Knowledge
KNOW; KNOWLEDGE [isbe]
KNOW; KNOWLEDGE - no, nol'-ej (in Hebrew chiefly yadha`, noun da`ath; in Greek ginosko, oida' "to know fully," epiginosko, noun gnosis epignosis): Knowledge strictly is the apprehension by the mind of some fact or truth in accordance with its real nature; in a personal relation the intellectual act is necessarily conjoined with the element of affection and will (choice, love, favor, or, conversely, repugnance, dislike, etc.). Knowledge is distinguished from "opinion" by its greater certainty. The mind is constituted with the capacity for knowledge, and the desire to possess and increase it. The character of knowledge varies with its object. The senses give knowledge of outward appearances; the intellect connects and reasons about these appearances, and arrives at general laws or truths; moral truth is apprehended through the power inherently possessed by men of distinguishing right and wrong in the light of moral principles; spiritual qualities require for their apprehension spiritual sympathy ("They are spiritually judged," 1 Cor 2:14). The highest knowledge possible to man is the knowledge of God, and while there is that in God's infinity which transcends man's power of comprehension (Job 11:7,9), God is knowable in the measure in which He has revealed Himself in creation (Rom 1:19,20, "that which is known of God," etc.), and supremely in Jesus Christ, who alone perfectly knows the Father, and reveals Him to man (Mt 11:27). This knowledge of God in Jesus Christ is "life eternal" (Jn 17:3). Knowledge is affirmed of both God and man, but with the wide contrast that God's knowledge is absolute, unerring, complete, intuitive, embracing all things, past, present, and future, and searching the inmost thoughts of the heart (Ps 139:1,23); whereas man's is partial, imperfect, relative, gradually acquired, and largely mixed with error ("Now we see in a mirror darkly .... in part," 1 Cor 13:12). All these points about knowledge are amply brought out in the Scripture usage of the terms. A large part of the usage necessarily relates to natural knowledge (sometimes with a carnal connotation, as Gen 4:1,17), but the greatest stress also is laid on the possession of moral and spiritual knowledge (e.g. Ps 119:66; Prov 1:4,7,22,29; 8:10, etc.; Lk 1:77; Rom 15:14; 2 Pet 1:5,6). The highest knowledge, as said, is the knowledge of God and Christ, and of God's will (Hos 6:6; Rom 11:33; Eph 1:17; 4:13; Phil 1:9; 3:8; Col 1:9,10, etc.). The moral conditions of spiritual knowledge are continually insisted on ("If any man willeth to do his will, he shall know of the teaching, whether it is of God," Jn 7:17). On the. other hand, the pride of intellectual knowledge is condemned; it must be joined with love ("Knowledge puffeth up, 1 Cor 8:1). The stronger term epignosis is used to denote the full and more perfect knowledge which is possessed in Christ, the conditions of which are humility and love. Of knowledge as connoting favor, choice, on the part of God, there are many examples (Ps 1:6, Yahweh knoweth the way of the righteous"; Gal 4:9, "know God, or rather to be known by God"; compare Rom 8:29, "whom he fore-knew").ectual knowledge as the Divine omnipotence is different from muscular strength. Consequently, the passage of this knowledge into a human intellect is impossible, and the problem of the incarnation should be stated: What effect did Divine omniscience in the person have on the conscious intellect of the manhood? There is so little help from the past to be gained in answering this question, that it must remain open at present--if, indeed, it is ever capable of a full answer. But that ignorance in the intellect of the manhood is fully consistent with omniscience in the person seems to be not merely a safe answer to the question as stated, but an inevitable answer if the true humanity of Christ is to be maintained at all.See FOREKNOWLEDGE.
James Orr
Knowledge [nave]
KNOWLEDGEOf good and evil, Gen. 2:9, 17; 3:22.
Is power, Prov. 3:20; 24:5.
Desire for, 1 Kin. 3:9; Psa. 119:66; Prov. 2; 3; 12:1; 15:14; 18:15.
Rejected, Hos. 4:6.
Those who reject are destroyed, Hos. 4:6.
Fools hate, Prov. 1:22, 29.
A divine gift, 1 Cor. 12:8.
Is pleasant, Prov. 2:10.
Shall be increased, Dan. 12:4.
The earth shall be full of, Isa. 11:9.
Fear of the Lord is the begiing of, Prov. 1:7.
Of more value than gold, Prov. 8:10.
The priest's lips should keep, Mal. 2:7.
Of salvation, Luke 1:77.
Key of, Luke 11:52.
Now we know in part, 1 Cor. 13:9-12.
Of God more than burnt offering, Hos. 6:6.
