How Do We Explain Jesus Increasing in Wisdom (luke 2:52) When He Was God and Knew All Things?
1) Direct Answer
Jesus increasing in wisdom speaks of His true humanity; God in Him did not increase. The one God veiled Himself in a real human body and mind that had to grow, learn, and mature. As the Son (the body), He grew in wisdom; as God dwelling in Him, He knew all things.
2) Scriptural Explanation
- Luke 2:40,52 says the child grew, waxed strong in spirit, and increased in wisdom and stature. That’s the human side maturing.
- Hebrews 2:17; 4:15: He was made like His brethren and was tempted in all points, yet without sin. A true man must truly develop.
- Philippians 2:7-8: He made Himself of no reputation and took the form of a servant. He chose the servant pathway, not displaying divine prerogatives at will.
- John 14:10: “The Father that dwelleth in me, He doeth the works.” The indwelling Father is the source.
- John 5:19-20: “The Son can do nothing of Himself… the Father sheweth Him.” He lived in dependence, not self-display.
- Colossians 2:9; 1 Timothy 3:16: In Him dwelt all the fulness; God was manifested in flesh. Not part of God—God Himself veiled.
- John 3:34; Luke 3:21-22; 4:18: The Spirit was upon Him without measure, openly anointing Him for ministry.
- Mark 13:32 and Acts 1:7: When He did not declare the day or hour, He was speaking from the servant position, keeping that knowledge under the Father’s authority.
- Yet Scriptures also say, “Jesus knowing all things” (John 18:4) and “Lord, Thou knowest all things” (John 21:17), and He “knew what was in man” (John 2:25). That’s the Father in Him made known.
3) Simple Clarifying Logic
- God does not grow; a child does. The Son is the body—born, eating, sleeping, learning; the indwelling is God—eternal, unchanging, omniscient.
- Therefore Luke 2:52 describes the human mind of Jesus maturing in perfect obedience, while the divine Spirit in Him never increased.
- At times He speaks and acts as a man in the servant role; at times the Father speaks and works through Him. It’s not two persons; it’s one God revealed—Father above us, then with us in that body as the Son, now in us as the Holy Spirit.
4) Reinforcing Statement
Now notice, that’s the mystery: God hiding Himself in simplicity. He became like us to redeem us, yet never ceased to be God. So His increase in wisdom was the real growth of His humanity; His omniscience remained in the indwelling Father who did the works.
Ask a Follow-up Question
What did the Laodicean Church Age (our age) Angel (- messenger) Say about this?
Ranked passages from the local William Branham sermon and Church Age Book database. Relevance is relative, not a statement of doctrinal certainty.
The Harvest Time
64-1212 §50
Now we find out that Satan caused Adam to fall, by that one word. And God continued on now, in his creation, to try to find one man who would live by every Word. His first man failed. And this man would live his time, his age that he lived in. Now, see, there's different ages that God prophesied from the beginning, which would take place all down. That's the reason He could tell the end from the beginning, is because He knew all things. He made all things by Jesus Christ, and for Him, and for His own pleasure. Noti...
New Ministry (William Branham)
59-1115 §69
Heavenly Father, as this day is growing near to the midday, and I've been at length here this morning on this story of Thy divine grace, according to Your Word... It is written in the Scriptures that Jesus, our Lord, said, "He that believeth on Me, the works that I do, shall he also." And we know that those works are true. You could discern the thoughts of the people. You told Peter who he was, what his name was, what his father was. You told Philip when he brought Nathanael ... or, told Nathanael, rather, that You...
Proving His Word
64-0816 §94
Now listen close, as we come down towards the end. That day, that I read about a few minutes ago, now, when He come to the house of Jairus. He walked in, when he got there. Now, remember, Jairus was a priest, a borderline believer. He wanted to believe Jesus, but he hated to turn lose his church, 'cause they had said, "Anybody that believes on Him is going to be put out of the church." Now listen closely, now in closing, give me very close attention. Watch this. I believe that Jesus knew that when He crossed the se...
Do you now believe?
54-0307E §19
Now, in John the 16th chapter, I want to read some more, beginning with the 28th verse. His disciples said unto him, Lo, now speakest thou plainly, and speakest no proverb. [Here's where I want you to get to now.] Now we are sure that thou knowest all things, and needest not that any man should seek thee: by this we believe that thou comest forth from God. Listen. Because Jesus knew these things, and spoke them to the people, they said, "Now, you're speaking where we can understand."
Then Jesus came and called
64-0213 §24
And now, instead of going to despair the... All the neighbors come in screaming, and going on. But that steady mother ... her baby was dead. She took him up in that little room that she'd provided for the prophet, and laid him up on his bed, like that. And she said to the servant, "Saddle me a mule, and you ride straight. And don't you stop unless I tell you to." Oh, my! That's it! You ain't got time for debating, and fussing. This is past that day. Let's go on. We got to get there. We got a need. And so, she said,...