Answering Islam - A Christian-Muslim dialog

Jesus Christ – The Omniscient Lord of Glory! [Part 2]

Sam Shamoun

We resume our response to Zaatari’s “rebuttal” to my thorough refutation. Here we are going to provide an in-depth look at the passages of John concerning the omniscience of the Lord Jesus in order to demonstrate that these passages mean what they say.


Examining Jesus’ Omniscience in light of the Johannine Corpus

According to Zaatari, the following statements:

“His disciples said, ‘Ah, now you are speaking plainly, not in any figure! Now we know that you know all things (hoti oidas panta), and need none to question you; by this we believe that you came from God.’ Jesus answered them, ‘Do you now believe?’” John 16:30-31

“He said to him the third time, ‘Simon, son of John, do you love me?’ Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, ‘Do you love me?’ And he said to him, ‘Lord, you know everything (kyrie, panta su oidas); you know (su ginoskeis) that I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Feed my sheep.’” John 21:17

Do not prove that Jesus is omniscient since the word for all or everything (pas) doesn’t have to necessarily mean everything or all things.

The problem with such an assertion is that Zaatari ignores the fact that John uses similar language in describing the knowledge of God:

“By this we shall know that we are of the truth, and reassure our hearts before him whenever our hearts condemn us; for God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything (kai ginoskei panta).” 1 John 3:19-20

And so does the apocryphal Jewish literature:

“Who has gone up into heaven, and taken her, and brought her down from the clouds? Who has gone over the sea, and found her, and will buy her for pure gold? No one knows the way to her, or is concerned about the path to her. But he who knows all things (alla ho eidos ta panta) knows her, he found her by his understanding.” Baruch 3:29-32

Thus, if pas doesn’t necessarily mean that Jesus knows everything then God doesn’t know everything either since the inspired author and certain Jewish sources apply virtually identical language to describe the extent of the knowledge of both God and Christ.

Furthermore, Zaatari failed to take notice of the exact words of Jesus’ followers who said,

“His disciples said, ‘Ah, now you are speaking plainly, not in any figure! Now we know that you know all things, and need none to question you; by this we believe that you came from God.’” John 16:29-30 

Not only did the disciples believe that Jesus knew all things they also came to the conclusion that he didn’t need to have anyone question him anymore. The point here is that there is no further need to question Jesus in order to test his knowledge since they are now convinced that he does know everything.

To put this in another way so Zaatari doesn’t miss the point, the questions weren’t asked for the purpose of learning but to see whether Jesus knew what he was talking about. And since they finally came to the realization that Jesus is omniscient it would therefore be futile and unnecessary to question him any further.

This is similar to the way Jesus questioned the religious authorities,

“Now while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them a question, saying, ‘What do you think of the Christ? Whose son is he?’ They said to him, ‘The son of David.’ He said to them, ‘How is it then that David, inspired by the Spirit, calls him Lord, saying, “The Lord said to my Lord, Sit at my right hand, till I put thy enemies under thy feet”? If David thus calls him Lord, how is he his son?’ And no one was able to answer him a word, nor from that day did any one dare to ask him any more questions.” Matthew 22:41-46

Christ’s questions served the purpose of exposing the ignorance of his religious opponents. His interrogation showed the people that those whom they considered to be knowledgeable concerning the things of God really weren’t since they didn’t know the Scriptures.

Hence, by saying that Jesus didn’t need to be questioned anymore the disciples were simply reiterating their conviction that Christ was indeed omniscient. 

Moreover, there are additional indications in the Gospel which further demonstrate that Jesus actually knew all things. For instance, we are told that Jesus knew all men and knew what is in a man: 

“Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover feast, many believed in his name when they saw the signs which he did; but Jesus did not trust himself to them, because he knew all men (dia to auton ginoskein pantas) and needed no one to bear witness of man; for he himself knew what was in man.” John 2:23-25

Jesus also knew what people were saying or thinking within themselves, as well as knowing beforehand who truly believed and who didn’t:

“Many of his disciples, when they heard it, said, ‘This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?’ But Jesus, knowing in himself that his disciples murmured at it, said to them, ‘Do you take offense at this? Then what if you were to see the Son of Man ascending where he was before? It is the spirit that gives life, the flesh is of no avail; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. But there are some of you that do not believe.’ For Jesus knew from the beginning who those were that did not believe, and who it was that would betray him.” John 6:60-64(1)

