Luke 2:40 Meaning: Jesus Grew in Wisdom? How Can That Be?

The Greek verbs here are important for understanding what this verse says about Jesus' humanity. The first verb, “grew” (auxanō), is in the imperfect tense: He was continually growing. Growth was not instantaneous but gradual, day by day. The second verb, “waxed strong” or “was being strengthened” (krataioō), is in the passive voice. Jesus did not strengthen Himself; He was strengthened, likely by the Holy Spirit, as His humanity matured. Being “filled with wisdom” (sophia) also uses a passive participle: He was being filled. Wisdom was not infused all at once but increased as His mind developed. Finally, “grace” (charis) here carries the sense of favor or approval, not unmerited favor for sinners. God’s pleasure rested upon Jesus as He lived a perfect human life. These words together paint a picture of real, steady growth.

Christians across traditions agree that this verse reveals Jesus’ genuine human development. Early church fathers used this verse to argue against Apollinarianism, which claimed Jesus did not have a human soul. Calvin and other Reformed commentators stress that the growth refers only to His human nature; His divine nature could not increase. Wesleyan and Methodist traditions highlight the gradual communication of divine wisdom to His human mind. The Cambridge Bible notes that this verse is a stronghold against the heresy that denied Jesus’ full humanity. All traditions affirm that Jesus was truly God and truly man, and that His growth in wisdom does not diminish His divinity but rather shows the depth of His condescension.

A common misreading is that because Jesus is God, He must have possessed all knowledge from the moment of His birth. This leads some to think that His growth in wisdom was just a show or that He secretly knew everything all along. In fact, the Greek grammar points to a real process. The passive verbs (“was being strengthened,” “being filled”) indicate that Jesus’ human mind genuinely developed. He learned to read Scripture, to pray, to obey His parents. He grew in understanding as any child does, though without sin. This makes His humanity truly like ours.

This verse invites you to trust the slow work of growth. You may feel impatient with your own spiritual progress, wishing you understood more or struggled less. But if the Son of God Himself grew in wisdom gradually, then you are allowed to grow at God’s pace. This week, when you feel frustrated with how slowly you are changing, remember this verse. Jesus took thirty years to prepare for three years of ministry. You can trust that God’s grace is upon you even in the waiting, even in the small, unseen steps. You do not need to have everything figured out. You only need to keep growing, day by day, under the favor of God.