Knowledge of Christ
Encyclopedia
The knowledge of Christ refers to one of two possible, and at times related, topics in Christology
: one addresses how Christians
come to know Christ, the other focuses on the knowledge of Christ
about the world. Discussions regarding the knowledge of Christ have had a central place in Christology for centuries. In the 20th century, the interplay between the two concepts was epitomized in the title of a book by Hans Urs von Balthasar
: "Does Jesus Know Us? Do We Know Him?"
Christian teachings on what it means to "know Christ" effectively gave rise to the field of Christology
, beginning with Apostle Paul's discussion in Philippians 2:5-6 about the relationship between Christ and God.
Different Christian traditions have recommended varying paths for gaining a better knowledge of Christ. While some traditions focus on sharing in Christ's sufferings, others emphasize the importance of scripture; while others suggest that the reading of scripture should be accompanied by specific spiritual exercises and contemplations
.
Approaches to discussing "Christ's knowledge" generally have used two separate methodologies: one which relies solely on the analysis of the New Testament
text itself, the other based on theological reasoning to infer further principles beyond the text. These two approaches, as well as the methods of interpreting specific Gospel passages have given rise to differences among Christians on this topic.
has been the subject of much Christological research. Ralph P. Martin argues that Philippians 2 may be considered the beginning of the field of Christology
, specifically referring to the rich analysis that Apostle Paul began in Philippians 2:5-6 regarding the relationship between Christ and God. Veronica Koperski views Philippians 3 as the beginning of the analysis of how Christians know Christ.
Paul's statement in Philippians 3:10-12 is preceded by his assertion in Philippians 3:8-9 regarding the supreme value of the knowledge of Christ above all else. In Philippians 3:10 Paul uses the Greek verb gignoskein (γιγνώσκω) which implies "personal knowledge", rather than an intellectual understanding. It is not Paul's aim to "know about Christ" but to know Christ.
In 325 the Nicene Creed
mentioned the Holy Spirit
, but it was only in 381 in the Council of Constantinople
that it was formally affirmed that Christians gain the knowledge of Christ through the Holy Spirit who enlightens them to Christ.
Saint Augustine discussed Philippians 3:10-12's reference to the knowledge of Christ in his Sermon 169. Augustine viewed the power of resurrection not simply as that of rising from the dead, but the twofold power Christ exercises over Christians: first in terms of their future resurrection, secondly in terms of their redemption. Many other Christian thinkers from Ambrosiaster
to John Chrysostom
followed that trend and equated the knowledge of Christ with faithful Christian living.
Thomas Aquinas
often referred to the eagerness of Jesus to teach, but he emphasized that unlike the words of other teachers, the words of Jesus could not be understood simply by hearing or reading them, but required their being heard through the Holy Spirit
. Aquinas wrote that the root and fountain of our knowledge of God is Christ, the Word of God, and that all knowledge of God flows towards the faithful from the fountain that is Christ. Aquinas saw two groups of people who prohibited themselves from knowing Christ. The first group are those whose sensuality limits them to the earthly world of senses and not open to spiritual growth. The second group are those who are morally corrupt.
The Protestant Reformation
placed more emphasis on knowing Christ through scripture than by sharing his sufferings or through Holy Communion. The concept of grace was at the center of Martin Luther
's theology, and he believed that the saving work of Christ was delivered through the Gospel, viewing the works and words of Christ as the path to knowing him. Luther's great collaborator, Philipp Melanchthon
was critical of the approach of Thomas Aquinas
and scholastic Christology. His salvation oriented approach resonated with Luther's focus on justification and resulted in his coining the statement: "To know Christ means to know his benefits and not to reflect on his natures and modes of incarnation". Melanchthon deleted this statement from later editions of Loci Communes
, but it has been associated with his views, and those of the followers of Luther.