In one instance Christ knew a woman’s personal life in quite some detail: 

“Jesus said to her, ‘Go, call your husband, and come here.’ The woman answered him, ‘I have no husband.’ Jesus said to her, ‘You are right in saying, “I have no husband”; for you have had five husbands, and he whom you now have is not your husband; this you said truly.’” John 4:16-18

He further knew that his friend Lazarus had died even though he wasn’t physically present at the location of his death:

“Thus he spoke, and then he said to them, ‘Our friend Laz'arus has fallen asleep, but I go to awake him out of sleep.’ The disciples said to him, ‘Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover.’ Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that he meant taking rest in sleep. Then Jesus told them plainly, ‘Laz'arus is dead; and for your sake I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.’” John 11:11-15

Finally, Jesus foretold his betrayal in language reminiscent to the way the OT describes the knowledge of God:

“Jesus said to him, ‘He who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but he is clean all over; and you are clean, but not every one of you.’ For he knew who was to betray him; that was why he said, ‘You are not all clean.’ … ‘I am not speaking of you all; I know whom I have chosen (ekelekamen); it is that the scripture may be fulfilled, “He who ate my bread has lifted his heel against me.” I tell you this now, before it takes place, that when it does take place you may believe that I AM HE (hina pisteusete hotan genetai hoti ego eimi). Truly, truly, I say to you, he who receives any one whom I send receives me; and he who receives me receives him who sent me.’ When Jesus had thus spoken, he was troubled in spirit, and testified, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me.’ The disciples looked at one another, uncertain of whom he spoke. One of his disciples, whom Jesus loved, was lying close to the breast of Jesus; so Simon Peter beckoned to him and said, ‘Tell us who it is of whom he speaks.’ So lying thus, close to the breast of Jesus, he said to him, ‘Lord, who is it?’ Jesus answered, ‘It is he to whom I shall give this morsel when I have dipped it.’ So when he had dipped the morsel, he gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. Then after the morsel, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, ‘What you are going to do, do quickly.’ Now no one at the table knew why he said this to him. Some thought that, because Judas had the money box, Jesus was telling him, ‘Buy what we need for the feast’; or, that he should give something to the poor… Simon Peter said to him, ‘Lord, where are you going?’ Jesus answered, ‘Where I am going you cannot follow me now; but you shall follow afterward.’ Peter said to him, ‘Lord, why cannot I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.’ Jesus answered, ‘Will you lay down your life for me? Truly, truly, I say to you, the cock will not crow, till you have denied me three times.’” John 13:10-11, 18-29, 36-38

Compare Jesus’ words with the following OT text:

“You be my witnesses, and I too am a witness, says the Lord God, my servant whom I have chosen (ekelekamen): that you may know and believe and understand that I AM HE (hina gnote kai pisteusete kai sunete hoti ego eimi): before me there was no other God, and after me there shall be none. I am God, and beside me there is no Savior.” Isaiah 43:9-11

Thus, just like Yahweh chose Israel Jesus chose the disciples. And just like Yahweh’s knowledge of the future was meant to show his people that he is the I AM Jesus’ prediction also served the purpose of convincing his disciples that he is also the great I AM!


Corroborating Evidence

John isn’t the only inspired author who testifies that Jesus is omniscient. In the first part of our rebuttal we presented evidence from Mark to show that even the Synoptic Gospels taught this truth. Here we would like to present some additional proof to demonstrate that this is the consistent teaching of the entire NT.   

The first example comes from the inspired book of Acts:

“In the first book, O The-oph'ilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus (ho Iesous) began to do and teach, until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commandment through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen (tois apostolois … hous ekelekato). To them he presented himself alive after his passion by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days, and speaking of the kingdom of God. And while staying with them he charged them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, ‘you heard from me, for John baptized with water, but before many days you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ So when they had come together, they asked him, ‘Lord (kyrie), will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?’ … In those days Peter stood up among the brethren (the company of persons was in all about a hundred and twenty), and said, ‘Brethren, the scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke beforehand by the mouth of David, concerning Judas who was guide to those who arrested Jesus. For he was numbered among us, and was allotted his share in this ministry. (Now this man bought a field with the reward of his wickedness; and falling headlong he burst open in the middle and all his bowels gushed out. And it became known to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the field was called in their language Akel'dama, that is, Field of Blood.) For it is written in the book of Psalms, “Let his habitation become desolate, and let there be no one to live in it”; and “His office let another take.” So one of the men who have accompanied us during all the time that the Lord Jesus (ho kyrios Iesous) went in and out among us, beginning from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us -- one of these men must become with us a witness to his resurrection.’ And they put forward two, Joseph called Barsab'bas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthi'as. And they prayed and said, ‘You, Lord, who know the hearts of all men (su kyrie kardiognosta panton), show which one of these two you have chosen (ekelekto) to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside, to go to his own place.’ And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthi'as; and he was enrolled with the eleven apostles.” Acts 1:1-6, 15-26

