Here are ten themes regarding Jesus’ intellectual profile, according to the Gospels.

First, Jesus demonstrated the supreme importance of listening to and learning from God. For this reason, he prayed often, especially in moments of decision. He confessed, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing” (John 5:19).

Second, Jesus acknowledged the intellectual primacy of scripture. When he was tempted by the devil, he cited passages from Deuteronomy. When he was dying on the cross, he referred to the Psalms. He continually referenced the Old Testament and reasoned from its precepts. To put it another way, Jesus presupposed the biblical worldview. Everything he learned, thought, spoke, desired, and performed was conditioned by God’s law, the Torah and wisdom. He possessed both biblical literacy and biblical fluency, which he acquired from his Jewish upbringing, synagogue, and culture. As the Council of Chalcedon taught in the 5^th century, Jesus was “fully man”―very intelligent and learned.

Third, Jesus modeled the fear of God intellectually and ethically. He embraced Proverbs 1:7, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.” He embodied Proverbs 3:5–7: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil.”

Fourth, Jesus was supremely wise. In fact, he embodied Old Testament wisdom. He knew what was truly important and what to do about it in the most fruitful manner. He could not be distracted or manipulated by folly. He could not be deterred from his Father’s mission to pursue a fool’s errand.

Fifth, Jesus was supremely knowledgeable. Evidence indicates that he spoke Aramaic and Hebrew. He communicated, as well, in Greek and spoke at least some Latin. He could read, as most scribes could. He understood the ethnic and religious distinctives of Palestine. He possessed a thorough knowledge of Jewish history and scripture, as well as familiarity with the concepts of the Second Temple period. He manifested keen situational awareness, and astute theological reasoning.

Sixth, Jesus knew how to communicate with whomever he interacted. He understood how to keep every interchange on point, how to refute and critique false reasoning, and how to guide each seeker towards the truth.

Seventh, he was an extraordinarily gifted teacher. Listeners were often astounded. The Gospels reveal that his opponents forsook attempts to entrap him intellectually. Clearly, Jesus thoroughly comprehended human depravity and the intellectual impact of sin.

Eighth, Jesus’ knowing was historically situated. He understood that culture, revelation, sin, and the supernatural influence what and how we think. He discerned the antithetical mindset of the devil and his dominion. He perceived the twisted nature of sinful ideology, group think, and oppressive institutions. He realized that what and whom we listen to informs our thinking, for good or bad.

Ninth, Jesus’ knowing was eschatologically conditioned. He defined his earthy existence in terms of God’s redemptive plan from creation, through Israel, to restoration. He knew exactly who he was, where he came from, where he was in first century Palestine (with its social, religious, and political complexity), and to where (or to whom) he would return. His thinking was aligned with the “age to come,” as Jesus said, not the “present evil age,” as Paul described.

Tenth, Jesus’ thinking was ontologically situated. He thought in communion with the Father and Spirit, which is to say his knowledge was Trinitarian. To put it another way, when we answer Jesus’ question, “Who do you say that I am?”, we must also reckon with his intellect and knowledge. After he returned to the Father, he sent the divine pedagogue, the Holy Spirit, to guide us until his reappearance, which indicates the significance of the mind and scripture from the Trinity’s point of view. Again, according Chalcedon, Jesus was also “fully God.”

Jesus was, in short, brilliant—a savant, a true sage—and we even could say, a scholar. And he loved God with all his mind, despite the chaotic, confusing, and demonic context he which he ministered. He is our intellectual model (Mark 12:30).