Skip to content

Notes for this keyword

Ignorance of Jesus Christ

Theme: Virtues and human characteristics of Jesus Christ

Reading comfort

Aa

GRM 59.5.6-7

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

59.5 A bearded sumptuously dressed Israelite stands up to contradict Him. He says: «Master, what You have stated appears to be in contrast with what is said in the second book of Maccabees, glory of Israel. It is said there: “Indeed when evil-doers are not left for long to their own devices but incur swift retribution, it is a sign of great benevolence. In the case of the other nations, the Lord waits patiently for them to obtain the full measure of their sins, before He punishes them”. According to what You said, instead, the Most High would appear to be very slow in punishing us, waiting, as for the other nations, the time of Judgement, when the measure of sins is full. Events, indeed, give You the lie. Israel is punished as stated by the historian of the Maccabees. But if what You say is correct, is there no conflict between Your doctrine and the sentence I have quoted?»

«I do not know who you are, but I will give you My answer, whoever you are.»

[Jesus gives his explanation, and their conversation continues. He declares himself to be the Messiah.]

«I am Jesus of Joseph of the House of David, I was born at Bethlehem Ephrathah, as was promised, named Nazarene, because I live at Nazareth. And that according to the world. According to God I am His Messenger. My disciples know.»

«Oh! They! They can say what they like or what You tell them to say.»

«Another will speak, who does not love Me, and will say Who I am. Wait till I call one of the people present here.»

59.7

Jesus looks at the crowd, who are astonished and annoyed at the dispute, and divided between the two opposite doctrines. He looks for someone with His sapphire eyes, and then in a loud voice He calls: «Aggaeus! Come here. It is an order.»

There is great excitement in the crowd. They open out to let a man pass, who is violently shaking all over his body and is supported by a woman.

«Do you know this man?»

«Yes, he is Aggaeus, of Malachi, of Capernaum. He is possessed by an evil spirit which tortures him with sudden fits of fury.»

«Does everybody know him?»

The crowd shout: «Yes, we do.»

«Can any of you say that he has spoken to Me, even for a few minutes?»

The crowd shout: «No, no, he is half-witted, he never leaves his house, and nobody has seen You in it.»

«Woman, bring him here in front of Me.»

Detail

This statement by Jesus is explained by the following note by Maria Valtorta on a typed copy:
"Christ, as God and as Holy of Holies, penetrated consciences; he pierced their most secret thoughts (perfect introspection); as Man, he knew persons and places in a human way only, when his Father and his own divine nature did not deem it useful for him to know them without having to ask."

On this same copy Maria Valtorta adds the following note on the words "Haggai, draw near":
"Here, it is because he must prove to the Pharisee his divine omniscience that he calls by name Haggai, who was unknown to him, but whom he knows to be possessed, whereas on the previous page, as Man, he had said to the Pharisee: 'I don't know who you are.'"

These two notes by Maria Valtorta will be confirmed by the texts of 224.2, 357.3, 527.4/6, 554.7 and justify Jesus' statements of "ignorance", which we will encounter, for example, in: 73.7, 75.3, 362.2, 365.10, 376.9, 377.2, 382.5, 395.2, 406.9, 413,8, 433.5, 472.4, 488.5, 583.23, 584.6.

Annotation

“I do not know who you are ”: This statement by Jesus is explained by the following note by Maria Valtorta on a typewritten copy:

"Christ, as God and as the Holy of Holies, penetrated people’s consciences; He discerned their most secret thoughts (perfect introspection); as a Man, He knew people and places only in a human way, unless His Father and His own divine nature deemed it necessary for Him to know them without having to ask.”

On this same copy, Maria Valtorta adds the following note regarding the words, “Haggai, come forward”:

“Here, it is because He must prove His divine omniscience to the Pharisee that He calls Haggai by name—a man unknown to Him, yet whose existence He knows—whereas on the previous page, as a Man, He had said to the Pharisee: ‘I do not know who you are.”

