Why was Jesus so ignorant?

God’s critics love to claim that Jesus is not the eternal Son of God.   And why do they say it?  Among other things, because Jesus supposedly did not know when the Second Coming would take place.  They reckon, if He was God’s eternal Son, He would have known it.  

Terrible of Jesus to be so ignorant!  Jesus told His disciples, ‘No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.’  Matthew 24:36 

However, there is a very good reason that the Father did not reveal the date to  Jesus.  Jesus faithfully reported what He heard from His Father:

• ‘…I [Jesus] told you the truth I heard from God.’  John 8:40b 
• ‘…I [Jesus] did not speak of My own accord, but the Father who sent Me commanded Me what to say and how to say it….  So whatever I say is just what the Father has told Me to say.’  John 12:49-50b

If the Father revealed the date to the Son, the Son would have revealed it to the disciples.  With that knowledge the disciples through the ages could have lapsed into complacency, and ‘postponed’ holy living.  After all, why trouble yourself when you know the end will come only in 500 or 1,000 years?   Why not eat, drink, be merry and forget the Lord?

God desires that we live holy lives.  ‘Since everything will be destroyed in this way [when the day of the Lord comes], what kind of people ought you to be?  You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the Day of God and speed it’s coming.’  2 Peter 3:11-12  

Conclusion

God wants each generation of the saved to seek Him and live as if Jesus might come at any time.  God wants us to be filled with the Holy Spirit and live in a relationship with Him.  The accusation that Jesus was ‘ignorant’ does not hold water.  God kept the information about the Second Coming hidden from Jesus for a good practical reason.  For our benefit.