The Omniscience of Christ (2-1-12)

John 16:30 - "Now we know that You know all things, and have no need for anyone to question You; by this we believe that You came from God.”

We've considered the perfect knowledge of God in every aspect of our lives. Jesus, being God in the flesh, also knows all things and shares in the perfect knowledge of the Father. In the verse above from John 16 we are given the testimony of the disciples concerning Jesus, saying - "we know that You know all things" and it was because of this perfect knowledge that the disciples went on to say "by this we believe that You came from God.” The disciples witnessed the knowledge and wisdom of our Lord in every situation and came to the conclusion that Jesus had come from God.
All throughout the four gospels we see example after example of the fact that Jesus knew things that only God could have known. Several times in the Gospels we read that Jesus knew what people were thinking. In Matthew chapter 9 a paralytic was brought to Jesus and He said to the man "your sins are forgiven." but some of the scribes were sitting there and began to think to themselves "This fellow blasphemes." They knew that no one could forgive sins except for God, so they thought that He was blaspheming because He forgave this mans sins. They did not believe that Jesus was God, but Jesus responded to them in Matthew 9:4 where we read - "And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, "Why are you thinking evil in your hearts?"" Jesus knew what they were thinking. In Matthew 12 Jesus cast a demon out of a man and the people were wondering whether He was the Son of David, but the Pharisees were saying "He cast out demons only by the ruler of the demons." But in verse 25 it says - "And knowing their thoughts Jesus said to them, "Any kingdom divided against itself is laid waste; and any city or house divided against itself will not stand."" Again, Jesus knew their thoughts. Another account is given in Luke 9:46-48 which says - "An argument started among them (the disciples) as to which of them might be the greatest. But Jesus, knowing what they were thinking in their heart, took a child and stood him by His side, and said to them, “Whoever receives this child in My name receives Me, and whoever receives Me receives Him who sent Me; for the one who is least among all of you, this is the one who is great.”" So Jesus knew their thoughts, just as He knows our thoughts.

In Mark chapter 12 some men came to Jesus with the purpose of trapping Him in a statement in order that they might have grounds to accuse Him. In verses 14 and 15 we read - "They came and said to Him, “Teacher, we know that You are truthful and defer to no one; for You are not partial to any, but teach the way of God in truth. Is it lawful to pay a poll-tax to Caesar, or not? Shall we pay or shall we not pay?” But He, knowing their hypocrisy, said to them, “Why are you testing Me? Bring Me a denarius to look at.”" Jesus knew their hypocrisy. Their words and there lives contradicted one another. Jesus knew that their question wasn't sincere, He knew that they had hidden motives and agendas. No motive or intention is hidden from Him. He knows every hypocrisy, every deed, every thought, He knows it all.

Jesus also knows the future, and He knew the future in His own earthly life as well. In John 18:4 we read - "So Jesus, knowing all the things that were coming upon Him, went forth and said to them, “Whom do you seek?”" In this passage Jesus went to the garden of Gethsemane to pray shortly before His crucifixion. A crowd of people, lead by Judas Iscariot, came searching for Him, "so Jesus, knowing all the things that were coming upon Him, went forth and said to them, “Whom do you seek?” Jesus knew the events that would transpire in the next 24 hours. He knew that He would be beaten and rejected, denied, mocked, scourged, stripped, crowned with thorns and nailed to a tree by His hands and feet having a spear thrust into His side, rejected by men and forsaken by God with the sin of the whole world laid upon Him. Jesus knew all this before it happened and yet He went forth willingly. Because He also knew our greatest need, our need for someone to save us from our sins. He knew that we needed a Savior and He knew that the only way to accomplish our salvation was to endure everything that was about to come upon Him.
Jesus knows our thoughts. He knows our deeds and the motivation behind them. He knows our futures, just as He knew His, and He knows our needs, beginning with our greatest need, salvation. He also knows the extent of the love with which we love Him. This was the purpose of His conversation with Peter beside the sea of Galilee after His resurrection. John 17:21 - "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."" We can be pretty good at deceiving ourselves into thinking that we're good people, but God knows our hearts. He knows how much we truly love Him. May we realize His perfect knowledge and come to the point where we can say along with Peter, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.”