Q: Does "An Eye For An Eye And A Tooth For A Tooth" In The OT Contradict What Jesus Teaches?

A: Yes in fact Jesus’ teaching is confronting the popular misuse and abuse of the Old Testament law, known as the law of retaliation. The Old Testament rule in Moses’ law was to guide judges in pronouncing their sentences. Jesus was opposing the manner in which the rabbis, scribes and Pharisees were presenting the rule to the people as a divine right to punish wrongdoers. Jesus was emphasizing the moral demand that one must not seek revenge as set out in Leviticus 19:18 and Romans 12:19.

In the Old Testament we read:

Exodus 21:22-25 “… eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot …” This passage is cited in a way that protected a pregnant woman and her child from death or injury that might occur if two men were in a fight.

Leviticus 24:17-22 “… fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth for tooth. As he has injured the other, so he is to be injured.” This passage is applied generally to any case where a crime of murder or intentional maiming occurred.

Deuteronomy 19:15-21 “Show no pity: life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.” This occurs in a passage to prevent perjury and in attempting to use the court to execute or punish an innocent individual.

The literal meaning of the principle “Eye for an Eye” is that a person who has injured the eye of another is instructed to give the value of his or her own eye in compensation. At the root of this principle and purpose of the law is to provide equitable and fair compensation or punishment for an offended party. A person who has injured the eye of another is instructed to give the value of his or her own eye in compensation. It both defined and restricted the extent of compensation or the deserved penalty. The punishment must fit the crime – no more than the crime but also no less. It was strict but fair.

The law and principle was designed to prevent and deter such crimes. It was there to remove vengeful actions for crimes from the hands of the victim and his family and put them into the hands of the governing judicial system. It was designed as a principle of proportional justice and to appropriately punish the offender. This law was given to Moses and the people of Israel to assure that the judges would render righteous and proper judgment. In every instance in the Old Testament when a reference was made to "an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth," it was referring to judgment rendered by judges. A punishment sufficient to serve as a deterrent to the crime was to be rendered. This law was to insure against a judgment being rendered that was excessive and beyond reason.

The people of Israel had abused this rule by making it an excuse for retaliation and vengeance. They construed it as saying, "If someone knocks out my tooth, I have a moral right to knock out his tooth." But God had not intended this rule to authorize violence. Rather, He had given it to prevent what we call cruel and unusual punishment. In other words, just as a court in our time cannot impose penalties beyond certain limits, so also the judges of Israel could not dictate a punishment out of proportion to the damage done. If one man had wrongfully taken the sight of another, the offender could suffer no more in punishment than the loss of his own sight.

Too much of the world’s ethic today is also to: 1) strike back; 2) get even; 3) do unto others like they do to you. Many times the justification for retaliation is that ancient law, “… an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.”

In the New Testament, Jesus says in Matthew 5:38-39, “You have heard that it was said, 'Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.' But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.” This suggests discussion and likely debate in the Jewish community on the Old Testament law and the interpretation given to it by the judges, scribes and Pharisees. With this expression, Jesus is saying there is a contrast between what He is teaching and what the Jewish leaders have taught. Jesus dismissed the rule of eye-for-eye as invalid. He was not contradicting Scripture, but rather its misapplication.

Jesus continues in the rest of the passage in v. 40-42 and says, “And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.” Jesus’ teaching here is confronting the popular misuse and abuse of the Old Testament law, known as the law of retaliation.

What does Jesus mean? Who is the evil person? The following four examples in this passage clarify this. The evil person is the person who: 1) slaps you on the cheek; 2) sues you for your clothes; 3) asks you to go a mile; or 4) asks you for money.

Notice also the change in perspective Jesus is giving compared to the Old Testament law. The Old Testament law addressed what the judges should do to the person who committed a criminal offense related to murder or maiming. Jesus has a different perspective. He addresses the issue on what you should do if offenses of conflict or insult happen to you. Jesus addresses not what the court or government should do, but what a disciple and Christ-follower should do when he or she is offended.