These two notes by Maria Valtorta are confirmed by the texts in 224.2, 357.3, 527.4/6, 554.7 and justify Jesus’ statements of “ignorance,” which we encounter, for example, in: 73.7, 75.3, 362.2, 365.10, 376.9, 377.2, 382.5, 395.2, 406.9, 413.8, 433.5, 472.4, 488.5, 583.23, and 584.6.

Editor’s note: A second explanation of Jesus’ “ignorance” is provided in connection with a series of questions he asks Annalie in 156.3. Here is the note that Maria Valtorta records on this subject in a typewritten copy: “Jesus knew and remembered, but he wanted the souls to open up freely and with confidence.”

This explanation is confirmed by passages 128.1 and 153.1, as well as by a particular remark by Judas in 468.4: “I know that you know, but that you are waiting for me to tell you.”

A third explanation is the subject of a lengthy note by Maria Valtorta on this statement by Jesus: “I do not know who it is” (175.5). We reproduce the essence of the handwritten note, which spans four pages of a sheet inserted into a typewritten copy: *“And the Eternal Father, in order to test hearts and separate the children of God—of the Light— the children of the flesh and of darkness, allowed—in the presence of the apostles, the disciples, and the crowds—gaps in the Son’s perfect clarity, similar to these questions and answers: ‘Who is this man? I do not know him…’ And this was for the sake of humanity. But also for His Beloved Son, in order to prepare Him for the great darkness of the hour of darkness, for the forsaking by the Father, for He had made Himself ‘an anathema for us.’”

This explanation by Maria Valtorta is confirmed by the words of the Apostle John in the context of 334.2/3 regarding the hearts that are to be tested. As for the preparation of the Beloved Son for the hour of darkness, it is confirmed and elaborated upon in 582.14, 598.4, 602.5, and 603.4; this explanation lends profound meaning to certain hesitations on Jesus’ part (as in 302.4.7) and especially to his disconcerting uncertainties in 339.14 and 464.14.

Apart from these exceptions, Maria Valtorta’s work presents a Jesus who is omniscient and clairvoyant, or prescient and foresighted. See: 48.6, 60.7, 78.3, 80.9.10, 89.2, 117.5, 133.2, 149.1/2, 160.6, 174.7, 203.1, 204.4, 218.1, 220.4, 224.2, 236.5, 317.3/5, 329.14, 335.13, 340.5, 351.4, 357.3, 371.9, 387.3, 391.8, 406.11, 409.3, 411.8, 471.3, 473.5, 503.2, 522.5, 524.8, 525.2, 531.10 (last lines), 531.20 (last lines), 532.4.6, 534.9, 540.7, 548.27, 555.4, 561.14, 563.5, 565.3/4, 566.18, 567.18.21, 580.2, 587.5.8, 595.6, 602.4/5.

GRM 180.9 · Volume 3

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

«Yes, he will die. He knows as well as I do. Nothing and no one will save him this time. When? I do not know. I know that he will not come out of Herod’s hand alive.»

«Yes, Herod. Listen. John went to the mountain gorge, between Mount Ebal and Gerizim, where we also passed coming back from Galilee, because the traitor said to him: “The Messiah is dying after being attacked by His enemies. He wants to see you to entrust a secret to you”. And he went with the traitor and some other people. Herod’s armed men were in the shade of the valley and they captured him. The others ran away and gave the news to the disciples who had remained near Hennon. They had just come when I arrived with Your Mother. And the dreadful thing is that he was one from our towns… and that the Pharisees of Capernaum are the leaders of the plot to catch him. They went to John saying that You had been their guest and that You were leaving from there to go to Judaea… he would not have left his refuge but for You…»

Detail

John the Baptist has just been captured, and Jesus confirms his imminent death.

GRM 187.3 · Volume 3

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

«Where are we going exactly?» asks Peter.

