Jesus Knows Man

Jesus Knows All About Man

“But Jesus, on His part, was not entrusting Himself to them, for He knew all men, and because He did not need anyone to testify concerning man, for He Himself knew what was in man” John 2:24, 25 (NASU).

It is easy to understand the idea of Jesus “knowing” man in terms of man’s condition or experience, as He was indeed God in the flesh (1:14). However, this knowledge is more than what it is to be a man, but knowledge of His fellow man.

Jesus employed this knowledge as He went about His ministry. He knew:

The real motivations of man

Jesus preached only the truth and was without deceit, but those He came into contact with were tainted by the sinfulness of man. When one of the Pharisees would question Jesus on a matter of assumed importance, Jesus understood it was more to trick Jesus than to seek an honest answer. When Nicodemus had a seemingly innocuous question about the nature of the coming Kingdom, Jesus knew Nicodemus was more concerned about being approved of God.

The real priorities of man

Jesus’ priorities were grounded in following the will of His Father in Heaven. While many came to Jesus promising Him their loyalty and service, some were turned away by Him because He knew they were not totally committed. He knew of the ambitions of His own apostles, and even the plans of Judas Iscariot who would betray Him.

The real heart of man

Jesus’ heart was one of pure love, as God is love (1 John 4:8). He demonstrated this with a life devoted to love of His Father, and love of His neighbor. Those Jesus met, however, had very different hearts, ranging from corrupted and hard, to humble and broken. What else could Jesus have seen in a broken sinner that pleased Him, but not in a pious Pharisee but the true heart of the man?

This Should Be No Surprise

Jesus demonstrated this knowledge with every interaction He had recorded in the Gospels. His questions, answers, and choice of words all were based upon how well He knew His fellow man. This should be of no surprise, however, for God knew His creation, just as He knows each of us. Knowing this, what does Jesus know about us? What motivations does He see? What are our priorities? What is the condition of our heart? Is the real person you are the person you want Jesus to see?