask thee: by this we believe that thou camest forth from God.

To know all things is to be omniscient and this is one of the major attributes of God. In the scripture above the disciples of Christ said he knew all things, thereby testifying to His omniscience. If the words of the disciples were not true, Christ would have rebuked them in all honesty. But He did not because what they said about Him was true. Hence it becomes a necessary requirement for every believer of Christ to affirm this truth. The Lord knows all things. For example He knew peoples thought (Mark 2:8);

And immediately when Jesus perceived in his spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, he said unto them, Why reason ye these things in your hearts?

The phrase “why reason ye these things in your hearts” is a striking proof of the omniscience of Christ. He knows our thought. Nothing can be hidden from Him. Amongst other scriptures an interesting scripture that presents Christ as been omniscient is John 2:24-25;

24 But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men,

25 And needed not that any should testify of man: for he knew what was in man.

He knew all men and knew that the spirit of man was in gross darkness and as such He needed no man to testify of man because He knew man’s state. He had a precisely accurate and detailed knowledge about the Samaritan woman from whose hands He requested for a drink from the well. See John 4:16-18;

16 Jesus saith unto her, Go, call thy husband, and come hither.

17 The woman answered and said, I have no husband. Jesus said unto her, Thou hast well said, I have no husband:

18 For thou hast had five husbands; and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband: in that saidst thou truly.

The Lord having never met this woman physically, knew everything about her spiritually. See the words of the woman as she testifies to the omniscience of the Lord of glory. John 4:28-29;

28 The woman then left her waterpot, and went her way into the city, and saith to the men,

29 Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?

Indeed, He is the Christ to the glory of the Father. Now that the Lord of glory has resurrected and is seated at the right of power, He is the Judge that searches the minds and hearts of everyone. Nothing can be hidden from Him. See Revelation 2:23;

… and all the churches will know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts; and I will give to each one of you according to your deeds.

In order to fully grasp with understanding, the omniscience of Christ, it becomes incumbent for us to understand His nature and modus operandi with His Father. While Christ was on earth, He referred to Himself both as the “son of man” and the “son of God”, thereby presenting us with a dual nature. As the son of man He was made of the seed of David according to the flesh, which explains why He was called the “son of man”. In other words according to the flesh, He was the son of a man called David. On the other hand Christ was called the “son of God” because He came forth from God and has the very kind of life which the Father has. The Lord said himself that (John 5:26);

For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself

Since the life of God cannot atrophy and die, in the same vein the life of Christ cannot also atrophy and die. As a proof, when He willingly laid down His life, He also brought it up again from the grave. Apostle Paul puts all these together in the following wise (Romans 1:3-4);

3 Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh;

4 And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead…

It is the life of God that is in the Son that made Him God. The point here is that the Son of God is God because just as the Father has life in Himself so has He given the Son to have the same. This life is the Holy Spirit. John the Baptist had such a clear understanding of this very fact. Consequently He said (John 3:34);

For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him.

The implication of this statement is that the Son of God has a direct flow of the Spirit of God which is the life of God without measure and as such He has a direct and not a prophetic knowledge of things.

The modus operandi of the Son with the Father is in the following wise: Christ can only say and do those things which the Spirit of the Father communicates to Him. John 8:28;

…I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things.

The communication of the Son with the Father is instantaneous by the Holy Spirit which is the life in the Son. Notice the words of Christ “I do nothing of myself”. In other words He receives instantaneously from the Father. See Revelation 1:1;

The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John…

Now that we have unequivocally established the omniscience of Christ. It is important to look at certain scriptures which seem to portray Christ as not being omniscient. In Matthew 24:36 and Mark 13:32 Jesus said himself that of the day and hour no man knows, not the angels which are in heaven and surprisingly He also said neither does He know the day. This then seems to contradict the fact that Christ is omniscience. Interestingly some critics and certain religious group have held on to these words spoken by the Lord to claim that He is not all knowing. If this is true, then Christ is not omniscient and cannot be God.

However there is something which these critical minds have failed to notice: while Christ had said He doesn’t know the day and hour, He was still able to project into the unknown and elucidate about what would transpire in those days. Consequently He said (Mark 13:23);

But take ye heed: behold, I have foretold you all things.

