Click player to listen to Nancy’s answer recorded live on Moody Radio, Mornings with Kelli and Steve.
Jesus was always God and no doubt was aware of it at a young age.
John 1:1, Jesus, as the “word,” was with God in the beginning and was God. It is the clear teaching of Scripture that Jesus was aware of His divinity.
Jesus was always part of the Trinity.
It is a good question to ask because after the birth of Jesus, Scripture does not say at what exact point in time that He knew that he was God. Scripture is clear in teaching that Jesus was 100% human and 100% God. When he became man, he was still God and still gave up certain divine attributes while on earth (nourishment and sleep). We also know that Jesus, as a perfect human being, “grew in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and man” (Luke 2:52)
Knowing that Mary and Joseph knew full well that He was the Son of God would have no doubt talked about it continually. Jesus was there and would been able to understand this at a very young age. Elizabeth and his cousin John knew that Jesus was the Messiah. There would be no need to hide this from Him. When he was two, the wise men came to worship the King. Simeon and Anna recognized Him as the one God sent (Luke 2:22-38). At the age of 12, the religious teachers were amazed at His wisdom (Luke 2:41-50). He knew that he was about His Father’s business.
Jesus taught His divinity and gave evidence by His healings and miracles. His ultimate proof came through His resurrection from the dead on the third day, after which He appeared to many witnesses (1 Corinthians 15). When Thomas saw the resurrected Jesus, he exulted, “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28).
Jesus was born of a woman and grew as other humans. Yet, He also was full deity within His human form, including full knowledge that He is divine. He may not have made this public at an early age, but that does not mean that He was unaware of his deity.