«To give Passover to those who suffer. I have been wanting to do it for a long time. But I could not. I would have done it going back to Galilee. Now that they compel us to go along roads that we have not chosen, I am going to bless Jonah’s poor friends.»

«We will be wasting a lot of time! Passover is near! There are always delays for various reasons.» Another chorus of complaints rises to the sky. I do not know how Jesus can be so patient…

Without reproaching anyone He says: «Please, do not hinder Me! Endeavour to understand My need to love and to be loved. I have but this solace on the earth: to love and do the will of God.»

«And are we going from here? Was it not better to go from Nazareth?»

«If I had suggested that, you would have rebelled. No one will suspect that I am here… and I am doing it for you… because you are afraid.»

«Afraid? Ah! No! We are ready to fight for You.»

«Pray the Lord not to put you to the test. I know that you are quarrelsome, resentful, anxious to offend those who offend Me and to humble your neighbour. I know all that. But I do not know you to be brave. As far as I am concerned, I would have also gone by Myself and along the main road and nothing would have happened because it is not yet the time. But I feel sorry for you. I have to obey My Mother, yes, but I do not want to upset Simon the Pharisee. I will not disgust them. But they will disgust Me.»

«And where do we go from here? I am not familiar with this area» says Thomas.

«We will reach Tabor, we will coast part of it and will go to Nain via Endor; from there to the plain of Esdraelon. Be not afraid!… Doras, the son of Doras, and Johanan are already in Jerusalem.»

GRM 203.1 · Volume 3

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

Thank you, My friends, for your great love for Me. If you could see how it comforts Me, you would be amazed. See: I proceed among continuous frictions and disappointments. Disappointments for you. You must convince yourselves that I am never disappointed, because I have not been granted the gift of ignoring… That is another reason why I advise you to agree to be guided by Me. If I allow this or that thing, do not hinder it. If I do not interfere to put an end to something, do not endeavour to do it yourselves. Each thing is to be done at the right moment. Trust Me, in everything.

GRM 218.1 · Volume 3

The Gospel as revealed to me

Quotation

The fresh dawn breath wakes the sleeping apostles. They rise from their sand beds, where they slept close to a dune strewn with small tufts of dry grass, and they climb to the top. A large sandy coast appears before them, whereas a little farther away and a little closer to them there are beautiful well cultivated fields. The white stones of a dry torrent are conspicuous against the golden sand and their whiteness — the whiteness of dry bones — stretches as far as the sea, the surface of which glitters in the distance, rippled by the morning tide and a light mistral. They walk on the edge of the dune as far as the dry torrent, which they cross, and they carry on walking across the dunes, which crumble under their feet and are so undulated that they seem a solid continuation of sea.

They reach the shore-line, where they can walk faster, and while John is hypnotised by the boundless ocean beginning to shine in the rising sun, and he seems to be drinking in its beauty as his eyes become bluer and bluer, Peter who is more practical, takes his sandals off, pulls up his tunic and paddles in the shallow water looking for little crabs or shells to suck. A beautiful sea town is about two miles away, stretched along the coast above a semilunar rocky barrier beyond which sands have been carried by storms and blown by winds. And the rocks of the barrier, now that the water recedes at low tide, appear here as well, compelling thus the apostles to walk on the dry sand in order not to cut their bare feet on the sharp rocks.

«Where is the entrance to the town, my Lord? I can only see a very solid wall from here. It is not possible to enter by sea. The town is in the inner most spot of the gulf» says Philip.

«Come. I know where the entrance is.»

«Have You already been here?»

«Once, when I was a child, but I would not remember. But I know where to go.»

«How strange! I have noticed that many a time… You never take the wrong road. Sometimes we make You go wrong. One would think that You have already been to the places we go to» remarks James of Zebedee.

Jesus smiles but does not reply.

Detail

Christ knows exactly where he is going during his public ministry, and James, son of Zebedee, points this out to him.