Cade Talks: A few years ago I realized I needed post-sermon analytics to test how clear I had been in my preaching. I was looking for something better than asking my Bride, "Well, how did you think that went?" I didn't have to look far. My 11-year-old son at the time, Cade, was perfect. I had already noticed that on the way home from church if I asked him about the sermon, I could find out immediately how clear, fuzzy, or confusing I had been. He was never shy in his evaluation. :-/ It was either, "I didn't understand a word you were saying," or he would give some specific takeaways. It was so helpful that I started using the "Cade Test" during my sermon preparation, asking myself as I constructed the message: "Will Cade understand this?" So, in the spirit of the "Cade Test," I present this series of blog posts entitled, Cade Talks. My main goal is that these posts will encourage my son as I talk to him about important topics. By posting them, I'm hopeful they will help others too.
“So, Dad...when did Jesus know that He was God? Was he talking and walking as soon as He was born?”
Great question! Here's an answer, in 3 parts.
Jesus is God and He knows everything.
Jesus is God. That means Jesus has all the attributes of God, like knowing all things. The word for Jesus knowing everything is “omniscience.” It’s a compound word “omni” which means “all” and “science” which means “knowledge.” Jesus’ omniscience pops up in multiple places in the Bible. For instance, He knew that His friend Lazarus was dead before He and His disciples arrived in Bethany. (John 11:14) He also knew a coin was in the fish's mouth when he told Peter to catch it. (John 4:18) He knew the thoughts of the Pharisees without them saying anything. (Matthew 9:4) So, as God, Jesus knew He was the eternal Son of God, because He is omniscient. But, that’s only part of the answer to your question.
"What is clear is that Jesus knew, by age 12, that He was the Son of God, maybe earlier."
Jesus is Human and He learned things.
Jesus is human. Jesus experienced every stage of life that you have experienced in 13 years. Every one. He developed for nine months in His mother’s womb. He slowly began to eat solid food. He started crawling. He was potty-trained. He advanced from a toddler to a walker. He learned to speak (His family spoke Aramaic.) and to read, write, and do arithmetic. Jesus had acne and his voice cracked when it changed during puberty. He learned to ride a horse. (or a donkey) Jesus grew physically, spiritually, socially, and mentally. (Luke 2:52) What is clear is that Jesus knew, by age 12, that He was the Son of God, maybe earlier. But, one more thing needs to be said to answer your question.
Jesus is one person with two natures.
While Jesus has always been God, He has not always been human. He became human at the incarnation. (Christmas) At that amazing moment, by adding to Himself human nature, Jesus became the first and only person with two natures: God and Man. He is sometimes referred to as the God-man. He is 100% God. He is 100% Man. Don’t misunderstand, He didn’t mix His "Godness" and His Humanness like you would mix yellow and red together and get the color orange. Nor did Jesus have a split personality, like 1/2 God and 1/2 man. The Bible teaches that his human nature and his divine nature were united in one person. (John 1:14; Rom. 8:3; 1 Tim. 3:16; Heb. 2:11-14) So, He didn’t switch between His God nature and human nature like swiping to a different app on your smartphone.
"Here we come face-to-face with Jesus not knowing something..."
We get some indication of how these two natures work together. In Matthew 24:36 Jesus shocks us by saying, "No one knows the day or the hour, not even the angels in Heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father." Here we come face-to-face with Jesus not knowing something. (Maybe I can talk about that in another Cade Talks.) In certain places in the Bible, His humanness is emphasized (e.g. sleeping in the boat, crying, eating, etc.) while others emphasize His "Godness" (turning water into wine, healing a blind man, etc.). Still others, we see both: When Jesus walked on the water, He did what only God could do while using human feet to walk on the water.
No, Jesus wasn't walking and talking as soon as He was born. He had to learn all of those skills as He grew and matured. And, we know from the Scriptures that He knew by at least age twelve, that He was the eternal Son of God.
Son, I have no greater joy than to hear that you are walking in truth.
Love,
Dad
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