John Calvin
viewed the understanding of Christ's mission as an essential element of knowing him: knowing Christ involves an understanding of why he was sent. In Calvin's view humans are not capable of understanding God in his own right, and can only begin to know God through Christ. In Institutes of the Christian Religion
(II.xv) Calvin was critical of those who know Christ "in name only", e.g. those who simply teach that Christ is the Redeemer without understanding or teaching how he redeems. For Calvin knowing Christ involves knowing his power and dignity in terms of the threefold office
: as priest, prophet and king.
For Luther's contemporary, Ignatius of Loyola
, the ability to know Christ could be improved through specific forms of meditative exercises. Loyola's Spiritual Exercises
require about 30 days of Christian meditation
, contemplation and mental imagery, with the goal of knowing Christ more intimately and loving him more ardently. The exercises continue to be used by Jesuits to date.
By around the 14th century in the Byzantine Empire
, the tradition of hesychasm
was developed, (most probably by St. Gregory of Sinai
) and was supported by Saint Gregory Palamas
. This style of mystical prayer and contemplation continues to be used in the Eastern Orthodox tradition as a spiritual practice that facilitates the knowing of Christ.
In the Catholic tradition, saints beside Ignatius of Loyola have suggested prayer and contemplation on scripture as a path to knowing Christ better. In The Way of Perfection, St. Theresa of Avila taught her nuns how to try to get to know Christ by using mental prayer
. While the Catholic Church supports Christian meditation
as beneficial in knowing Christ, in the letter Aspects of Christian meditation
it specifically warned against using non-Christian (e.g. modified Buddhist) styles of meditations as an attempt to know Christ.
, it was common in the Jewish tradition to assume that prophets in general had special illuminations, which later came to be called "infused knowledge" in Christian theology. An example reference is made in where the Pharisee expected a prophet to know about the woman who touched him.
Three specific levels of knowledge are often discussed in Christology as beatific, infused and acquired knowledge. Those (such as Thomas Aquinas
) who adhere to the principle of the Perfection of Christ
reason that he must have had beatific knowledge of all things from The Word from the very beginning due to his perfection. However, the views of Aquinas are not generally accepted by all Christians.
Specific Gospel passages such as and point to Jesus being a revealer of new knowledge, based on his special relationship with God the Father
: "no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son". Moreover, these two passages can be read to imply an equality in the relationship between the Son and the Father.
However, the question of whether Christ had complete knowledge on earth prior to his Ascension has been subject to debate. In the analysis of the Gospels, one point of contention has been the two parallel verses in the Gospels of Matthew and Mark which refer to knowing the "day and the hour". While states: "But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father," in most manuscripts does not include the words "neither the Son".
In various Christian traditions, different solutions to this issue have been proposed, throughout the centuries. Cyril of Alexandria
argued that it was "without doubt" that Christ did know the hour, but was emphasizing this from a passing human perspective. Other solutions along that line of reasoning have suggested that Christ had no "communicable knowledge" in a form that could be understood by the Apostles. Further approaches suggest a multi-level knowledge structure for Christ in terms of what can be revealed to humans, etc.
Historically, in orthodox Christianity the issue of the Hypostatic union
posed the question of whether the knowledge found in the Divine component was identical with God's knowledge.
Writers on church history from as early as Louis Ellies du Pin
in L'histoire de l'Eglise (1712) have also noted the role of Mark 13:32 in the controversies surrounding Arianism
.
, having participated in the knowledge of The Word. Augustine's view of the statement in the Gospel of Luke that the young Jesus grew in knowledge and grace was that Jesus simply manifested his knowledge in a gradual manner.
In the 13th century, in Summa Theologiæ, Saint Thomas Aquinas
undertook a systematic analysis of the knowledge of Christ. He posed wide ranging questions, analyzed them and provided answers. For instance, on the issue of the "experimental knowledge of Christ" and "beatific knowledge of Christ's soul" he posed and answered different sets of questions:
Following a lengthy analysis, Aquinas concluded that Christ had perfect knowledge from the very beginning.
