Above is a pic of my youngest daughter and me.
My Husband, My brother in Christ
Phriday Philippians: Things Ethical and Divine (Php. 1:9)
Real knowledge (epignosis), according to the NT Greek Lexicon is defined as precise and correct knowledge: used in the NT of the knowledge of things ethical and divine (used 20 times in the NAS). This word is a Greek feminine noun. In OT Hebrew, the feminine noun for knowledge, according to the OT Hebrew Lexicon, (used 6 times) is defined as knowledge of God (de'ah).
I studied the verb form, masculine noun form, etc., but found it most interesting to study the Greek NT and Hebrew OT feminine noun forms together. I am not a scholar, but it was a joy to think upon such a profound word. KNOWLEDGE.
I had written previously about what knowledge is not. {{{shudder}}}
It was much more edifying to study what it is ... and even what hinders real knowledge.
Let me begin with what hinders it. (of course, bottomline SIN!!! But let me go a little further with that)
1. Deceit and evil
2. Blatant disregard for God and His holiness
3. Focused on works righteousness
4. unrepentant
5. Ever-learning... but not teachable
6. Entangled by the defilements of this world
7. Arrogance
(I'm sure there is more, but I will stop there)
I'll write about what real knowledge is next time. In the meantime, consider reading the following Scriptures...
Some New Testament passages of Scripture that use epignosis:
Ro 1:28 And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper,
Ro 3:20 because by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin.
Ro 10:2 For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not in accordance with knowledge.
Eph 1:17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him.
Eph 4:13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fulness of Christ.
Col 1:9 For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,
Col 1:10 so that you may walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;
Col 2:2 that their hearts may be encouraged, having been knit together in love, and attaining to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a true knowledge of God's mystery, that is, Christ Himself,
Col 3:10 and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him
2Ti 2:25 with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth,
2Ti 3:7 always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
Tit 1:1 Paul, a bond-servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the faith of those chosen of God and the knowledge of the truth which is according to godliness,
Heb 10:26 For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins,
2Pe 1:2 Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord;
2Pe 1:3 seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.
2Pe 1:8 For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
2Pe 2:20 For if after they have escaped the defilements of the world by the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and are overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first.
Some Old Testament passages of Scripture that use de'ah:
1Sa 2:3 "Boast no more so very proudly, Do not let arrogance come out of your mouth; For the Lord is a God of knowledge, And with Him actions are weighed.
Ps 73:11 And they say, "How does God know? And is there knowledge with the Most High?"
Isa 11:9 They will not hurt or destroy in all My holy mountain, For the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord As the waters cover the sea.
Isa 28:9 "To whom would He teach knowledge? And to whom would He interpret the message? Those just weaned from milk? Those just taken from the breast?
Jer 3:15 "Then I will give you shepherds after My own heart, who will feed you on knowledge and understanding.
