If Jesus is God, why does he obtain authority after he's resurrected?

Question

Matthew 28:18-20 (NIV):

Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.

As we (should) know, Jesus is God (not the Father, but he's still God) [John 1:1, 5:58-59, 10:30-33, 20:26-29, Hebrews 1:8, Tito 2:11-14; 2 Peter 1:1] and the creator of all things [John 1:1-3; Colossians 1:15-16], but then why does he have authority over all things (in heaven and on earth) only after the resurrection?

Is it something he never had and received it from the Father only after he had resurrected, or did he have it before when he was with the Father and let it aside when he became human [Philippians 2:5-8], but received it again after his resurrection?

Answer 1

It is reasonable to assume that Jesus' human station should be accounted for by this new bestowal of authority.

Although it was not yet evident, humans were originally intended to rule the earth. Being given the role of ruling the planet meant that humans were "crowned with glory and honor". But that's not what we see because of Adam and Eve's fall. But according to Hebrews, this is what we actually see:

"But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone. For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering." (Hebrews 2:9-10)

Jesus became human: "we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels."

Furthermore, Jesus received dominion over the earth and was "crowned with glory and honor" as a result of His complete submission to the point of death. This brought back God's original intent for people. We have hope that we will receive a share of the same reward that Jesus did when we decide to adopt the same attitude.

Jesus wants to "bring many sons to glory." This is his mission. This refers to giving those who take up the same attitude as Jesus and walked, in dependent obedience, the same tremendous prize for obedience.

1. The doctrine of kenosis or self-emptying:

This says that Jesus, in his incarnation, voluntarily limited his divine prerogatives, including his authority, to fully experience human life and fulfill his mission of redemption.

The kenosis is the act of Christ taking on a human nature with all of its limitations, except with no sin. (Gotquestions)

Philippians 2:7 NKJV says:

but ^[a]made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.

The footnote says: a. Philippians 2:7 emptied Himself of His privileges

Philippians 2:7 does not say what the Son of God "emptied" Himself of. This is important to note. Therefore, we need to exercise caution so that we don't interpret the Bible in a different way.

Whatever the “emptying” entailed, Jesus remained fully God:

Colossians 2:9 says

For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily;

Matthew 28:18-20 could be seen as a restoration of the full divine authority that Jesus had set aside during his earthly ministry.

Answer 2

Without any intention to disrespect other viewpoints, I give below my understanding of this highly controversial topic:

Answer

Jesus is God in the same way as the Father is God (Father and His "only" Son cannot be of different natures). However, in between, the Scripture informs clearly that God Jesus “emptied Himself” of His divine attributes and became a human being.

This made it necessary for Him to obtain authority from God the Father.

(A correction to the OP: Jesus obtained all authority long before His resurrection (Mat 11:27; Luke 10:22; John 3:35; 5:22; 13:3 etc.)

Explanation

What did Jesus empty Himself of?

The Scripture is very clear here:

“subsisting in the form of God” “emptied Himself” “taking the form of a servant” (Phlp 2:6-7).

Jesus emptied the form of God, that is, He emptied Himself of His divine attributes literally!

There was no magic here; no concealment; no limiting of His divine power. He forsook all divine power and became a true human being.

Hence, Jesus said:

“I am able to do nothing from Myself” (John 5:30).

“Then Jesus answered and said to them, Truly, truly, I say to you, The Son is not able to do anything from Himself” (John 5:19).

“But concerning that day and the hour, no one knows, not the angels, those in Heaven, nor the Son, except the Father” (Mark 13:32).

God in flesh

This is why the Scripture states:

“And confessedly, great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in flesh” (1 Tim 3:16).

Thus, we understand that Jesus, though in the form of a human, was still God in flesh. Hence He wielded authority; the authority from God the Father.

“For He was teaching them as having authority, and not as the scribes” (Mat 7:29).

“But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on the earth to forgive sins” (Luke 5:24).

[Forgiving sins is only for God]

Conclusion

Jesus was God, but became man for a short time and resumed His earlier nature (Rev 1:18).

Jesus as God had all authority but when He emptied Himself of His divine attributes, He forsook the divine authority also. But God the Father gave all authority back to Him when He was alive as a human being:

“All things were yielded up to Me by My Father” (Mat 11:27). “The Father loves the Son and has given all things into His hand” (John 3:36). “For the Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son” (John 5:22).