#compelling truth

So, did the baby in the manger know that the world was round?

In His divine nature, yes, Jesus knew that fact. But during the time of His earthly ministry, He willingly emptied Himself of numerous divine privileges. Thus, in His human nature, He did not have that immediate knowledge… as such, Jesus provided an example of how we all should live – in complete dependence upon God for everything, including the knowledge and wisdom that we need.

First, He emptied Himself of His pristine position in relation to the Law. Although not personally guilty of any sin, Jesus willingly took the sins of those He saves. Paul makes this clear when he writes, "For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God" (2 Corinthians 5:21).

Second, He emptied Himself of His rightful ownership of everything. Although He created everything, Jesus had to borrow a place to be born, homes to sleep in, boats to preach in, an animal to ride into Jerusalem on, a room to eat the Last Supper in, and a tomb to be buried in.

Third, He emptied Himself of His heavenly glory that He shared with the Father. Right before His arrest, Jesus prayed, "I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed" (John 17:4–5).

Last, Jesus emptied Himself of His divine knowledge. This required Jesus to rely solely on the Father for what He knew. And that's why Jesus, although He is God, "did not know" when His second coming would occur (see Matthew 24:36). He had voluntarily given up that knowledge to live life as a man.