Matthew 24:36 & Jesus' Omniscience

A common argument presented this classic theological challenge to the deity of Christ based on Matthew 24:36: "But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only." The logic is straightforward: God is all-knowing (omniscient); Jesus lacks knowledge of the Hour; therefore, Jesus cannot be God.

Note: Mark 13:32 says the same thing: “But concerning that day or that hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father."

In orthodox Christian theology, this argument is typically refuted using three primary frameworks: 

• The Hypostatic Union (Two Natures)

• Kenosis (Voluntary Self-Limitation) 

• The Semantics of "Knowing" in a First-Century Jewish Context.

I Read the Bible… Then I Became Muslim

This is a response to the video I Read the Bible… Then I Became Muslim

The primary arguments presented are as follows:

1. The Argument from Jesus' Prayer

• The speaker cites Luke 6:12, noting that Jesus went to a mountain to pray to God.

• He argues that if Jesus were God, he would have no one to pray to.

• The speaker asserts that because Jesus prayed to "the God," he acknowledged a being superior to himself, meaning he cannot be God unless one admits there are two separate Gods.

• He specifically challenges the common Christian explanation that Jesus was praying to "the Father," pointing out that the text in Luke 6:12 simply says he "prayed to God" without mentioning the Father.

2. The Nature of Monotheism

• The speaker references the teachings of Moses and Jesus (the Shema), stating that the Lord is "one".

• He explicitly rejects Trinitarian concepts such as "Three in One" or "One in Three," arguing that the Bible's message is strictly about worshipping one God alone.

3. Personal Transformation

• The speaker identifies as a former Roman Catholic who once had Christian tattoos (including Mary, Jesus, and the cross).

• His core claim is that an objective reading of the biblical text logically results in an Islamic understanding of God’s nature.

The video presents a common theological argument used in interfaith dialogue, specifically focusing on the Nature of Christ and Monotheism. The speaker’s core argument is that if Jesus is God, he would not need to pray to God, and that the Bible’s emphasis on "One God" contradicts the Trinity.

Here is a refutation based on traditional Christian theology, biblical scholarship, and logical analysis:

1. The Argument of Jesus Praying (Luke 6:12)

Claim: Jesus prayed to God; therefore, he cannot be God, or there must be two Gods.

Refutation:

This argument overlooks the doctrine of the Incarnation (the "Hypostatic Union"). In Christian theology, Jesus is believed to be fully God and fully man.

• As a human living on Earth, Jesus experienced the full range of human needs, including the need for spiritual communion. His prayers were not a sign of a "lesser" status but an expression of his perfect humanity.

• Prayer is viewed as communication within the Godhead—the Son (Jesus) communicating with the Father. This does not imply two separate "Gods" anymore than a person's internal dialogue implies two separate "beings." It reflects the distinct persons within one essence.

2. The "Where does it say Father?" Challenge

Claim: The speaker challenges the viewer to find where Luke 6:12 specifically uses the word "Father."

Refutation:

• While the specific word "Father" may not appear in that single verse, biblical interpretation relies on contextual harmony.

• Throughout the Gospels, Jesus explicitly identifies the "God" he prays to as his Father (e.g., John 17, Matthew 6:9).

• To isolate one verse and ignore the speaker's own definitions found elsewhere in the text is a logical fallacy known as cherry-picking.

3. The Oneness of God (The Shema)

Claim: The Bible says "Your Lord is one," which excludes the possibility of a "Three-in-One" God.

Refutation:

• The Hebrew word used in the Shema (Deuteronomy 6:4) is echad.

• In Hebrew, echad often refers to a composite unity (a "complex one"). For example, the same word is used in Genesis 2:24 to describe a husband and wife becoming "one (echad) flesh."

• If the text intended to mean an "absolute, indivisible singularity," the Hebrew word yachid would likely have been used.

• The Trinity is defined as one God in three persons, not three separate gods. Therefore, the statement "God is One" is actually a foundational pillar of Trinitarian faith, not a contradiction of it.

4. The Logic of Divine Claims

Claim: Reading the Bible logically leads only to Islam.

Refutation:

This ignores several explicit claims to divinity made by Jesus within the same New Testament:

• John 10:30: "I and the Father are one."

• John 8:58: "Before Abraham was, I am" (a direct reference to the divine name revealed to Moses).

• John 20:28: Thomas addresses Jesus as "My Lord and my God," and Jesus accepts the title rather than correcting him.

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Summary Table: Comparing Perspectives

Feature	Speaker's Logic (Dawah)	Christian/Biblical Response
Jesus Praying	Proof of inferiority/separate nature.	Evidence of his full humanity and relationship with the Father.
"The Lord is One"	Absolute mathematical singularity.	A composite unity of three persons in one essence.
Identity of God	Only the Father is God.	The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit share one divine nature.

Ultimately, the speaker's argument relies on a Unitarian interpretation of the text, which requires dismissing or reinterpreting the numerous passages where Jesus claims divine authority, forgives sins (a power reserved for God), and accepts worship.

Did Jesus Lie When He Said the Mustard Seed was the Smallest of All Seeds?

Or does this prove that He is not omniscient and thus not God?

Critics use Matthew 13:31–32 to try to argue that Jesus either lied or isn't all-knowing and thus not God. Here is the passage.

31 He put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field. 32 It is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is larger than all the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.”