We understand the original teaching from the Old Testament is made with the intention to limit violence, and violent retribution or revenge. So, to begin with we start with something essentially good - made with proper intent to limit violence. Jesus will take it further in this passage, just as he has done with the other Laws he has cited and expounded further. Here Jesus warned his disciples not to resist violence with more violence. This was contrary to the OT passages cited above. Evil, and the evil person, can be overcome only by good. This keeps us free from anger -- from being poisoned by the evil directed against us and its destructive forces -- and instructs his followers to maintain Christian tolerance and restraint. It brings both us and our enemies under the yoke and umbrella of God's love.

What should Jesus’ disciples and followers do? Do not resist or retaliate? Yes, but Jesus’ call to discipleship goes beyond a passive response. He further calls us to take positive action: 1) turn the other cheek; 2) give your cloak as well as your tunic; 3) go the extra mile; and 4) give or lend to the person who asks you.

Jesus’ teaching is not merely legal and technical, but extends deeply and profoundly into the practical situations of conflict, oppression, and the needs of everyday life. When we are offended or insulted, we have two choices: we can escalate the conflict with retaliation, or we can de-escalate the conflict. Jesus calls his disciples and followers to be peacemakers in situations of conflict and instead extend a blessing.

Matthew 5:9 says, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.”

[answered by Pastoral Intern, Ray Lee]

Q: During one of the sermons, the pastor said that Jesus understands all the problems we have since He had gone through them Himself. Had He really been through all our issues? What about bad marks, crushes, etc? Had Jesus been through them too?

A:  I believe the sermon that you are referring to is the May 16th 2010 one on John 11.  It can be found here. 

In the Bible, it tells us that Jesus is the Son of God, but came down in the form of a human being to die for us and give us new life.  The Bible tells us also that Jesus was treated like a human being;  He was tempted for 40 days (Mark 1:12-13), He was scorn by the people and was also mistreated.

In Hebrews 4:14-16, it says this:

¹⁴Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. ¹⁵For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin. ¹⁶Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

 This passage gives us the reassurance that whatever we are going through, Jesus understands.  Your question about bad marks may not be applicable for Jesus, but has He gone through stress? Yes.  Has He experienced disappointments?  Yes!

Jesus lived in a time that is very different than the times we live in.  And although He may not have gone through exactly the same things that we are doing through, Hebrews tells us that He can sympathize with our emotions.  He knows what it feels like to be betrayed, He knows what it feels like to fail, He knows what it feels like to lose a loved one. 


[answered by Pastor KJT]

Q: How does God want me to see Him?

God has chosen to reveal Himself through His Son Jesus Christ, who is the “image of the invisible God” (Colossians 1:15). Therefore, we are to view Jesus as THE example of who God is. As God has revealed Himself throughout His word, His ultimate revelation is through the life of Jesus Christ His Son. We are to view God through His Word become flesh (a Man) as it says in John 1.

[Answered by Pastor Shu-Ling]

What happened to Jesus' body when he went to heaven?

"It's not like only his Spirit went, because his body would be somewhere right? I'm sure his body didn't fall form the sky a few days later. But if it IS in heaven, and since we humans will only have the spirit going to heaven, would Jesus' body be the only physical body in heaven?"

Interesting question! Let's read Acts 1:9 for clues: "And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight." Jesus' body was LIFTED UP, indicating Jesus retains a physical human body as he ascended to heaven. Acts 1:11 also tells us that Jesus will someday return in the same physical body. This is what is known as the Doctrine of the Incarnation: The eternal God took human nature on himself and became a person who is both fully God and fully man. These two verses show that he will remain fully God and fully man forever.

In regards to what happens to our bodies when we go to heaven, read Phil 3:20-21: “But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.”

We don't just go to heaven as spirits! Jesus will return one day and give us new glorified resurrected bodies. Think of a seed that is buried in the ground and dies. After a while, it will emerge as something more glorious and beautiful than we could ever imagine. When a Christian dies, we too are buried but likewise spring forth with a glorified resurrected body. The difference between our body now and our future resurrected body is that our body now is mortal and can be subject to sin, but our glorified body is not. It cannot be subject to sin or suffering.

[Answered by Pastor HM]

Q: What color was Jesus' skin?

Interesting question! The New Testament does not give us a description of what Jesus looked like. The only thing we know is that Jesus was a Jewish male who was born in Bethlehem; raised in Nazareth and did most of his ministry in the city of Galilee. So he would most likely looked like any other Jewish, middle-eastern male at the time.

[Answered by Pastor HM]

Q: Is Jesus a hedonist or an altruist?

