JESUS CHRIST: GOD-MAN - Vital Christianity

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HUMAN LIMITATIONS
As strange as it seems, Jesus also evidenced human limitations. He was moved by
instincts normal to human beings. The gospel records make plain that He was subject to all the
ordinary sinless limitations associated with humanity. As someone put it:
"There is not a note in the great organ of our humanity which, when touched,
does not find a sympathetic vibration in the mighty scope and range of our
Lord's being, save, of course, the jarring discord of sin."2
Like every other human being, Jesus hungered (Mt 4:2; 21:18; Mk 11:12). Yet the Bible
states that God does not hunger (Ps 50:12). He thirsted (Jn 19:28). But God never thirsts.
After days of hard work, He was weary (Jn 4:6). Yet God is never weary (Isa. 40:28). When
Jesus became tired, He slept (Mt 8:24). But God neither slumbers nor sleeps (Ps 121:4). Jesus
was limited in knowledge (Mk 5:30-34; 11:13; 13:32; Jn 11:34). God certainly is not limited in
any category, much less in knowledge. Jesus was also dependent upon His Father for strength,
therefore He prayed (Mk 1:35; Jn 6:15; Heb 5:7). God, by definition, is not dependent on anyone
or anything; He is complete in and of Himself.
Because Christ laid aside His divine prerogatives, His divine glory and dignity, and
submitted Himself to God the Father in every way, His knowledge and power was limited. Jesus
asked questions. And He did so for the most part to find out answers. In many situations He
simply did not know.
Jesus was not like the schoolteacher who, when he asks questions, already knows the
answers and does so only for the benefit of the student. When, for example, Jesus asked the
father of the epileptic, "How long has he been like this?" (Mk 9:21) the clear impression we get
is that He wanted information. He asked the sick woman who reached out to Him, "Who touched
My clothes?" (5:30). At the feeding of the five thousand, He asked the boy, "How many loaves
do you have?" (6:38) He asked this question with the obvious impression that He did not know.
Concerning the date of His second coming, Jesus explicitly stated that He did not know when
this would be (13:32).
At other times, however, He displayed supernatural knowledge. But so did the apostles.
The apostle Peter supernaturally perceived that Ananaias and Sapphira had lied to the Holy Spirit
and deceived the church (Ac 5:3-4,7-9). It is not surprising, therefore, if Jesus knew of the
Samaritan woman's shady past (Jn 4:17f.), that He knew that when Peter went fishing that the
first fish he would catch would have a coin in its mouth (Mt 17:27) or that Lazarus was dead
without anyone telling Him (Jn 11:11-13).
Jesus limited Himself to the knowledge, power, and authority that is available to Him
only through the Spirit of God as He depends solely and fully on the Father.