John 2:23-25, our all-knowing Savior

²³ Now while he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Festival, many people saw the signs he was performing and believed in his name. ²⁴ But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all people. ²⁵ He did not need any testimony about mankind, for he knew what was in each person.

Remember when we began in John's gospel? We discovered that the reason for John's writing was to show the glory of Jesus, and to make certain that we "get it," that we believe in Him as God's Son and giver of eternal life.

Since we know that John wanted all of us to believe, these verses are a little bit awkward. What he is saying, is that Jesus knows what is in every heart, and He can see when someone believes in a way that is not really believing. Put a different way, Jesus has the ability to know every heart perfectly -- and that leads to an unsettling truth that some belief is not the kind of belief that results in fellowship with Jesus, and ultimately in eternal life. So, some belief is not saving belief.

Let's take this in two bites, shall we? Let's focus on the omniscience of Jesus today, and on the belief issues tomorrow.

The first part of this is "He knew all people." There is no person that is excluded here; and no part of our lives is excluded from His omniscience. He knows everybody, and then He also knows everything about everybody! Let this truth about our Savior sink into your heart.

What does it really mean? Well, it means that there are no complete secrets in your life. We might have succeeded in hiding something from everyone else on this earth. But we've not hidden it from Jesus. You are completely, totally known. There is not one slight part of your heart and your mind that is unknown to Him, now, and at every hour.


That means there is always at least one Person to whom we must relate, Who knows everything about us. We can look others in the face and know that they are unaware of some things about us. But there is One Who when we look Him in the face, He sees "through" us. When we speak to Him, it's as ones who are totally laid bare, totally known. What an incredible relationship to have!  No one else comes close, not our spouse, not our best friend, no one else. Just Jesus.

Because of this, we always have someone to go to, for help in knowing ourselves. That's one of the great longings of humans, isn't it? "Who are we?" "What is our nature?" "What sort of human being are we?" Jesus is the One who knows our heart perfectly, and can help us to understand ourselves.

Here is the most awesome part: we not only have someone who knows us fully, but who is willing to love us unconditionally -- in spite of what He knows! Jesus has a special covenant love for those Who trust Him. Look at how He prays to the Father in John 17:9:

“I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours.”

He is interceding for those the Father has given to Him. These are His disciples, His sheep, the children of God. These are they who are born again, those who believe, and it includes us if we have believed in Him and accepted His gift of salvation.

“To all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God”  John 1:12

If we receive Him, there will always be one person who will love us, knowing everything about us. We will be able to trust Him fully, and have joy in life with Him.