Hedonism is the principle that life should be devoted to gaining maximum pleasure or happiness.

Altruism is unselfish concern for the welfare of others.

I believe Jesus was both. Jesus endured the cross ... for what reason? Hebrews 12:1-2 tells us He did it "for the joy that was set before him." Jesus found the greatest joy, peace and happiness in obeying God the Father. He was secure and satisfied enough in His Father's love that he was able to unselfishly love and give to others. In fact, the same Hebrews verse tells us that Jesus "endured the cross" despite shame for us. Sacrifical death is the ultimate act of altruism.

For further reading, I'd recommend Dr. John Piper's site. Among other things, Dr. Piper is known for his writing on Christian hedonism. His most famous work is entitled, Desiring God: Meditations of a Christian Hedonist. Here is an excerpt from his website:

Nowhere in the Bible does God condemn people for longing to be happy. People are condemned for forsaking God and seeking their happiness elsewhere (Jeremiah 2:13). This is the essence of sin. The Bible actually commands us to delight in the Lord (Psalm 37:4). Jesus teaches us to love God more than money because our heart is where our treasure is (Matt. 6:21). Paul wants us to believe that gaining Christ is worth the loss of everything else (Phil 3:8) and the author of Hebrews exhorts us to endure suffering, like Jesus, for the joy set before us (Heb. 12: 1-2). Examine the Scriptures and you'll see this over and over again. Christian Hedonism is not a contradiction after all. It is desiring the vast, ocean-deep pleasures of God more than the mud-puddle pleasures of wealth, power or lust.

I'd also recommend this article.

[Answered by Pastor HM]

Q: Will Mormons Go to Heaven?

..."I was reading this blog (http://www.revelife.com/706157613/are-mormons-christians/) and the comments, but couldn't come to a conclusion; so my question is do Mormons go to heaven? And what specifically does God ask of us (ie believing Jesus died and rose again and etc)"



A: Wow, this question is one big can of worms! It opens up a lot of discussion and could be quite controversial.

Firstly, please visit THIS site. It's from CARM (Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry) and will give you an overview of Mormonism and may answer some questions you have.

I want to focus on what CARM says about the teachings of Mormonism. You can go HERE and follow along.

Salvation (point #18 on the website above) - Mormonism teaches that Jesus' sacrifice was not enough to save us from our sins (c), that good works are necessary for salvation (d), and that there is no salvation if we do not accept Joseph Smith as the prophet.

Those 3 points (among others), contradict the Protestant teachings on salvation and are directly related to the question at hand.

Firstly, Jesus' sacrifice was not only ENOUGH, it is the ONLY act that could save us from the sins that hold us captive.
Secondly, because we are were not able to save ourselves from those sins and we were not also able to keep the laws that God gave us, Jesus Christ was given to us t save us from those sins and reconnect us back to God. THUS, there is nothing we can do on our own terms to gain us salvation. The gift of salvation is just that - a gift. All we have to do is accept, and we don't work for it.
Thirdly, the cleansing of sins (atonement) can only be granted to us by someone who is without sin, and that ONLY someone is Jesus Christ. Thus, we believe in no one else because everyone is fallible, other than our Saviour.

I've also taken the time to skim through the official Mormon website (www.mormon.org). Here are some of my responses to what they are teaching:

The following is a quote from their website on Jesus Christ as their Saviour:
"Faith in Jesus Christ and repentance prepare you for baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost. Jesus Christ taught that everyone must be baptized of water and of the Spirit for the forgiveness of sins. Through baptism by one who holds God’s priesthood authority and through receiving the Holy Ghost, you will be spiritually reborn. After baptism, God promises to give you the gift of the Holy Ghost, who will guide, comfort, and help you know and recognize truth. The gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored through revelation from God to the Prophet Joseph Smith and other prophets. You can know for yourself that these things are true by asking Heavenly Father in prayer." (http://www.mormon.org/mormonorg/eng/basic-beliefs/jesus-christ-our-savior/jesus-christ-our-savior#d)

There are many things that I find wrong with this statement. Let's break it down:

Firstly, faith in Jesus Christ, yes, does prepare you for baptism as baptism should be the natural reaction of accepting Christ. However, the "gift of the Holy Ghost" (also known as the Holy Spirit) does not come AFTER accepting Christ. The Trinity comes as a whole: Father, Son the Holy Ghost and does not break down during the process of accepting Christ.

