Did Jesus know he could not sin?

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jjraby

Puritan Board Freshman
I think I am of the opinion that Jesus could not have sinned being the second person of the Trinity. But, Did he know that he could not sin, say, in the desert? Did he know in his human mind that the taunts of the Devil were futile and he would not give in?
 
I imagine that the temptations were simply unappealing to his nature as the Son of God. Yet, the weakness of his flesh was felt by him, yet without the principle of sin compelling it. I don't know if he would have concluded that certain things were impossible for him or not, but I would imagine that he did know that what was being presented before him by Satan was entirely contrary to his nature and desire to do. That's how I tend to see it.
 
In his divine nature, Jesus knew and knows all things. Maintaining full conscientiousness of the location of every electron in the universe is a bit beyond the scope of daily human life, so naturally in his incarnation Christ was not always consciously exercising all his divine knowledge, though he did and does possess it; however, he knew he was the Messiah and the Son of God, and therefore he knew he would not ever sin.
 
The argument that Jesus could not have sinned merely because He was God is not sufficient. Remember, Jesus was tempted and yet was God. There are other and better arguments for how in a very real sense Jesus could not have sinned. To the OP question though: I think the better statement is that Jesus knew that He would not sin rather than He could not. His definite perfection was because of His definite love and desire to do the Father's will. Maybe that sounds like splitting hairs, but it seems more natural for a man (even a God-man) to say, "I will choose to obey my Father" rather than "I can't do anything but obey my Father." Still, it's true that He would have known; consider how by the Father's decree a chosen race would be saved and how Christ knew He would be central to that.
 
Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me.(John 14:30, KJV)

I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming. He has no claim on me.(John 14:30, ESV)

This may indicate that as a man - or the Man - Jesus knew He could not sin. Whether this made any difference in the heat of temptation, I doubt. Because I believe that He had to live as much as a representative Jew or Christian as possible, without sin.

Any supernatural knowledge that He needed to carry out His task or display His deity was communicated to His humanity. There are a number of occasions when he expresses normal human - non-sinful - ignorance.

E.g. And while they still disbelieved for joy and were marveling, he said to them, "Have you anything here to eat?"( Luke 24:41, ESV)

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. (Heb 4:15)
 
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