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.
Thou knowest all things
52-0716 §26
Now, when He came, He said, "I just do what the Father shows Me to do, that's what I do. And what He shows Me ... I don't do nothing, I can't do nothing till He tells Me." When He passed by the pool, and seen all the people, and He healed a man, and the Jews questioned Him. "Why," He said, "I do nothing but what the Father showed Me. I can't do nothing. But He will ... Whatever He does, He shows Me, and then I go do that." That's true, Saint John 5:19. And we notice Him. He was a kind Man, a humble Man. And yet He...
The Seed shall not be heir with the shuck
65-0429B §10
And you've noticed me many times, before a healing service, standing there on the platform or sitting back watching. I'm feeling the Spirit, the way it's moving, and already know what's the matter with that person sitting there, see. See it over, way over here, see. You catch it even before you go to the platform. Sometimes before I come to the meeting, sometimes before even coming over here, like to California, I've sat down with those who are with me, said, "There will be a certain thing happen. This will take pl...
Strait is the Gate
59-0301M §36
Now, while Abraham had took the way that was given him by God, and had the leanness of the land, he wasn't prosperous at all. But yet he knew one thing, he served God and he believed God. So one day there came three men, and they were well dusty and worn, and Abraham felt sorry for them. He said, "Come by and sit down under the oak just for a little while. And while he was standing there talking to them, he recognized that they weren't just ordinary men. By their talk, they were different. And Abraham went and kill...
Do you now believe?
53-1106 §21
And I knelt down, great God of Heaven, who stands ... we stand in His presence tonight, His Word laying before me. There's a window about that high, it was up, kind of warm in the room, and I knelt to pray and I started the prayer of, "Almighty God, Creator of heavens and earth, and Author of everlasting Life," I said, "send Thy blessing into this room for this poor mortal." And when I started to pray, a little dove come flying through the bushes and lit on the windowsill about that far from where I was praying. We...
We would see Jesus
60-0708 §49
So he said, "He is a devil." Jesus turned around and said, "You say that against Me, the Son of man; I will forgive you for it. But [in otherwise like this] there's coming a day that when the Holy Ghost will come, and He will do the same thing. And whosoever speaks one word against it will never be forgiven, in this world and neither in the world that is to come," see. It was new to them then. Now, Christ has died. Now, the Holy Spirit's here. Then, read the next verse. "Because they call the Spirit of God an uncle...