Also, the forgiveness of sin is done through believing in Jesus Christ...and NOT through baptism. For Christians, atonement comes in the form of accepting Christ as God's Son and our Saviour and does not include baptism as a prerequisite for salvation. Furthermore, it's not AFTER the baptism that you receive the gift of the Holy Ghost...that "gift" is available immediately after accepting Christ.

As Christians, we believe that Jesus and salvation is available to all of us who receive and who believe. Baptism is NOT the way to receive eternal life.


The following is another quote from their website:

"As you continue to exercise faith in Christ, repent from your sins, and renew your covenants, you will enjoy continued guidance from the Holy Ghost. If you endure to the end of your life and stay true to your covenants, you will receive eternal life." (http://www.mormon.org/mormonorg/eng/basic-beliefs/the-commandments/endure-to-the-end)

Heaven is a gift given to us through grace. As in, we are not required to do anything to receive it because we simply do not have the capacity to make our wrongs right. And so what this should actually say is: ¹⁶"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son,^a]">[a] that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16).


THUS, after reading their teachings what they do in order to gain salvation, my conclusion would be that those adhering to the Mormon faith and believe in their teachings, will not end up in heaven.

Their teachings simply go against the Christian doctrine and the true teachings of the Bible. Christianity is a monotheistic faith (meaning we believe in one God), but throwing Joseph Smith, their prophet into the mix, as well as teaching good works will gain salvation is blasphemous.

Bottom line: salvation is given to anyone who believes Jesus Christ as the Saviour. We do not have to do anything to gain this free gift and we certainly do not have to believe in another person as a prophet. Christ is the ONLY Saviour who is without sin, and therefore, could take our sins away for us.


[answered by Pastor KJT]

Q: Does my orthodox Jewish friends need to believe in Jesus in order to be saved?

"People who came before Jesus only needed to have faith in a coming Messiah and the Jews today still have faith in a coming Messiah. If so, how can I spread the gospel so they would understand?"

This is a very good question. Jewish people today, like their ancestors, reject Jesus because He failed to do what they expected their Messiah to do - namely to destroy evil and their enemies and establish a kingdom where Israel as a victorious, preeminent nation in the world.

Why is this the case? We must remember that Jesus did not deliver them from Roman occupation! Additionally, he was eventually arrested and crucified, at which point many Jews stopped believing in Him as the promised Messiah. Moreover, in the Gospel according to Luke, we actually find that it was the Jews there that demanded his crucifixion (Luke 23: 18-25). From their perspective, Jesus was both undermining orderly Roman rule (e.g. forbidding taxes, claiming to be king, stirring up the people) AND seducing the Jewish people to abandon their religion (e.g. changing the way people thought about keeping the Sabbath, offering sacrifices in the temple, separating themselves from “sinners”).

This is why they rejected him; they could not accept the fact that God had a different plan of redeeming Israel and the rest of the world through the Messiahship of Jesus.

The Apostle Paul talks about the spiritual blindness of Israel in his letter to the Romans (chapters 9-11). For hundreds of years, Israel had been the one nation that looked to God, while other nations rejected Him. Yet when the Messiah came, they were the ones that rejected Him. As Paul explains, this hardening of the hearts of Jewish people lead to the blessing of other nations who would believe in Jesus as Messiah; as Lord and Savior. Summarily, it is clear from the Scriptures that - because Jesus, the prophesied Messiah of the Old Testament, came - it is only through Him that a person is saved (John 14:6, Acts 4:11-12).

That being said, the 2nd part of your question is about evangelizing Jews. Before I continue, I want to point out that I grew up in Thornhill, and most of my friends were Jews, so I can relate to this question well. In general, my Jewish friends would identity themselves as Jews, but would not consider themselves "religious." They would see their Jewish heritage much like how I would see my Asian one. Most of my friends did not identify with any Jewish movement, and much Jewish theology is foreign to them.

