Why Does Jesus Not Know the Day or Hour? – Mark 13:32

Mark 13:32 states:

“But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.”

This verse presents a theological challenge: if Jesus is fully God, how can He be ignorant of something the Father knows? Below are key theological perspectives that help address this:

1. Jesus’ Voluntary Limitation in the Incarnation

In Philippians 2:6-7, Paul writes that Jesus,

“though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant.”

This suggests that in His incarnation, Jesus voluntarily limited the independent use of His divine attributes, including omniscience. As the God-Man, He functioned within the limitations of His human nature. Thus, while Jesus is fully God, He chose not to access certain divine knowledge during His earthly ministry.

2. The Economic vs. Ontological Trinity

There is an important distinction in Trinitarian theology:

• Ontological Trinity: Refers to the essence of God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are co-equal and co-eternal in their divine nature.
• Economic Trinity: Refers to the different roles within salvation history. The Son submits to the Father in function, not in essence (John 5:19, 1 Corinthians 15:28).

In Mark 13:32, Jesus is speaking from His human role in the Economic Trinity. His knowledge was functionally limited in submission to the Father’s will, without diminishing His divine nature.

3. Post-Resurrection and Full Knowledge

After the resurrection, Jesus appears to have full knowledge again. In Matthew 28:18, He declares,

“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.”

By the time of the ascension, He no longer speaks of the Father’s knowledge as separate from His own. This suggests that His limitation was specific to His earthly ministry.

4. The Role of the Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit, as fully God, shares in divine omniscience. However, within the Economic Trinity, revelation is often attributed to the Father and mediated through the Son and Spirit. It is possible that the Holy Spirit’s role was not to reveal this particular knowledge until the appointed time.

Conclusion

Jesus’ statement in Mark 13:32 does not contradict His divinity but reflects His functional limitation during the Incarnation. His submission to the Father’s authority in this matter aligns with the broader biblical teaching on the Trinity.