In 1918, the Holy Office issued the decree Circa quasdam propositiones de scientia animae Christi which rejected the interpretation of Mark 13:32 that Christ did not know the hour and supported the belief that Christ had complete knowledge at all time, in view of the Hypostatic union
. The Catechism of the Catholic Church
(item 472) states that because Christ was endowed with true human knowledge, this could "increase in wisdom and in stature" because it was exercised in the historical conditions of his existence in space and time. However, item 474 states that Christ also shared the entire divine knowledge, namely:
In the 20th century, Hans Urs von Balthasar
, relying on the concept of the "coincidence of the Person and mission of Christ", wrote that the Son of God could not have been sent on his mission without knowledge of what to do - only to be told later. In his view "he who is sent", being part of the Trinity
, would have been consulted before setting on his mission. Balthasar hence reasoned that through the Logos Christ possessed all knowledge from the very beginning.
's views on the knowledge of Christ differ from those of, for example, Athanasius. Calvin takes Luke's statement that the infant Jesus "grew in wisdom" to show that the pre-existent God the Son was "willing ... for a time, to be deprived of understanding," This view is followed by many Evangelical Protestants today. Other writers such as Bowman (2007) and Cullmann (1980) speak of a paradox between God's omniscience
and limitations of that omniscience in Christ. The role of the Holy Spirit
in gaining knowledge of Christ continues to be a key part of Protestant teachings on the knowledge of Christ.
summarized the Orthodox position by stating that the passage does not preclude the possibility of Christ knowing the hour, but he may know it in a form that can not be communicated to the Apostles as humans, because human consciousness is not capable of understanding that class of event.
Christology
Christology is the field of study within Christian theology which is primarily concerned with the nature and person of Jesus Christ as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament. Primary considerations include the relationship of Jesus' nature and person with the nature...
: one addresses how Christians
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
come to know Christ, the other focuses on the knowledge of Christ
Christ
Christ is the English term for the Greek meaning "the anointed one". It is a translation of the Hebrew , usually transliterated into English as Messiah or Mashiach...
about the world. Discussions regarding the knowledge of Christ have had a central place in Christology for centuries. In the 20th century, the interplay between the two concepts was epitomized in the title of a book by Hans Urs von Balthasar
Hans Urs von Balthasar
Hans Urs von Balthasar was a Swiss theologian and priest who was nominated to be a cardinal of the Catholic Church...
: "Does Jesus Know Us? Do We Know Him?"
Christian teachings on what it means to "know Christ" effectively gave rise to the field of Christology
Christology
Christology is the field of study within Christian theology which is primarily concerned with the nature and person of Jesus Christ as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament. Primary considerations include the relationship of Jesus' nature and person with the nature...
, beginning with Apostle Paul's discussion in Philippians 2:5-6 about the relationship between Christ and God.
Different Christian traditions have recommended varying paths for gaining a better knowledge of Christ. While some traditions focus on sharing in Christ's sufferings, others emphasize the importance of scripture; while others suggest that the reading of scripture should be accompanied by specific spiritual exercises and contemplations
Christian contemplation
In Christian mysticism, contemplative prayer or contemplation, for which the Greek term theoria is also used, is a form of prayer distinct from vocal prayer and from meditation in the strict sense .-Christian meditation and...
.
Approaches to discussing "Christ's knowledge" generally have used two separate methodologies: one which relies solely on the analysis of the New Testament
New Testament
The New Testament is the second major division of the Christian biblical canon, the first such division being the much longer Old Testament....
text itself, the other based on theological reasoning to infer further principles beyond the text. These two approaches, as well as the methods of interpreting specific Gospel passages have given rise to differences among Christians on this topic.