Thus, to evangelize Jews, it is important to first understand exactly what they believe, and what their objections are toward faith in Christ. For some, it may be the history of Jewish persecution at the hands of Christians, or the Church. For others, it could be the fact that by accepting Jesus, they would be turning their back on their entire culture. Still, for others, the objection could be they do not feel like they truly need a savior. For your orthodox Jewish friends, I would think they simply reject Jesus because they do not believe He was the true Messiah. So, the first step would be to figure this out. The second would be to talk about Jesus and the gospel in terms that make sense to them. For instance, if your friend rejects Jesus as a false Messiah, you will have to explain how Jesus did in fact come as the prophesied Messiah of the Scriptures. The group, Jews for Jesus, have many resources that may help. Third, remember to bathe your evangelism in prayer (as only God can truly change a heart!) and do it in love, gentleness, sensitivity, compassion and with a listening, non-judging heart.

Hope this helps.

[Answered by Pastor HM, who still keeps in contact with some of his Jewish friends from elementary school]

Q: God sent Jesus, His son to bear the consequences of our sins. Why did God have to send someone ELSE down to do it?

...Couldn't He have taken the wrath upon Himself?

Actually, God did take on the wrath Himself.

When Jesus died on the cross, that WAS God dying for us. It's often confusing to think about God as three persons (this is what is known as the Trinity; God in 3 persons: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit). This means that Jesus and the Father are one in the same. You can find out more by reading this post here about the Trinity, answered by Pastor HM.

When Christ came down to earth, He came as a human being. This was the only way in which Jesus could have taken the sin for us. Jesus was a SINLESS man that died for SINFUL people. He died on the cross, in our place, for our sin, thereby taking the wrath of God away from us.

[answered by Pastor KJT]

Q: Did anyone see God (literally) and live to tell about it?

What a thought-provoking question that combines aspects of theology, human capability, revelation, and Scriptural accounts! Or it might be that you’re curious and wondering what God meant when He told Moses in Exodus 33:20 that, “No man can see Me and live!” Maybe you just watched Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark. Either way, the answer to your question is a resounding ‘Yes!’, but also a regretful ‘No!’.

The Old Testament offers several accounts of people encountering God. Some of these were in the form of visions, dreams, or angels of the Lord. However, other accounts specifically mention an encounter with God on a very close and personal level, appearing as the Lord Almighty. But how can this be if God himself said that He can not be seen? Is this a contradiction?

To approach this question, we first have to come to an understanding of the nature of God, existing in the Trinity (the Lord existing as the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit) and the magnitude of His glory.

On the one side, those who have seen Jesus, have seen God, because He is the Son and the Incarnate One, the person of the Trinity that has the full nature of both a human and God. The apostle Paul talks Jesus as being the image of the invisible God in Colossians 1:15. This refers to the encompassing spiritual nature of God. Some interpretations refer to some of the encounters of God in the OT as meeting with the Son. The first chapter of John talks about Jesus as God being made flesh. And yes, people saw Him and lived to tell about it: that’s why we have the gospels.

But it is also true that God has not been seen. This specifically deals with His complete glory and holiness, attributed to the Father in heaven. He has not been seen, nor can be seen due to humanity’s fallen and sinful nature. If the fullness of God was revealed to us, we would be consumed. Even though we long to know God even more, we will only be able to see God when we are completely made holy and new (sanctified), with the resurrection of the body.

Here is a good SITE to check out that takes a look at the verses which recount times in which people have seen God and compares them to verses which claim that no one has seen God or cannot see Him for that matter.

Also, check out this ONE, which talks about if anyone has seen God.

[Answered by Jon, who believes in what is seen and unseen]

Q: Are God and Jesus the same beings? When I pray I imagine God and Jesus to be different people.

This is a good question, friend. The doctrine of Trinity means there is one, true and living God that exists eternally in three persons: God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. These three persons share the same divine nature yet are different in role and relationship (see figure above). 

Pastor Mark Driscoll of Seattle writes the following concerning the persons of the Trinity:

“Person” does not mean that God the Father or God the Spirit became human beings. Rather, it means that each memberof the Trinity thinks, acts, feels, speaks, and relates because they are persons and not impersonal forces. Further, each member of the Trinity is equally God, which means that they share the divine attributes, such as eternality, omniscience, omnipotence, and omnipresence.

[HERE is the rest of the article]

Though this definition of the Trinity appears simplistic, it is not and therefore, it is a highly confusing topic for many people. While many Christians have heard that God exists in three persons, many seem to think that God merely manifests himself as either Father, Son or Holy Spirit on different occasions. This is the theological error known as modalism. Another theological error often made is that of tritheism, which overemphasizes the distinction between the three persons of the Trinity. 

