Christ’s Knowledge and the Apparent Limitation in the Gospel of Mark [Mark 13:32]: The Capability of Christ to Know the Future Intrinsically

Room N310

Christ’s knowledge has been problematic for Christianity. The ‘apparent’ lack in knowledge presented in Mark 13:32 might imply his incapability to know intrinsically. Consequently, the research attempts to provide an adequate answer to Christ intrinsic capability of knowing. The research does (1) a review of the solutions provided by patristic fathers, modern approaches, and literature in the subject; (2) a literary and exegetic study of Christ’s discourses in Mark specifically 13:28–37; and (3) a systematic approach and integration of the gospels when clarifying Mark. It finds that Christ is both knowledgeable and unknowledgeable concerning the future. He is not so in the same sense as any other human. Ignorance is not ontologically but functionally and willingly part of his person. The text indicates that Christ has intrinsic capability to know the past and future he did not have access whatsoever. Christ has power that he self-restrains, and knowledge that was not possible to any human being. He exercises intrinsic knowledge as the Father wills, both of the past and of the future, without breaking any necessity by the incarnation. Whatever he does not know is not out of absolute ignorance but self-limitation.