Knowing Christ
The Epistle to the PhilippiansEpistle to the Philippians
The Epistle of Paul to the Philippians, usually referred to simply as Philippians, is the eleventh book in the New Testament. Biblical scholars agree that it was written by St. Paul to the church of Philippi, an early center of Christianity in Greece around 62 A.D. Other scholars argue for an...
has been the subject of much Christological research. Ralph P. Martin argues that Philippians 2 may be considered the beginning of the field of Christology
Christology
Christology is the field of study within Christian theology which is primarily concerned with the nature and person of Jesus Christ as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament. Primary considerations include the relationship of Jesus' nature and person with the nature...
, specifically referring to the rich analysis that Apostle Paul began in Philippians 2:5-6 regarding the relationship between Christ and God. Veronica Koperski views Philippians 3 as the beginning of the analysis of how Christians know Christ.
Paul's statement in Philippians 3:10-12 is preceded by his assertion in Philippians 3:8-9 regarding the supreme value of the knowledge of Christ above all else. In Philippians 3:10 Paul uses the Greek verb gignoskein (γιγνώσκω) which implies "personal knowledge", rather than an intellectual understanding. It is not Paul's aim to "know about Christ" but to know Christ.
In 325 the Nicene Creed
Nicene Creed
The Nicene Creed is the creed or profession of faith that is most widely used in Christian liturgy. It is called Nicene because, in its original form, it was adopted in the city of Nicaea by the first ecumenical council, which met there in the year 325.The Nicene Creed has been normative to the...
mentioned the Holy Spirit
Holy Spirit (Christianity)
For the majority of Christians, the Holy Spirit is the third person of the Holy Trinity—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and is Almighty God...
, but it was only in 381 in the Council of Constantinople
First Council of Constantinople
The First Council of Constantinople is recognized as the Second Ecumenical Council by the Assyrian Church of the East, the Oriental Orthodox, the Eastern Orthodox, the Roman Catholics, the Old Catholics, and a number of other Western Christian groups. It was the first Ecumenical Council held in...
that it was formally affirmed that Christians gain the knowledge of Christ through the Holy Spirit who enlightens them to Christ.
Saint Augustine discussed Philippians 3:10-12's reference to the knowledge of Christ in his Sermon 169. Augustine viewed the power of resurrection not simply as that of rising from the dead, but the twofold power Christ exercises over Christians: first in terms of their future resurrection, secondly in terms of their redemption. Many other Christian thinkers from Ambrosiaster
Ambrosiaster
Ambrosiaster is the name given to the writer of a commentary on St Paul's epistles, "brief in words but weighty in matter," and valuable for the criticism of the Latin text of the New Testament...
to John Chrysostom
John Chrysostom
John Chrysostom , Archbishop of Constantinople, was an important Early Church Father. He is known for his eloquence in preaching and public speaking, his denunciation of abuse of authority by both ecclesiastical and political leaders, the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom, and his ascetic...
followed that trend and equated the knowledge of Christ with faithful Christian living.
Thomas Aquinas
Thomas Aquinas
Thomas Aquinas, O.P. , also Thomas of Aquin or Aquino, was an Italian Dominican priest of the Catholic Church, and an immensely influential philosopher and theologian in the tradition of scholasticism, known as Doctor Angelicus, Doctor Communis, or Doctor Universalis...
often referred to the eagerness of Jesus to teach, but he emphasized that unlike the words of other teachers, the words of Jesus could not be understood simply by hearing or reading them, but required their being heard through the Holy Spirit
Holy Spirit
Holy Spirit is a term introduced in English translations of the Hebrew Bible, but understood differently in the main Abrahamic religions.While the general concept of a "Spirit" that permeates the cosmos has been used in various religions Holy Spirit is a term introduced in English translations of...
. Aquinas wrote that the root and fountain of our knowledge of God is Christ, the Word of God, and that all knowledge of God flows towards the faithful from the fountain that is Christ. Aquinas saw two groups of people who prohibited themselves from knowing Christ. The first group are those whose sensuality limits them to the earthly world of senses and not open to spiritual growth. The second group are those who are morally corrupt.
