A common objection to the divinity of Christ appeals to the Gospel of Matthew 24:36, arguing that the verse contradicts divine omniscience, if Jesus is truly God. From the earliest Christian proclamation it is clear that Jesus claimed divinity, and the gospels constantly reflect this belief. Yet this statement posed no contradiction for the Apostles who affirmed his divinity, when Christ declared “But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only.” (Matt 24:36)
. The objection being raised here is if Jesus can know all things in the past, present, and future what causes him to lack the knowledge of the hour of the earth's end.
It is clear to many Christians, and early Church fathers that the Son, whom through all things were created (Col 1:16) could not have been ignorant of the hour, but that both the Son and Father share in the knowledge of the end of the earth. For if Christ, complete with the Divine Nature, lacked something of the essence of God, this would disprove the Holy Trinity. Nonetheless, Jesus shares in the complete essence with the father, only distinguished through relation, not knowledge nor power. But it is logical to state that Jesus does not lack the knowledge, instead the knowledge of the hour is not for him to make known to his creation. Saint Thomas Aquinas on this objection states that “if it is given to Christ as man to know how to judge—which is greater—much more is it given to Him to know the less” (ST III, Q10, A2) St. Thomas argues that if Christ was bestowed with the great power to judge humanity, it would follow that He has the lesser power, in knowing the hour.
Additionally in certain Biblical contexts the Greek word oiden meaning “to know” can function as a public declaration, rather than denote literal ignorance. St. Paul writes “For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified” (1 Cor. 2:2). Paul did not lack the knowledge of other matters, rather he chose to center his preaching around Christ and His crucifixion. Analogically, Christ chose to withhold the hour from the apostles, instead of sharing it. This retention of information develops Christ's message about being in a state of constant vigilance for his return.
To conclude, this objection which has been raised since the times of Arius poses no threat to the divinity of Christ. Jesus’s authority and power surpasses mere knowledge of the hour and the use of the Greek word Oiden demonstrates through Biblical context how Christ possessed the knowledge of the hour, but chose to withhold it from the Apostles.