Of Christ, Phil. 3:8.
See: Wisdom.
KNOWLEDGE [bridgeway]
Among the many abilities God gave human beings is the ability to think, know and reason. Their knowledge may range from knowing people to knowing things. It may be both practical and theoretical, and it may cover the concrete and the abstract, the seen and the unseen. Above all, human beings have the capacity to know God. That knowledge is to be valued above all others and will affect all others (Jer 9:23-24; John 17:3).A relationship
God wants the people of his creation to know him. This does not mean merely that they should know about him, but that they should know him personally through coming into a relationship with him (Jer 24:7; 31:34; Hosea 6:6; John 17:3; 1 John 4:6,8; 5:20). Similarly God knows those who are his – those whom he has chosen, those whom he has taken into a spiritual union with himself (Deut 34:10; Amos 3:2; Matt 7:23; John 10:27; 2 Tim 2:19). In fact, people can know God only because God has first known them; that is, loved them, chosen them and made them his own (Exod 33:17; Jer 1:5; John 10:14; Gal 4:9).
Because knowledge, in biblical language, can mean ‘to be brought into a close relationship with’, a man and a woman were said to ‘know’ each other when they had sexual relations (Gen 4:25; 19:8; Matt 1:25). Knowledge could also mean ‘to have dealings with’, ‘to be concerned with’, or ‘to regard’ (Deut 33:9; Rom 7:7; 2 Cor 5:16,21).
The Bible also speaks of knowledge according to the word’s more common meaning in relation to understanding and learning. Yet even in such cases the knowledge usually has a very practical purpose. When people come to a knowledge of the truth, they grow in that truth through learning more of God and his ways (Ps 119:125; 1 Tim 2:4; 2 Peter 1:5; 3:18; see TRUTH). If people profess to be God’s people but do not know or obey his law, they only bring God’s judgment upon themselves (Isa 5:13; Jer 4:22; Hosea 4:6; John 9:39-41; Heb 5:12-13). The person who exercises a reverent submission to God has already taken the first step towards true knowledge. To refuse to go further is to act like a fool (Prov 1:7,22; 2:1-5; 8:10; see WISDOM).
Christian experience
People need at least some knowledge before they can have true faith in Jesus Christ as Saviour. Therefore, Christians must make known the facts about Jesus Christ (Rom 10:14). Those who believe must increase their knowledge of God and all that he has done for them through Jesus Christ. As a result they will know more of the power that Christ has made available to them, and will be able to worship him better (Eph 1:17-23).
If Christians are to make correct decisions in life and develop character of true quality, they must increase their knowledge of God and his Word. They cannot expect to do God’s will unless first they know it (Ps 32:8-9; Phil 1:9-11; Col 1:9-10; see GUIDANCE).
The knowledge that Christians are to seek can be obtained only as their minds are renewed and developed according to their new life in Christ (Rom 12:2; Col 3:2,10; see MIND). They must remember, however, to put into practice what they learn (Ps 119:34; John 13:17; James 1:22; 1 John 2:4). They must remember also that in using their knowledge, they should act with humility before God and with love and consideration towards others (Dan 10:12; 1 Cor 8:1-2; 13:2).
Knowledge and morality
There is therefore no suggestion in the Bible that knowledge excuses people from self-discipline. This was one of the errors of Gnosticism, a heresy that did much damage to the church during the second century. (The word ‘Gnostic’ comes from the Greek word gnosis, meaning ‘knowledge’.)
Forerunners of the Gnostics appeared in the church in New Testament times. These ‘knowing ones’ claimed to have a knowledge not shared by ordinary Christians, a claim that Paul strongly denied. The treasures of God’s wisdom are found in Christ, not in Gnosticism, and are available to all God’s people, not just to those who are specially enlightened (Col 2:2-4,8-10,18-19; 3:1-3; cf. 1:9,28; see COLOSSIANS, LETTER TO THE).
The Gnostics’ belief that all matter was evil led to opposite extremes of behaviour. Some of the Gnostics kept strict laws in an effort to avoid contact with the material world. Others, realizing that withdrawal from the material world was not possible, made no such effort. They even claimed that behaviour was irrelevant, because by their superior knowledge they had risen above the evil material world into a realm where deeds were of no importance. They could sin as they liked and still be Christians. The apostle John met this claim with a flat contradiction (1 John 3:9; see JOHN, LETTERS OF).
John pointed out that knowledge, far from being a substitute for morality, leads to morality. If people know God, they will keep his moral commandments (1 John 2:3-4). If they know Christ, they know that Christ died to save people from sin and turn them to the way that is right (1 John 2:29; 3:5-6,24; see ASSURANCE).