The Protestant Reformation
Protestant Reformation
The Protestant Reformation was a 16th-century split within Western Christianity initiated by Martin Luther, John Calvin and other early Protestants. The efforts of the self-described "reformers", who objected to the doctrines, rituals and ecclesiastical structure of the Roman Catholic Church, led...
placed more emphasis on knowing Christ through scripture than by sharing his sufferings or through Holy Communion. The concept of grace was at the center of Martin Luther
Martin Luther
Martin Luther was a German priest, professor of theology and iconic figure of the Protestant Reformation. He strongly disputed the claim that freedom from God's punishment for sin could be purchased with money. He confronted indulgence salesman Johann Tetzel with his Ninety-Five Theses in 1517...
's theology, and he believed that the saving work of Christ was delivered through the Gospel, viewing the works and words of Christ as the path to knowing him. Luther's great collaborator, Philipp Melanchthon
Philipp Melanchthon
Philipp Melanchthon , born Philipp Schwartzerdt, was a German reformer, collaborator with Martin Luther, the first systematic theologian of the Protestant Reformation, intellectual leader of the Lutheran Reformation, and an influential designer of educational systems...
was critical of the approach of Thomas Aquinas
Thomas Aquinas
Thomas Aquinas, O.P. , also Thomas of Aquin or Aquino, was an Italian Dominican priest of the Catholic Church, and an immensely influential philosopher and theologian in the tradition of scholasticism, known as Doctor Angelicus, Doctor Communis, or Doctor Universalis...
and scholastic Christology. His salvation oriented approach resonated with Luther's focus on justification and resulted in his coining the statement: "To know Christ means to know his benefits and not to reflect on his natures and modes of incarnation". Melanchthon deleted this statement from later editions of Loci Communes
Loci Communes
Loci Communes or Loci communes rerum theologicarum seu hypotyposes theologicae was a work by the Lutheran theologian Philipp Melancthon published in 1521...
, but it has been associated with his views, and those of the followers of Luther.
John Calvin
John Calvin
John Calvin was an influential French theologian and pastor during the Protestant Reformation. He was a principal figure in the development of the system of Christian theology later called Calvinism. Originally trained as a humanist lawyer, he broke from the Roman Catholic Church around 1530...
viewed the understanding of Christ's mission as an essential element of knowing him: knowing Christ involves an understanding of why he was sent. In Calvin's view humans are not capable of understanding God in his own right, and can only begin to know God through Christ. In Institutes of the Christian Religion
Institutes of the Christian Religion
The Institutes of the Christian Religion is John Calvin's seminal work on Protestant systematic theology...
(II.xv) Calvin was critical of those who know Christ "in name only", e.g. those who simply teach that Christ is the Redeemer without understanding or teaching how he redeems. For Calvin knowing Christ involves knowing his power and dignity in terms of the threefold office
Threefold office
The threefold office of Jesus Christ is a Christian doctrine based upon the teachings of the Old Testament. It was described by Eusebius and more fully developed by John Calvin...
: as priest, prophet and king.
For Luther's contemporary, Ignatius of Loyola
Ignatius of Loyola
Ignatius of Loyola was a Spanish knight from a Basque noble family, hermit, priest since 1537, and theologian, who founded the Society of Jesus and was its first Superior General. Ignatius emerged as a religious leader during the Counter-Reformation...
, the ability to know Christ could be improved through specific forms of meditative exercises. Loyola's Spiritual Exercises
Spiritual Exercises of Ignatius of Loyola
The Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola, are a set of Christian meditations, prayers and mental exercises, divided into four thematic 'weeks' of variable length, designed to be carried out over a period of 28 to 30 days...
require about 30 days of Christian meditation
Christian meditation
Christian meditation is a form of prayer in which a structured attempt is made to get in touch with and deliberately reflect upon the revelations of God. The word meditation comes from the Latin word meditārī, which has a range of meanings including to reflect on, to study and to practice...
