ἄγνωστος

unknown

Definition

The adjective ἄγνωστος means 'unknown' or 'unknowable.' In its single New Testament occurrence in Acts 17:23, it describes an altar inscription 'TO AN UNKNOWN GOD' (ἈΓΝΩΣΤΩ ΘΕΩ). Here, it refers to a deity whose specific identity was not known or recognized by the Athenian worshippers. The word can imply something that is not merely unfamiliar but potentially beyond human knowledge or comprehension. While the biblical use focuses on a lack of identification, the philosophical background of the term could extend to the concept of something inherently unknowable.

Biblical Usage

This word is used only once in the New Testament, in Acts 17:23. The Apostle Paul encounters an altar in Athens dedicated 'to an unknown god.' Paul uses this cultural artifact as a rhetorical starting point to proclaim the true God, whom the Athenians did not know. The usage is contextual, highlighting the gap between human religious searching and divine revelation.

Etymology

Derived from the alpha-privative prefix ἀ- (a-, meaning 'not' or 'without') and the adjective γνωστός (gnōstos, G1110), meaning 'known,' 'perceived,' or 'recognized.' γνωστός itself comes from the root γινώσκω (ginōskō, G1097), 'to know.' Thus, ἄγνωστος literally means 'not known' or 'unknowable.'

Semantic Range

This word is theologically significant as it sets the stage for Paul's sermon on the Areopagus in Acts 17. It represents human ignorance of the true God and the limits of pagan religion. Paul seizes on this admission of 'unknown' to reveal the God who is knowable through creation, providence, and ultimately Jesus Christ (Acts 17:24-31). Understanding this Greek term highlights the contrast between human spiritual searching and God's self-revelation.

In the Greco-Roman world, especially in Athens, altars to 'unknown gods' were a known phenomenon. They were intended as a precaution to avoid offending any deity whose name might have been overlooked in worship. This reflects a polytheistic culture anxious to cover all religious bases. Paul's reference would have been immediately recognizable to his Athenian audience.

ἄγνοια (agnoia, G52) — a noun meaning 'ignorance,' focusing on the state of not knowing rather than the quality of being unknown. κρυπτός (kryptos, G2927) — means 'hidden' or 'secret,' implying concealment rather than simple lack of knowledge.

Word Details

Scripture References