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.
When their eyes were opened, they knew Him
64-0212 §20
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52-0716 §32
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63-0627 §31
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62-0712 §41
...He was, He always has been and always will be. Now I want you to notice. He was the Word. He was God's thought of a redeemer expressed. That's what He was. He was the Word. In Hebrews the 4th chapter, the 12th verse, the Bible said that the Word of God is more powerful, quicker, than a two-edged sword ... even a discerner of the thoughts and of the heart. God even knows what's on your mind. Now hold that. "The Word of God is more powerful, sharper, than a two-edged sword ... and it is a discerner of the thoughts of...
Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever
61-0519 §26
Now what type of a person would we look ... if we were looking in Dawson tonight to find Jesus? You'd like to see Him, so what type of a person would we look for? Would we look for some strange dressed person, some man dressed in religious clothes such as robes, or collars around, or some other religious... ? No, for Jesus wore common clothes. Would we look for someone that looked different from someone else? No. He was a man, looked just like any man does. He went in and out. Men, no one, knew no more than what He...