It is apparent from the context that the Lord whom the disciples prayed to is the Lord Jesus, the very One who chose them, and whom they were now asking to reveal Judas’ replacement. What makes this rather amazing is that the first Christians – all of whom were Jews – not only prayed to the risen Lord they also believed that he knows the hearts of all men! According to Acts itself this is a knowledge which belongs to God!  

“And after there had been much debate, Peter rose and said to them, ‘Brethren, you know that in the early days God made choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe. And God who knows the heart (kai ho kardiognostes theos) bore witness to them, giving them the Holy Spirit just as he did to us;” Acts 15:7-8

Other NT books agree:

“Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with sighs too deep for words. And he who searches the hearts of men knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.” Romans 8:26-27(2)

Hence, the first Jewish Christians worshiped Jesus and acknowledged the he is the Lord who knows all!

Our next examples come from the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, both of which claim that Jesus knew the thoughts of men’s hearts:

“But when the Pharisees heard it they said, ‘It is only by Be-el'zebul, the prince of demons, that this man casts out demons.’ Knowing their thoughts, he said to them, ‘Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and no city or house divided against itself will stand;’” Matthew 12:24-25

“On another sabbath, when he entered the synagogue and taught, a man was there whose right hand was withered. And the scribes and the Pharisees watched him, to see whether he would heal on the sabbath, so that they might find an accusation against him. But he knew their thoughts, and he said to the man who had the withered hand, ‘Come and stand here.’ And he rose and stood there. And Jesus said to them, ‘I ask you, is it lawful on the sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to destroy it?’ And he looked around on them all, and said to him, ‘Stretch out your hand.’ And he did so, and his hand was restored. But they were filled with fury and discussed with one another what they might do to Jesus.” Luke 6:6-11

“An argument arose among them as to which of them was the greatest. But Jesus, knowing the reasoning of their hearts, took a child and put him by his side,” Luke 9:46-47

Not only does Jesus know what a person thinks he will even repay and reward every single individual for all that s/he has done:

“And to the angel of the church in Thyati'ra write: ‘The words of the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and whose feet are like burnished bronze. I know your works, your love and faith and service and patient endurance, and that your latter works exceed the first… And all the churches shall know that I AM HE (ego eimi) who searches mind and heart, and I will give to each of you as your works deserve.’” Revelation 2:18-19, 23b

This will take place when the Lord Jesus returns from heaven to gather all the nations to stand before his judgment seat:

“For the Son of Man is to come with HIS angels in the glory of HIS Father, and then he will repay every man for what he has done. Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.’” Matthew 16:27-28(1)

When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate them one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, and he will place the sheep at his right hand, but the goats at the left. Then the King will say to those at his right hand, ‘Come, O blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.’ … Then he will say to those at his left hand, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.’ … And they will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” Matthew 25:31-34, 41, 46(1)

“‘Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense, to repay every one for what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.’ … He who testifies to these things says, ‘Surely I am coming soon.’ Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!” Revelation 22:12-13, 20

“I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges me. Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then every man will receive his commendation from God.” 1 Corinthians 4:4-5

“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive good or evil, according to what he has done in the body. Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade men; but what we are is known to God, and I hope it is known also to your conscience.” 2 Corinthians 5:10-11

All of the above verses have Jesus doing the very work which the OT ascribes to Yahweh! After all, it is Yahweh who searches the hearts and minds in order to repay every single person:

“I the LORD search the mind and try the heart, to give to every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings.” Jeremiah 17:10; cf. 11:20; 29:23; Psalm 62:12; Proverbs 24:12; Isaiah 40:10-11; 62:11

“And you, Solomon my son, know the God of your father, and serve him with a whole heart and with a willing mind; for the LORD searches all hearts, and understands every plan and thought. If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will cast you off for ever.” 1 Chronicles 28:9

It is Yahweh who is the only One that knows the thoughts of a man’s heart:

“then you hear from heaven your dwelling place, and forgive, and render to each whose heart you know, according to all his ways (for you, you only, know the hearts of the children of men);” 2 Chronicles 6:30

And it is Yahweh who is coming to gather the nations before him in judgment:

“For behold, in those days and at that time, when I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem, I will gather all the nations and bring them down to the valley of Jehosh'aphat, and I will enter into judgment with them there, on account of my people and my heritage Israel, because they have scattered them among the nations, and have divided up my land… Hasten and come, all you nations round about, gather yourselves there. Bring down thy warriors, O LORD. Let the nations bestir themselves, and come up to the valley of Jehosh'aphat; for there I will sit to judge all the nations round about.” Joel 3:11-12

With the foregoing in perspective can there be any doubt that, as far as the witness of the NT is concerned, Jesus is omniscient in the same exact way that God is?  

We come to the final part of our rebuttal.


Jesus’s Prehuman Existence Revisited

Zaatari claims that John 16:25-31 proves his case that the disciples didn’t believe Jesus:

That was basically it from Shamoun concerning Peter in the Gospel of John. Shamoun did try to use John 16:25-31 to somehow show that this proved that Peter believed that Jesus was God, yet I have ALREADY BEEN QUOTING THAT VERSE TO PROVE THAT THEY DID NOT BELIEVE THAT JESUS WAS GOD!

The verses state that the disciples believe that Jesus was FROM GOD, not that he WAS GOD. Two different things, yes, Jesus was a prophet, so he was from God, he was SENT BY GOD as he himself testified! So the disciples finally believe he was sent from God, meaning his prophet.

Zaatari begs the question by once again assuming unitarianism. He assumes that since Jesus is from God the disciples could not have believed that he was also God. Let us first look at the passage once again to see what Zaatari has been incapable of adequately addressing:

“I have said this to you in figures; the hour is coming when I shall no longer speak to you in figures but tell you plainly of the Father. In that day you will ask in my name; and I do not say to you that I shall pray the Father for you; for the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have believed that I came from the Father. I came from the Father and have come into the world; again, I am leaving the world and going to the Father.” John 16:25-29

There are several points to glean from all of this. First, the God who sent Jesus is the Father. Since Muhammad denied that his god was the Father or a father to anyone (cf. 5:18; 19:88-93; 21:26) this means that the disciples were not worshiping the Allah of the Quran.

Second, Jesus says that he came from and would return to the Father, all of which speaks of his prehuman existence. According to John Jesus is the Son who existed with the Father in heaven before descending from there:

For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me.” John 6:38

“and now, Father, you glorify me in your own presence with the glory which I had with you before the world was made.” John 17:5; cf. John 3:13, 17; 6:32-33, 35, 41-42, 62; 8:23-24, 42, 56-59

Third, this Gospel further testifies that Jesus is both from God and is God:

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God [the Father], and the Word was God (in essence, in nature)… And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth; we have beheld his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father… No one has ever seen God; the only Son, who is God, the One who is in the bosom of the Father, he has made him known.” John 1:1, 14, 18

“Jesus said to her, ‘Do not hold me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brethren and say to them, I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’ … Thomas answered and said to him, ‘My Lord and my God!’ Jesus said to him, ‘Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe.’ John 20:17, 28-29

Thus, Jesus is God [the Son] who was sent from God [the Father] even though there is only one God (cf. John 5:44; 17:3).

Fourth, this idea of God sending God is not something that the NT came up with but an OT phenomenon just as the following passage shows: 

"Up! Escape to Zion, you who dwell with the daughter of Babylon. For thus said the LORD of hosts, after his glory sent me to the nations who plundered you, for he who touches you touches the apple of his eye: ‘Behold, I will shake my hand over them, and they shall become plunder for those who served them. Then you will know that the LORD of hosts has sent ME. Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion, for behold, I come and I will dwell in your midst, declares the LORD. And many nations shall join themselves to the LORD in that day, and shall be MY people. And I will dwell in your midst, and you shall know that the LORD of hosts has sent ME to you.’” Zechariah 2:7-11

Here Yahweh sends Yahweh to live in the midst of Yahweh’s people!

Thus, if we allow all of the NT to speak and not rip verses out of context, or force the inspired Scriptures to agree with our presuppositions, then there is absolutely no problem with God [the Father] sending God [the Son]. 