How can He foretold, if He had not known? The Lord went ahead to present them with a graphical illustration of what would happen to the cosmos and how He would come with His holy angels. (Matthew 13:24-25);

24 But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light,

25 And the stars of heaven shall fall, and the powers that are in heaven shall be shaken.

26 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.

27 And then shall he send his angels, and shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven.

How can the Lord present all these facts if He is not omniscient? Nevertheless as a response to the posit of the critics, it should be borne in heart that there are certain secrets which are meant for God only. Remember the words of Moses (Deuteronomy 29:29);

The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law.

These sorts of secrets are not to be revealed to man. They are exclusively meant for God only. On a certain occasion after Christ had resurrected from the dead, the disciples asked Him about when He would restore back the kingdom to Israel. The Lord’s response to them was (Acts 1:7);

…It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.

The response of Christ to His disciples was in accordance to what He had told them. Remember He had said to them that just like a thief in the night, He would come unannounced. However He advised us to watch. Matthew 24:24;

Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.

The day and hour for the coming of Christ is sealed and it is not meant for any man to know. Otherwise the Lord would have revealed it to His disciples. It is important to note that revealing the day and hour to the disciples would contradict His words because He had told them that they cannot know the time He would return.

More so is the fact that the coming of Christ is something which the Father has not decided on yet because of His longsuffering and mercy. So there is no way the Son could know what the Father has not decided on yet. The point here is that there are certain events which the Father would deliberately not make an instant decision on in order to give room for His longsuffering and mercy. A very good example is the return of Christ which would mark the end of this present age. If the statements from the foregoing are factual, then we should be able to present some biblical proofs for its validity. Let us begin with Isaiah 30:18-19;

18 And therefore will the LORD wait, that he may be gracious unto you, and therefore will he be exalted, that he may have mercy upon you: for the LORD is a God of judgment: blessed are all they that wait for him.

19 For the people shall dwell in Zion at Jerusalem: thou shalt weep no more: he will be very gracious unto thee at the voice of thy cry; when he shall hear it, he will answer thee.

We can see the loving kindness of God being portrayed in the scriptures above. He is the one waiting for us to come to Him, so that He may be gracious unto us and bestow His divine mercy upon us. There is a connection between the “waiting of God” and “His longsuffering”. The time frame for His waiting is none of our business. However at the right time according to the counsel of His wisdom, He would step in and decide.

God is the God of Judgment who has no pleasure in the death of the wicked. So He is waiting patiently, expecting the wicked to turn away from their wicked ways. See Ezekiel 18:23;

Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord GOD: and not that he should return from his ways, and live?

We can see the expectation of God in the scriptures above that the wicked should return from his ways, and live. God is not in haste about bringing this present age to an end because of His longsuffering. Nevertheless the day of the Lord Jesus Christ is ever sure. 2 Peter 3:9;

9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. 

In his letter to Timothy, Apostle Paul also wrote in agreement with the words of Peter that God’s heart desire is to have every one come to the knowledge of the truth (1 Timothy 2:4);

Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.

Apparently, the waiting and the longsuffering of God is something that was so clear to the Apostles so much more that Apostle Paul advised us not to despise it. (Romans 2:4);

Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?

Apostle Peter on the other hand agreed with Apostle Paul and concluded that the longsuffering of God leads to salvation. See 2Peter 3:15;

And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you

So we can see that the words of the Lord to His disciples are justified. Apparently it will be illogical to state a precise day and hour for His return. Consequently He said to them that (Mark 13:32);

But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.

No one else “but the Father” so that He can bestow His mercy and exercise His longsuffering.

If the patriarch Abraham could plead for the people of Sodom and Gomorrah, so that God will not destroy them and their city peradventure an acceptable number of righteous people were found there in, how much more the beloved of God in whom He is well pleased. Remember the thoughts of the Lord concerning Abraham (Genesis 18:17);

And the LORD said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do

Notice that in the scripture above, the Lord had made His decision and is set to carry out “His divine plan”. But Abraham was able to convince the Lord and make negotiations with Him. So if a man could with so much wisdom negotiate God’s divine plan how much more Christ. Now that Christ is seated at the right hand of God as our advocate and high Priest, He is constantly pleading for the cause of the righteous. Romans 8:33-34;

33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth.

34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.

So the day and hour is not fixed, not until the gospel of the kingdom has been preached all over and the elects of God have heeded to the herald of the gospel. Matthew 24:14;

And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.