If Jesus is God,

Why Did He Not Know When He Would Return?

The question of why Jesus, being fully God, did not know the exact time of His return is a profound theological issue that has puzzled many throughout Christian history. This question delves into the nature of Jesus as both fully divine and fully human, which is central to Christian doctrine. The answer involves an understanding of the mystery of the Incarnation, the relationship between the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit in the Trinity, and the purpose of Jesus’ earthly ministry.

1. The Doctrine of the Incarnation

To understand why Jesus did not know the time of His return, we must first explore the doctrine of the Incarnation. The Incarnation refers to the belief that Jesus Christ, the Second Person of the Trinity, took on human flesh and became fully human while remaining fully divine. This is captured in the famous passage from John 1:14: “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.”

Jesus, in His humanity, experienced the limitations of human existence, such as growth, learning, fatigue, and even ignorance. While He was fully God, He willingly chose to limit certain aspects of His divine knowledge to accomplish His mission on Earth. This is not to say that He ceased to be omniscient (all-knowing) but that in His human nature, He did not use the full extent of His divine knowledge for the purpose of His earthly ministry.

2. Jesus’ Self-Limitation: Kenosis

The theological concept of kenosis (from the Greek word kenóō, meaning “to empty”) explains how Jesus, in becoming human, voluntarily emptied Himself of certain divine privileges. Philippians 2:6-7 reflects this:

“Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.”

In His earthly life, Jesus chose to live in complete dependence on God the Father, not utilizing His divine attributes in a way that would undermine His human experience. This means that while Jesus was still divine and retained His essential nature as God, He voluntarily chose not to exercise some of His divine attributes, including omniscience, at times during His earthly ministry.

3. The Limitations of Jesus’ Human Nature

When Jesus was on Earth, He experienced the full range of human emotions and limitations. This includes hunger, tiredness, pain, and, as we see in the Gospels, a limited knowledge of the future in His human nature. In Mark 13:32, Jesus says:

“But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.”

This statement is crucial because it shows Jesus acknowledging that in His humanity, He did not know the precise time of His return, even though, as God, He would otherwise possess this knowledge. This limitation reflects Jesus’ genuine participation in the human condition. His knowledge, in His role as the Son, was voluntarily limited during His time on Earth.

It is important to note that while Jesus did not know the exact time of His return, He demonstrated perfect wisdom, teaching His followers about the Kingdom of God, God’s plan of salvation, and the end of the age. His ignorance of the exact timing does not undermine His divinity or His authority but shows that He embraced the limitations of humanity in fulfilling His redemptive mission.

4. The Relationship Between the Father and the Son

The relationship between the Father and the Son in the Trinity is integral to understanding why Jesus did not know the time of His return. In His earthly ministry, Jesus often spoke of His relationship with the Father, indicating that He came to do the will of the Father, not His own (John 5:19, John 6:38). This submission to the Father’s will is evident throughout the Gospels. Jesus’ obedience to the Father’s plan involved fulfilling His mission of redemption, which included His sacrificial death on the cross.

The Father and Son are distinct persons within the Trinity, each with unique roles. While they share the same essence (divinity), their roles are different. Jesus, as the Son, perfectly obeyed the Father and trusted His timing and purposes. Even though Jesus was fully God, He willingly subordinated Himself to the will of the Father, including the knowledge of when the end of time would come. The Father, in His divine prerogative, chose to retain this knowledge and revealed it only when the time was right.

This submission to the Father is a model for believers, showing that even Jesus, in His divine-human nature, lived in complete trust and dependence on God the Father. Jesus’ limited knowledge of His return highlights the profound mystery of His relationship with the Father and His obedience to the divine plan.

5. The Role of Jesus’ Human Experience in Redemption

Jesus’ full participation in the human experience, including His limitations, was essential for His role as the Savior. By taking on human flesh, He could identify with humanity’s weaknesses and temptations, and in doing so, He became the perfect High Priest (Hebrews 4:15).

The limitation of not knowing the timing of His return reflects Jesus’ complete identification with human frailty and dependence on God. This self-limitation does not diminish His divinity but rather underscores the depth of His humility. Jesus had to live as a real human being in all aspects except sin, and that included living with uncertainties and trusting in the Father’s plan. By doing so, He became the ultimate example of how humans are to live in submission to God’s will, regardless of their knowledge or understanding.

6. Why Does Jesus’ Ignorance Matter for Us?

Jesus’ lack of knowledge about the exact timing of His return offers several important lessons for believers today:

• Trust in God’s Timing: Just as Jesus relied on the Father’s timing for His return, we too are called to trust in God’s timing for our lives. Even when we do not know the future, we can trust that God has a plan and that He will bring His purposes to fruition at the right time.
• The Mystery of God’s Plan: Jesus’ ignorance of the time of His return emphasizes the mystery of God’s redemptive plan. There are aspects of God’s will and timing that are beyond human understanding, and we are called to live in faith, trusting that God’s plan is good, even if we don’t have all the details.
• The Humanity of Jesus: Jesus’ willingness to accept limitations in His humanity demonstrates His profound identification with us. He did not simply appear to be human but fully embraced the human condition. This makes Him the perfect mediator between God and humanity, able to empathize with our weaknesses.
• A Call to Live in Readiness: While Jesus did not know the exact time of His return, He repeatedly urged His followers to live in readiness and anticipation of His return (Matthew 24:42-44). His uncertainty about the timing should not lead to complacency but rather to a vigilant and faithful life as we await His return.

Conclusion

Jesus’ inability to know the exact time of His return, despite being fully God, can be understood within the context of the Incarnation and kenosis—His voluntary self-limitation in His human nature. This aspect of Jesus’ earthly life reveals the deep mystery of the divine and human natures being united in one person. While Jesus possessed the fullness of divinity, He willingly chose to limit certain aspects of His divine knowledge to fully experience human life and submit to the Father’s will.

This question does not diminish Jesus’ divinity; rather, it highlights the profound depths of His humility and obedience. Jesus, fully God and fully human, perfectly fulfilled His mission of salvation through His life, death, and resurrection, demonstrating that God’s plan is always at work, even when we do not fully understand it. His life and ministry continue to challenge and inspire us to trust in God’s perfect timing and to live in readiness for His return, whenever that may be.