What Jesus Knew

Believe it or not there is a baptist doctrine for this... It is called Kenosis. (phil 2:7). Christ literally emptied himself of his full Godhood to dwell with sinful man.

Imagine, Jesus was fully God but here on earth he had to depend on humanity (ie Mary, his mother during his infancy and early childhood) to give him security and substance. It is hard to imagine that he had to rely on humanity to change his diaper, or even imagine him in diapers BUT Jesus went through ALL aspects of humanity and without sin!

I believe that he knew who he was even as a child though, he did run off at the age of twelve to the temple and astounded even the greatest theological minds of his day with his teachings. He even said that he must be about his father's business.

At his baptism I believe that he received more of his "knowledge" back, as this was the start of his fulfillment of his ministry.

Of course after that I believe that he had his omniscience but still held back a little in an act of humility. (he knew all about peter and about nathaniel under the tree).

 

Is there a scriptural basis for your belief here? I think I know what it is, but I'd be interested to know why you believe in this way.

 

well of course I take this from John 1 where it mentions the Spirit of God coming down upon him like a dove scripturally.

It is also in this chapter that he begins to take disciples. He does not take disciples, perform miracles or preach the gospel until after baptism.

A similar event is described in Exodus 29 where Aaron and his family must be consecrated with washing and anointing of oil before they enter into the preisthood. I believe that Jesus was baptized in order to fulfill his washing and anointing (oil is symbolic of the Spirit) to consecrate himself. I also believe that in that anointing he received his knowledge and "powers" back to preach the gospel, something that was not needed before his ordained time. God gives you what you need when you need it!

I know that no one can truly know what was or is in the mind of Christ this is just my speculation.

 

Going back and re-reading my own post I guess I need to clarify something I said about what I believe since I used a poor choice of words. When I said I believe that Christ emptied himself of his goohood I do not mean he got rid of it because that denies the hypostatic union... I meant to say something more along the lines that he "veiled" his godhood electing to live as a human while amoung us. That he restricted using his divine nature, but I do believe it was there all along

 

The original question -

What do people here think about this? Did Jesus completely set aside omniscience, partly set it aside, not set it aside?
I believe he did set aside His omniscience. He was a man as we are and had to learn. With a mind untouched by sin He didn't forget as we do. I believe he "learned" the scriptures by studying them. I believe His mind was like ours when He was born and "assimilated" knowledge through the senses. He was our example to ever be in contact with the father.
LT

 

Was Jesus always aware that He was God? Good question. I don't know. If God wanted us to know, then He would have revealed it.

The revelation made at Jesus' baptism was probably for others, not for Jesus sake. When tempted by Satan after His baptism, it is clear that Jesus knew that He was God.

How did Jesus resist temepation? May I suggest an illustration I have used for many years.
1. When I am tempted, I have to choose between by peashooter or turn in faith to God to give me strength to resist.
2. When Jesus was tempted, He could have chosen to use His own deity, but instead chose to turn to His Father to give him strength to resist.

Thus He was "in all points tempted as we are tempted in all points"; but he was not tempted in the same manner as we are tempted. Actually, Jesus was tempted in a greater way than we are tempted because we only have the peashooter.