, contemplation and mental imagery, with the goal of knowing Christ more intimately and loving him more ardently. The exercises continue to be used by Jesuits to date.
By around the 14th century in the Byzantine Empire
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire during the periods of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centred on the capital of Constantinople. Known simply as the Roman Empire or Romania to its inhabitants and neighbours, the Empire was the direct continuation of the Ancient Roman State...
, the tradition of hesychasm
Hesychasm
Hesychasm is an eremitic tradition of prayer in the Eastern Orthodox Church, and some of the Eastern Catholic Churches, such as the Byzantine Rite, practised by the Hesychast Hesychasm is an eremitic tradition of prayer in the Eastern Orthodox Church, and some of the Eastern Catholic Churches,...
was developed, (most probably by St. Gregory of Sinai
Gregory of Sinai
Saint Gregory of Sinai was instrumental in the emergence of "technical" Hesychasm on Athos in the early 14th century....
) and was supported by Saint Gregory Palamas
Gregory Palamas
Gregory Palamas was a monk of Mount Athos in Greece and later the Archbishop of Thessaloniki known as a preeminent theologian of Hesychasm. The teachings embodied in his writings defending Hesychasm against the attack of Barlaam are sometimes referred to as Palamism, his followers as Palamites...
. This style of mystical prayer and contemplation continues to be used in the Eastern Orthodox tradition as a spiritual practice that facilitates the knowing of Christ.
In the Catholic tradition, saints beside Ignatius of Loyola have suggested prayer and contemplation on scripture as a path to knowing Christ better. In The Way of Perfection, St. Theresa of Avila taught her nuns how to try to get to know Christ by using mental prayer
Mental prayer
Mental prayer is a form of prayer recommended in the Catholic Church whereby one loves God through dialogue, meditating on God's words, and contemplation of his face. It is a time of silence focused on God...
. While the Catholic Church supports Christian meditation
Christian meditation
Christian meditation is a form of prayer in which a structured attempt is made to get in touch with and deliberately reflect upon the revelations of God. The word meditation comes from the Latin word meditārī, which has a range of meanings including to reflect on, to study and to practice...
as beneficial in knowing Christ, in the letter Aspects of Christian meditation
Aspects of Christian meditation
Aspects of Christian meditation was the topic of an October 15, 1989 document of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. The document is titled "Letter to the Bishops of the Catholic Church on some aspects of Christian meditation" and is formally known by its incipit Orationis formas.The...
it specifically warned against using non-Christian (e.g. modified Buddhist) styles of meditations as an attempt to know Christ.
Christ's knowledge
During the Apostolic AgeApostolic Age
The Apostolic Age of the history of Christianity is traditionally the period of the Twelve Apostles, dating from the Crucifixion of Jesus and the Great Commission in Jerusalem until the death of John the Apostle in Anatolia...
, it was common in the Jewish tradition to assume that prophets in general had special illuminations, which later came to be called "infused knowledge" in Christian theology. An example reference is made in where the Pharisee expected a prophet to know about the woman who touched him.
Three specific levels of knowledge are often discussed in Christology as beatific, infused and acquired knowledge. Those (such as Thomas Aquinas
Thomas Aquinas
Thomas Aquinas, O.P. , also Thomas of Aquin or Aquino, was an Italian Dominican priest of the Catholic Church, and an immensely influential philosopher and theologian in the tradition of scholasticism, known as Doctor Angelicus, Doctor Communis, or Doctor Universalis...
) who adhere to the principle of the Perfection of Christ
Perfection of Christ
The perfection of Christ is a principle in Christology which asserts that Christ's human attributes exemplified perfection in every possible sense....
reason that he must have had beatific knowledge of all things from The Word from the very beginning due to his perfection. However, the views of Aquinas are not generally accepted by all Christians.