In terms of prayer, I would say, feel free to pray to any persons of the Trinity, because you are praying to GOD, who exists in three persons. Here is an article (entitled "Who can we pray to?") which addresses this issue specifically.

[Answered by Pastor HM]

Q: Where does the Easter Bunny and Easter Eggs come from?

When I spoke at Thornlea Secondary School, I was asked to talk about the origin of Easter, among other things. HERE is a good article about this topic. Another is found HERE.

Summarily, for Christians, the origin of Easter is simply the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Sadly, traditions that have nothing to do with Jesus, such as the Easter Bunny and Easter Eggs have become very popular. In fact, two animated feature films have been commissioned about the Easter Bunny. One such films tells the story of how the Easter Bunny is injured by a reckless driver, forcing the driver to take up the role of Bunny in order to "save" Easter. How ironic. 

And sad.

Q: Why doesn't God just make Himself visible?

In every sunset, in every sunrise, every time a baby is born, every miracle that we witness – this is God at work.

Romans 1:19 – 20 says, "They know the truth about God because he has made it obvious to them. ²⁰ For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God."

Through the creation of this world, God has shown us who He is. Some refuse to see and believe it, some embrace it whole heartedly. The revelation of the existence of God is made available to all who wish to see it. For those who have a hardened heart and are unwilling to open their eyes and explore the possibility of a God, it will be hard pressed for them to ever come to that realization. Bottom line, how can we see God if we are not trying to?

Furthermore – God HAS made Himself visible to us. Through the person of Jesus Christ (read: Matthew 26:62-64). More than 2000 years ago, God made Himself a [divine] human being and came to die for our sins. Some believed and was able to see the truth of Jesus, yet some did not. Those who could not see this truth were the ones to who persecuted, condemned and crucified Him. God DID show Himself to us. People didn’t believe then, what makes us think that people can possibly believe in our present day?

In conclusion, open your heart, open your eyes, and open your minds. It’s easy to see God in the wonders of this world, He wants us to. Are you willing to allow Him to show you that revelation?

[answered by Kelly J. Tam]

Q: When did Jesus know that He was God?

It is difficult to pinpoint exactly when Jesus knew He was the Son of God (second Person of the Trinity) since it is not clearly stated in the Bible. However in Scripture, it shows that the pre-incarnate (pre-human) Christ always knew He was the Son of God (second Person of the Trinity). In John 8:58, Jesus fully realized who He was “I tell you the truth, Jesus answered, before Abraham was born, I am”. Further on in John 17:5, Jesus says, “And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.”

Even before He came to this world through incarnation (human form), He already knew His role/purpose that He would die for our sins. (Rev. 13:8). Moreover, though we do not have clear Biblical reference revealing the thoughts of Jesus as a baby, we can at least conclude through Scripture that as a young child Jesus was well aware of His role His father has sent Him to accomplish on earth.

In Luke 2:46 – when His parents were concerned about His being mission on a trip to Jerusalem, they found Him in the temple, “sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions.” When confronted, Jesus told His parents “Why were you searching for me?" he asked. "Didn't you know I had to be in my Father's house?"

Even though his parents did not understand Him, Jesus at the age of 12 already understood that He was the Son of God and the Father has foreordained the work He was to do. After the above incident in the temple, we are told that “Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men” (Luke 2:52)

If at this point of his life Jesus knew everything, it would not be logical that He would need to “increase in wisdom.” Not only did Jesus have to grow physically (in stature), He also had to put Himself in a position where He needed to take on knowledge as a man. Even though He was and is always God, He also needed to be truly and fully man. (except for sin)

As such He is able to experience things such as temptation and hunger. In order to accomplish this, He emptied Himself from any physical characteristics of divinity and took on a form of a man. Isaiah sums it up nicely when He said, “He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him” (Isaiah 53:2).

Summary:  From this there is one thing we can we certain of, the pre-incarnate Jesus always knew who He was and what His work in the world was to be. Through Scripture, we can safely conclude that the incarnate Jesus came to that realization at some point in His early life. However if this point was the second when He was born, we cannot be certain.  

[Answered by George Mah]