So much for Zaatari’s “rebuttal.” Lord Jesus willing, more rebuttals to follow shortly.


Endnotes

(1) As we had mentioned in the first part our rebuttal Jesus is identifying himself with the prophet Daniel’s Son of Man, the One who rules forever and who will be worshiped by all mankind:  

“I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a Son of Man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. And to him was given dominion and glory and kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve/worship him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.” Daniel 7:13-14

What makes this particular Son of Man rather amazing is that he rides the clouds of heaven like God, he rules like God, and is even worshiped like God! Thus, this Son of Man must be God appearing as a man even though he is also personally distinct from the Ancient of Days who also happens to be God (cf. Dan. 7:9-10, 22, 27)!

Jesus’ identity as this particular Son of Man helps us to better understand his words in the following passage:

“The Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son, that all may honor the Son, EVEN AS they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him… For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself, and has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of Man.” John 5:22-23, 26-27

Since God’s Son is the Son of Man he receives the authority to judge which results in everyone honoring him in the same exact way that they honor the Father.

Moreover, after his resurrection Jesus has been exalted to become Lord over all creation so that he may receive worship from every creature:   

“Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Philippians 2:9-11

Jesus is being depicted as receiving the very worship that the Son of Man receives and which the people shall someday render to God himself: 

“For thus says the LORD, who created the heavens (he is God!), who formed the earth and made it (he established it; he did not create it a chaos, he formed it to be inhabited!): ‘I am the LORD, and there is no other. I did not speak in secret, in a land of darkness; I did not say to the offspring of Jacob, “Seek me in chaos.” I the LORD speak the truth, I declare what is right. Assemble yourselves and come, draw near together, you survivors of the nations! They have no knowledge who carry about their wooden idols, and keep on praying to a god that cannot save. Declare and present your case; let them take counsel together! Who told this long ago? Who declared it of old? Was it not I, the LORD? And there is no other god besides me, a righteous God and a Savior; there is none besides me. Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other. By myself I have sworn, from my mouth has gone forth in righteousness a word that shall not return: “To me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear.”’” Isaiah 45:18-23

The following Evangelical scholar helps to put this all together:

“… Clouds often were associated with deity in the ancient world, and this being was no mere mortal… Another difficulty with the identification of the son of man as the people of God is that in v. 14 all the nations of the earth are said to ‘worship’ the son of man, and Scripture is clear that God alone is to be worshiped (cf. Rev 19:10). Another indicator of his deity is that the clouds accompany the son of man as he descends, and clouds commonly are associated with deity. Lacocque observes: ‘Out of a total of about a hundred occurrences in Scripture, in 70% of the cases, clouds refer to Sinai, or to the Temple (see I Kings 8.10-11; 2 Chr. 5.13-14; 2 Macc. 2:8; cf. the vision of the Merkaba in Ezek. 1:4 and 10:3-4), or to eschatological theophanies (Isa. 4.5; Ps. 97.2; Nahum 1.3).’ Young seems justified in stating, ‘There can be no question, but that Deity is intended here,’ and Baldwin remarks, ‘The son of man is not only king, but God, though, as is characteristic of apocalyptic style, this is conveyed in veiled terms.’ Verse 14 further reveals that ‘all’ humanity will worship the son of man, and ‘all’ humanity naturally would include the saints.” (The New American Commentary An Exegetical and Theological Exposition of Holy Scripture – Daniel, Stephen R. Miller [Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1994], Volume 18, pp. 207-209)

And:

“According to this verse, God’s kingdom is ‘everlasting’ and universal. Scripture is clear that the One who will rule the kingdom of God and receive worship from all the inhabitants of the earth is God the Son, Jesus Christ (e.g., Phil 2:9-11), and it is to him that this passage refers.

“Verses 13-14 related that the ‘son of man’ will be coronated as the ruler of a great kingdom, be worshiped by all peoples of the earth, and have an everlasting dominion. Verse 27 indicates that the kingdom in question is that of the ‘Most High.’ Therefore the Son of Man, Jesus Christ, is equated with the Most High God.” (Miller, Daniel, p. 217)

(2) The NT further ascribes this work of searching individuals to the Holy Spirit, who even knows the very thoughts of God:

“God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. For what person knows a man's thoughts except the spirit of the man which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is from God, that we might understand the gifts bestowed on us by God.” 1 Corinthians 2:10-12

Thus, the Holy Spirit is omniscient just like the Father and the Son.