Know; Knowledge
The Biblical Concept of Knowledge
In modern usage, knowledge typically refers to factual information or intellectual comprehension. The biblical concept runs much deeper. The primary Hebrew word for knowing conveys personal experience and intimate relationship, not merely mental awareness. When Genesis says Adam "knew" his wife Eve (Genesis 4:1), it expresses the most intimate human connection. This same word describes God's relationship with His people: "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you" (Jeremiah 1:5). Biblical knowledge is never detached or abstract — it always involves the whole person, engaging mind, will, and heart together.
The Knowledge of God
The highest form of knowledge in Scripture is the knowledge of God. The prophet Hosea declared God's desire: "I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings" (Hosea 6:6). This knowledge is not merely knowing about God but knowing God Himself in a personal, covenantal relationship. Jesus defined eternal life in terms of knowledge: "Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent" (John 17:3). Paul counted everything as loss "compared to the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord" (Philippians 3:8). The prophets envisioned a day when "the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea" (Isaiah 11:9; Habakkuk 2:14).
God's Knowledge: Complete and Searching
While human knowledge is partial and imperfect, God's knowledge is absolute, exhaustive, and penetrating. Psalm 139 offers the most extended meditation on this theme: "You have searched me, LORD, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar" (Psalm 139:1-2). God's knowledge extends to every detail of creation and every secret of the human heart: "Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight" (Hebrews 4:13). He knows the future as well as the past: "I make known the end from the beginning" (Isaiah 46:10). This complete divine knowledge is both a source of comfort for the faithful and a warning to those who imagine their sins are hidden.
The Limits and Dangers of Human Knowledge
Scripture consistently reminds humanity of the limitations of its knowledge. Job was humbled when God challenged him: "Who is this that obscures my plans without knowledge?" (Job 38:2). Paul acknowledged, "Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known" (1 Corinthians 13:12). Human knowledge, when divorced from God, leads to pride. The tree in Eden was the "tree of the knowledge of good and evil" (Genesis 2:17), and the desire for knowledge apart from God's command led to the fall. Paul warned that "knowledge puffs up while love builds up" (1 Corinthians 8:1), and that intellectual attainment without love is spiritually empty.
Knowledge, Wisdom, and Obedience
In the biblical worldview, genuine knowledge is inseparable from wisdom and obedience. Proverbs declares that "the fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge" (Proverbs 1:7), establishing that true understanding starts with reverence for God. Jesus taught that obedience is the pathway to knowledge: "Anyone who chooses to do the will of God will find out whether my teaching comes from God" (John 7:17). James insisted that knowledge must produce action: "Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says" (James 1:22). Knowledge without corresponding obedience is not true biblical knowledge at all.
Growing in the Knowledge of Christ
The New Testament presents knowledge as something that should continually grow in the life of a believer. Paul prayed that the Colossians would be "growing in the knowledge of God" (Colossians 1:10), and Peter urged Christians to "grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 3:18). This growth involves the renewal of the mind (Romans 12:2), the illumination of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 2:10-12), and the study of Scripture (2 Timothy 3:15-17). The goal of this growing knowledge is not academic expertise but transformation into the image of Christ (Colossians 3:10).
Biblical Context
Knowledge appears throughout the entire Bible. In Genesis, the tree of knowledge introduces the theme of human aspiration and limitation (Genesis 2:17). The wisdom literature extensively explores knowledge (Proverbs 1:7; 2:5; Ecclesiastes 1:18; Job 38:2). The prophets emphasize knowing God (Hosea 6:6; Isaiah 11:9; Jeremiah 31:34). Jesus taught about knowing God and being known by Him (John 10:14; 17:3). Paul developed the theology of knowledge extensively (Romans 11:33; 1 Corinthians 8:1; 13:12; Philippians 3:8; Colossians 1:9-10).
Theological Significance
Knowledge in Scripture reveals the relational nature of God. He desires to be known and to know His people intimately. The biblical emphasis that knowing God is eternal life (John 17:3) places knowledge at the very center of salvation. The contrast between God's perfect knowledge and human limitations teaches humility and dependence. The insistence that knowledge must be joined with love (1 Corinthians 8:1) and obedience (John 7:17) prevents faith from becoming merely intellectual and keeps it personal and transformative.
Historical Background
The Hebrew concept of knowledge as relational and experiential stood in contrast to Greek philosophical approaches that emphasized abstract, rational knowledge. When Christianity spread into the Hellenistic world, the tension between these views produced significant theological discussions. Gnostic movements in the early centuries claimed salvation through secret knowledge, a view the church firmly rejected. The apostle Paul's warnings about knowledge that puffs up (1 Corinthians 8:1) and 'falsely called knowledge' (1 Timothy 6:20) likely addressed early forms of such thinking. The Dead Sea Scrolls reveal that the Qumran community also placed great emphasis on divinely revealed knowledge.