If Jesus is God in flesh, then shouldn’t He know what the day and hour of his return would be?  After all, God knows all things (1 John 3:20).  Therefore, if Jesus doesn’t know all things, then how can He be God?

“Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words shall not pass away. 36 But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone. 37 For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah,” (Matt. 24:35-37).

Wedding Ceremony

One of the little-known aspects of Jewish culture was the wedding ceremony. When a bride and groom were to be married, a celebration would ensue. It took time to prepare the meals, the water, the wine, as well as for people to make travel plans to attend the wedding.  Of course, in order to prepare for such a celebration, people had to know what day the wedding would occur. The custom of the groom was to prepare a room-addition to the father’s house. This is where the new bride and groom would reside after the wedding. it was the custom that the father would then “officially” declares the room addition ready and give the son permission to go get his bride. Of course, the trumpeters were waiting for the official command by the father of the household for the son to go get the bride. It was customary to say that no one knew the day nor the hour when the father would send the son to get the bride. It was a  sign of respect for the father. It was a cultural thing. So, when Jesus said that no one knows the day nor the hour, he was reflecting the cultural norm. It did not mean he did not actually know the day nor the hour.

Not even the angles know the day and hour

The phrase “not even the angels” adds a level of difficulty to the text. Jesus stated that the angels of heaven ‘also’ did not know. So, we must consider this as a possibility that Jesus did not know. But, this has problems.

First of all, Jesus has two distinct natures (hypostatic union). The attributes of both the human and divine nature are ascribed to the single person (communicatio idiomatum). This implies that He would know all things which is said of Him before His crucifixion and resurrection in John 16:30, and afterward in John 21:17. So, we have a bit of a paradox.

Second, is it possible that Jesus cooperated with the limitations of being a man and though He had access to all knowledge, did not choose to know it? I don’t consider that a viable option, but it is a logical ‘possibility.’

Third, it could be that while Jesus is in the world, made lower than the angels (Hebrews 2:9) and made under the law (Galatians 4:4) that the knowledge of His return belongs to the Father alone. But, this too seems problematic when we look at the Holy Spirit.

Fourth, since the Holy Spirit is also God but not incarnate, then He would not be under the law (Gal. 4:4) nor lower than the angels (Heb. 2:9) as was Christ. Does this mean that the Holy Spirit does not know the day or the hour of the return of Christ? I cannot see this as being a possibility. So, we have to ask if Jesus’ statement is idiomatic or literal. I lean towards the case that the phrase is idiomatic of the wedding feast, mentioned above.

Rev. 19:12

“His eyes are a flame of fire, and on His head are many diadems; and He has a name written on Him which no one knows except Himself,” (Revelation 19:12).

If Jesus isn’t God because He didn’t know the hour of His return, then God the Father isn’t God because He doesn’t know the name written on Jesus. But that doesn’t make sense. So, the idea of “not knowing” is not proof that Jesus is not God in flesh.

Made lower than the angels

This objection is most often raised by the Jehovah’s Witnesses but is also echoed by the Christadelphians.  It is a good question. The answer is simple. Jesus was both God and man.  He had two natures.  He was divine and human at the same time.  This teaching is known as the hypostatic union, that is, the coming-together of two natures in one person.  In Heb. 2:9 it says Jesus was “…made for a little while lower than the angels…”  Also, in Phil. 2:5-8, it says that Jesus “emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men…”  Col. 2:9 says, “For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form.”  Jesus was both God and man at the same time.

As a man, Jesus cooperated with the limitations of being a man.  That is why we have verses like Luke 2:52 that says “Jesus kept increasing in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.”  Therefore, at this point in His ministry, He could say He did not know the day nor hour of His return.  It is not a denial of His being God but a confirmation of His being man.

Also, the logic that Jesus could not be God because He did not know all things works both ways.  If we could find scripture where Jesus does know all things, then that would prove He was God, wouldn’t it?

He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?” And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.” Jesus said to him, “Tend My sheep,” (John 21:17).

Jesus did not correct Peter and say, “Hold on Peter, I do not know all things.”  He let Peter continue on with his statement that Jesus knew all things. Therefore, it must be true.

What if we have a verse that says Jesus did not know all things and another that says he did know all things, then isn’t that a contradiction?  No, it is not.

Before Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection, He said the Father alone knew the day and hour of His return.  It wasn’t until after Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection that omniscience was attributed to Jesus.  As I said before, Jesus was cooperating with the limitations of being a man and completed His ministry on this earth.  He was then glorified in His resurrection.  Yet, He was still a man (cf. Col. 2:9; 1 Tim. 2:5).  After Jesus’ resurrection, He was able to appear and disappear at will.  This is not the normal ability of a man; it is, apparently, the normal ability of a resurrected and glorified man.  Jesus was different after the resurrection.  There had been a change.  He was still a man, and He knew all things.

Also, if Jesus is not God because, as the critics say he did not know something, then that poses a problem for God.  Check out this verse.

“His eyes are a flame of fire, and on His head are many diadems; and He has a name written on Him which no one knows except Himself. 13 He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God,” (Revelation 19:12–13).

So, if Jesus is the only one who knows his name – which means God the Father doesn’t – then God the Father, can’t be God.  Obviously, the logic of the critics isn’t any good.