Q: I have been a believer for 32 years, and I have a question that never occurred to me before. If Jesus was fully God when he was on earth, was he omniscient, omnipresent, and omnipotent? Matthew 24: 36 seems to indicate that he wasn’t omniscient, and John 5: 30 seems to indicate he wasn’t omnipotent. And what indication is there that he was omnipresent? In other words, how is Jesus fully God? Thank you for the opportunity to submit questions.

(See relevant verses below)

A: You’ve touched upon one of the truly great and difficult controversies of the church—and it began in the 3rd century. Basically, you are asking about the doctrine of Christology which involves the person of Christ. The controversy is about his divine and human natures and how they relate to each other. We’re going to give you the two historical views, both of which are orthodox (that is, correct).

Alexandrian Christology teaches that the person of Christ is the Logos, who assumed a human nature. There is a flow of divine attributes (such as omniscience and omnipotence) to the human nature of Christ. Without the divine flow, there is no complete, freestanding man. This is known as Word-Flesh Christology (as in “the word became flesh”—see John 1: 14). This view is sometimes referred to as the “hypostatic union.” The shortcoming of this view is that it tends to ignore Christ’s real humanity.

Antiochene Christology emphasizes the integrity of the two natures. Jesus’ humanity stays human, and his divine nature stays divine. There was no flow of attributes. The main motive for this view is that the deity of Christ is separated from the man who suffered. This is known as Word-Man Christology, and the union is described as “sympathetic.” The key verse is Colossians 2:9. The shortcoming of this view is that you end up with a split personality.

The verses you referenced indicating that Jesus didn’t have the divine attributes are used by those who fall more into the Antiochene camp. The Alexandrian view would hold that all the attributes were imparted to the human Jesus.

This controversy over the two natures of Christ continued until 451, when the Council of Chalcedon met and arrived at a compromise of sorts. This council didn’t really solve the problem, but it did set boundaries, including these:

• Jesus is true God and true man.
• He has the same nature as the Father regarding his Godhood.
• He has the same nature as man with regard to his manhood.
• He is like us except without sin.
• The two natures of Christ exist without confusion or division.
• The distinctives of each nature are retained.

The bottom line is that this topic is one of the true and great mysteries of scripture (like the Trinity). We know that Jesus was fully God and fully man, but we don’t know how this works. If Jesus had every attribute of God all the time, then how could he identify with us? But if he didn’t have the Father’s attributes, then how would he effectively die for our sins? We also know from Philippians 2: 6-7 that Jesus did not “demand and cling to his rights as God.” instead, he voluntarily “took on the humble position of a slave and appeared in human form.” This is how he was able to die for our sins.

You can take comfort in the fact that some of the greatest minds and most deeply spiritual people in the history of the church have wrestled with this issue for centuries—and still we don’t know completely how it works. The fact that you are wrestling with this shows that you are moving on in your spiritual life. You are going deep. Keep studying and keep praying. And May God bless your serious inquiry!

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Relevant Scripture:

But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son,^[a] but only the Father. (Matthew 24: 36)

By myself I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just, for I seek not to please myself but him who sent me. (John 5: 30)

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1: 14)

For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, (Colossians 2:9)

Who, being in very nature^] God,
    did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
 rather, he made himself nothing
    by taking the very nature of a servant,
    being made in human likeness. (Philippians 2: 6-7)

Reference:

Bible Answers 101 by Brickel & Jantz