Specific Gospel passages such as and point to Jesus being a revealer of new knowledge, based on his special relationship with God the Father
God the Father
God the Father is a gendered title given to God in many monotheistic religions, particularly patriarchal, Abrahamic ones. In Judaism, God is called Father because he is the creator, life-giver, law-giver, and protector...
: "no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son". Moreover, these two passages can be read to imply an equality in the relationship between the Son and the Father.
However, the question of whether Christ had complete knowledge on earth prior to his Ascension has been subject to debate. In the analysis of the Gospels, one point of contention has been the two parallel verses in the Gospels of Matthew and Mark which refer to knowing the "day and the hour". While states: "But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father," in most manuscripts does not include the words "neither the Son".
In various Christian traditions, different solutions to this issue have been proposed, throughout the centuries. Cyril of Alexandria
Cyril of Alexandria
Cyril of Alexandria was the Patriarch of Alexandria from 412 to 444. He came to power when the city was at its height of influence and power within the Roman Empire. Cyril wrote extensively and was a leading protagonist in the Christological controversies of the later 4th and 5th centuries...
argued that it was "without doubt" that Christ did know the hour, but was emphasizing this from a passing human perspective. Other solutions along that line of reasoning have suggested that Christ had no "communicable knowledge" in a form that could be understood by the Apostles. Further approaches suggest a multi-level knowledge structure for Christ in terms of what can be revealed to humans, etc.
Historically, in orthodox Christianity the issue of the Hypostatic union
Hypostatic union
Hypostatic union is a technical term in Christian theology employed in mainstream Christology to describe the union of Christ's humanity and divinity in one hypostasis.The First Council of Ephesus recognised this doctrine and affirmed its importance, stating that the...
posed the question of whether the knowledge found in the Divine component was identical with God's knowledge.
Writers on church history from as early as Louis Ellies du Pin
Louis Ellies du Pin
Louis Ellies du Pin, or Dupin was a French ecclesiastical historian, who came of a noble family of Normandy. He was born at Paris....
in L'histoire de l'Eglise (1712) have also noted the role of Mark 13:32 in the controversies surrounding Arianism
Arianism
Arianism is the theological teaching attributed to Arius , a Christian presbyter from Alexandria, Egypt, concerning the relationship of the entities of the Trinity and the precise nature of the Son of God as being a subordinate entity to God the Father...
.
Roman Catholicism
In the 5th century, Saint Augustine (who considered the Incarnation of the Logos as necessary) argued that the "human Christ" possessed perfect knowledge from the very moment of his birth. Augustine rejected any ignorance by Christ, stating that Jesus had perfect knowledge from the moment of IncarnationIncarnation
Incarnation literally means embodied in flesh or taking on flesh. It refers to the conception and birth of a sentient creature who is the material manifestation of an entity, god or force whose original nature is immaterial....
, having participated in the knowledge of The Word. Augustine's view of the statement in the Gospel of Luke that the young Jesus grew in knowledge and grace was that Jesus simply manifested his knowledge in a gradual manner.
In the 13th century, in Summa Theologiæ, Saint Thomas Aquinas
Thomas Aquinas
Thomas Aquinas, O.P. , also Thomas of Aquin or Aquino, was an Italian Dominican priest of the Catholic Church, and an immensely influential philosopher and theologian in the tradition of scholasticism, known as Doctor Angelicus, Doctor Communis, or Doctor Universalis...
undertook a systematic analysis of the knowledge of Christ. He posed wide ranging questions, analyzed them and provided answers. For instance, on the issue of the "experimental knowledge of Christ" and "beatific knowledge of Christ's soul" he posed and answered different sets of questions:
- Did Christ learn by experiments? Did he grow in his knowledge? Did he learn from other people? Did he learn from angels?
- Did the soul of Christ comprehend the Word or the Divine Essence? Did it know all things in the Word? Did the soul of Christ know the infinite in the Word? Did it see the Word or the Divine Essence clearer than did any other creature?
