Would Jesus have known who he was as a baby?

[FloralGums]

I was pondering this following a sermon at Midnight Mass.
Was he a totally human baby or do you think he was more than that? Was he sentient?
I was thinking of the visit of the shepherd and Magi, and the flight from Herod and if he was aware.
When do you think he became aware of his true self?
I was hoping there might be someone knowledgeable or with some insights from clerical training or something.

For clarity (incase this comes up in Active) I am posting this on Christian Mumsnetters, which is primarily intended for the use of Christians. Yes I am aware it the internet and anyone can post etc etc but I am not interested in atheists posting about sky fairies or flying spaghetti monsters so won’t be responding to those posts. Feel free to start your own discussion on Philosophy/Religion.

Nah probably not

I like to think he was just a normal chubby baby/child

I wonder when he did realise or was told

That's one heck of a burden.

I don't think he knew as a baby but the Bible says that when he was found in the temple and his parents were frantic, he said to them that He was about His Father's business so he understood when he was 12 at least.

I think a sentient baby would come across very weirdly, and thus wouldn’t be terribly safe especially in such a superstitious time, so no.

Yes that’s what I thought. I wonder if Mary and Joseph told him in the same way you might tell adopted children about their history or if he just knew.

I wonder if he knew as he developed self awareness. Not sure when humans become self aware - age 4/5??

Yes about to say the same. He didn’t walk back home with them after visiting the temple and instead stayed behind and was learning from the teachers. I think this is when he realised.

Just an ordinary baby I think.

I think this is about right. He was a Jewish boy so His awakening to who He truly was (is) would probably be in the time leading up to His bar mitzvah. Babies do not have that conscious awareness of self, but I am certain that as He grew some part of Him would be aware of some sort of ‘set apartedness’. Just on a secular level, a bit like Prince George - by now he will be aware of who he is and his future as king, even if at this stage it doesn’t have a lot of meaning for him.

🙄🙄 I am sure it gives you a sense of self-worth to speak such unBiblical nonsense about our Lord and Saviour Christ Jesus. Try saying the same on the Muslim Mumsnetters forum, not that I would encourage you to take such disrespectful comments to there.

He was two years old when they fled from Herod so he would have had some awareness.

But aren't you creating your own echo chamber?

The round shiny thing above his head would have given him some indication that he was different from other boys. Though there weren't any mirrors back then so perhaps nobody told him.

If he was without sin, then he wasn't a normal baby or young boy? Goodness knows what he felt like, goodness knows what Mary told him. And God does know.

@FloralGums It is a very ihteresting question. Following on from @MrTiddlesTheCat, I recall a long-ago sermon about this. He was sought out first by the shepherds, and then by the Wise Men/3 Kings/Magi before Herod instigated the slaughter of baby boys under the age of 2 that prompted Joseph to take his wife and child to Egypt. So far as I recall, the speaker suggested that Jesus would have known of the gifts they brought from His.earliest years, and Mary would probably have spoken to Him about them - as well as pondering them in her heart. So I think the analogy with Prince George is sound: it is one of knowing there is something mapped out, and that their future is 'different '.

You know what, @thegreatestofthese islove, i agree. It's seen as somehow acceptable in a predominantly Christian country to be downright offensive and blasphemous about Christianity but you can bet posters like @pimplebum won't be posting insults about Mohammed on the Muslim board. I don't want them to either, just let people believe what they want to without insults. Christians included.

On some level, yes.

Read the Muslim story of the body of Christ. It’s a different take and a sentient baby.

The Bible doesn't say whether Jesus, as a baby, was fully aware of His divine identity. However, being both fully God and fully human (Philippians 2:6-8), Jesus probably went through the natural process of human development, including growing in knowledge and understanding (Luke 2:52).While His divine nature was always present, it's possible that His awareness of it became clearer as He grew and matured.

I think from very young he would have been aware of his divinity.

This would be offensive to Muslims too, Jesus is a prophet in Islam and mentioned in the Quran too.

okay fr. chris alar discussed this today jan1/2025.
jesus is/was divine, and devine from his pre-existence.
so although he presents in his human form he is fully divine.

from 13 minutes in. fr. chris is long winded

@Bbq1 and @FoxInTheForest I agree with you both. 💐 Sad that ‘lack of respect’ seems to be tolerated only on Christian Mumsnetters. (It should not be tolerated on the other religious boards either, but I have never witnessed it there, or, it is quickly dealt with). All of the religious boards should have equity in this matter, but I am not certain that they do. 🤷

I am aware that Islam teaches a false Jesus. This is not the place to discuss it. Christ Jesus is fully God and was born fully God in human form: a perfect human being, without sin. I would strongly encourage you to disregard the false teaching, and read the Biblical account. If you desire a discussion about this fact, I would also kindly ask you to see the guidance at the top of this Christian Mumsnetters page and start a thread elsewhere.