15 – God Is Omniscient, Yet Christ Asked Questions: Divine Wisdom in Human Inquiry

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Divine Paradoxes: Resolving Seeming Contradictions in Christian Theology
Category 1: God’s Nature vs. Christ’s Earthly Life

1. Introduction

God is omniscient—He knows all things, past, present, and future (Psalm 147:5). Yet, during His earthly ministry, Jesus Christ frequently asked questions. From “Who do you say I am?” (Mark 8:29) to “Why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46), His words reveal a tension between His divine all-knowing nature and the genuine inquisitiveness of His human experience. This paradox compels theological reflection on the interplay between divine omniscience and incarnate limitation.

2. God Is Omniscient

2.1 Scriptural Affirmation

  • “Great is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is infinite.” – Psalm 147:5
  • “Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world.” – Acts 15:18
  • “The eyes of the LORD are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.” – Proverbs 15:3

2.2 Theological Implications

  • God knows everything simultaneously and exhaustively.
  • His omniscience is part of His eternal and unchanging nature.
  • Divine knowledge is not gained or acquired; it is intrinsic and perfect.

3. Christ Asked Questions

3.1 Scriptural Examples

  • “Who touched me?” – Luke 8:45
  • “How many loaves do you have?” – Mark 6:38
  • “Why do you call me good?” – Mark 10:18
  • “Who do you say I am?” – Mark 8:29
  • “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” – Matthew 27:46

3.2 Purpose of the Questions

  • Many questions were rhetorical, designed to provoke thought, teach truth, or expose hearts (cf. John 6:67).
  • Others reflected His true participation in human limitations through the Incarnation (Luke 2:52).

4. Theological Resolution: Omniscient God in a Questioning Man

Divine AttributeEarthly Paradox
God knows all thingsYet Christ asked questions
God teaches perfectlyYet Christ used dialogue to reveal
  • Christ’s questions demonstrate pedagogical mastery rather than ignorance.
  • As man, He entered into real human learning and experience (Hebrews 5:8).

5. Historical Theological Perspectives

5.1 Early Church

  • Gregory Nazianzen: What He did not assume, He could not redeem—thus He assumed a human mind with its growth and inquiry.
  • Athanasius: Christ’s knowledge was complete in divinity, but functioned progressively in humanity.

5.2 Medieval and Reformation Views

  • Aquinas: Christ had threefold knowledge—beatific (divine), infused (prophetic), and experiential (human). His questions arose from the latter.
  • Calvin: Christ’s questions do not suggest ignorance, but were strategically asked to instruct and reveal.

5.3 Modern Theology

  • Karl Rahner: Jesus lived in obedient trust, even while not accessing the fullness of His divine omniscience in every moment.
  • T.F. Torrance: The questioning of Christ is part of His vicarious humanity, taking our place even in seeking.

6. Doctrinal and Devotional Implications

6.1 The Mystery of the Incarnation

  • Christ is fully God and fully man—His divine nature never ceased being omniscient, yet His human nature operated within genuine limits (Philippians 2:6–7).

6.2 Christ as the Master Teacher

  • His questions were tools of divine instruction, helping listeners face truth and personal responsibility.

6.3 A God Who Understands

  • Christ entered human experience so deeply that He walked through uncertainty, asked questions, and experienced human emotion—yet remained without sin.

7. Conclusion

The paradox of an omniscient God who asked questions is not a contradiction, but a profound expression of divine condescension. In Christ, the eternal Logos speaks as a man—not from ignorance, but from wisdom wrapped in humility. His questions awaken the heart, expose the soul, and invite us into deeper truth. He is the all-knowing Teacher who stooped to ask, so that we might truly see.

References

  • The Holy Bible, King James Version (KJV)
  • Gregory Nazianzen. Theological Orations
  • Athanasius. On the Incarnation
  • Thomas Aquinas. Summa Theologiae, III, q.9–12
  • Calvin, J. Institutes of the Christian Religion
  • Rahner, K. Foundations of Christian Faith
  • Torrance, T.F. Incarnation: The Person and Life of Christ
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