Following a lengthy analysis, Aquinas concluded that Christ had perfect knowledge from the very beginning.
In 1918, the Holy Office issued the decree Circa quasdam propositiones de scientia animae Christi which rejected the interpretation of Mark 13:32 that Christ did not know the hour and supported the belief that Christ had complete knowledge at all time, in view of the Hypostatic union
Hypostatic union
Hypostatic union is a technical term in Christian theology employed in mainstream Christology to describe the union of Christ's humanity and divinity in one hypostasis.The First Council of Ephesus recognised this doctrine and affirmed its importance, stating that the...
. The Catechism of the Catholic Church
Catechism of the Catholic Church
The Catechism of the Catholic Church is the official text of the teachings of the Catholic Church. A provisional, "reference text" was issued by Pope John Paul II on October 11, 1992 — "the thirtieth anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Ecumenical Council" — with his apostolic...
(item 472) states that because Christ was endowed with true human knowledge, this could "increase in wisdom and in stature" because it was exercised in the historical conditions of his existence in space and time. However, item 474 states that Christ also shared the entire divine knowledge, namely:
By its union to the divine wisdom in the person of the Word incarnate, Christ enjoyed in his human knowledge the fullness of understanding of the eternal plans he had come to reveal. What he admitted to not knowing in this area, he elsewhere declared himself not sent to reveal.
In the 20th century, Hans Urs von Balthasar
Hans Urs von Balthasar
Hans Urs von Balthasar was a Swiss theologian and priest who was nominated to be a cardinal of the Catholic Church...
, relying on the concept of the "coincidence of the Person and mission of Christ", wrote that the Son of God could not have been sent on his mission without knowledge of what to do - only to be told later. In his view "he who is sent", being part of the Trinity
Trinity
The Christian doctrine of the Trinity defines God as three divine persons : the Father, the Son , and the Holy Spirit. The three persons are distinct yet coexist in unity, and are co-equal, co-eternal and consubstantial . Put another way, the three persons of the Trinity are of one being...
, would have been consulted before setting on his mission. Balthasar hence reasoned that through the Logos Christ possessed all knowledge from the very beginning.
Protestantism
John CalvinJohn Calvin
John Calvin was an influential French theologian and pastor during the Protestant Reformation. He was a principal figure in the development of the system of Christian theology later called Calvinism. Originally trained as a humanist lawyer, he broke from the Roman Catholic Church around 1530...
's views on the knowledge of Christ differ from those of, for example, Athanasius. Calvin takes Luke's statement that the infant Jesus "grew in wisdom" to show that the pre-existent God the Son was "willing ... for a time, to be deprived of understanding," This view is followed by many Evangelical Protestants today. Other writers such as Bowman (2007) and Cullmann (1980) speak of a paradox between God's omniscience
Omniscience
Omniscience omniscient point-of-view in writing) is the capacity to know everything infinitely, or at least everything that can be known about a character including thoughts, feelings, life and the universe, etc. In Latin, omnis means "all" and sciens means "knowing"...
and limitations of that omniscience in Christ. The role of the Holy Spirit
Holy Spirit (Christianity)
For the majority of Christians, the Holy Spirit is the third person of the Holy Trinity—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and is Almighty God...
in gaining knowledge of Christ continues to be a key part of Protestant teachings on the knowledge of Christ.
Eastern Orthodoxy
The Eastern Orthodox view of Christ's knowledge differs from both the Roman Catholic and the Protestant perspectives. Referring to Orthodox theologian Sergei BulgakovSergei Bulgakov
Fr. Sergei Nikolaevich Bulgakov was a Russian Orthodox Christian theologian, philosopher and economist. Until 1922 he worked in Russia; afterwards in Paris.-Early life:...
summarized the Orthodox position by stating that the passage does not preclude the possibility of Christ knowing the hour, but he may know it in a form that can not be communicated to the Apostles as humans, because human consciousness is not capable of understanding that class of event.