The other day I was studying a particular scripture and this little fact jumped out at me. Turns out this is crucial to our understanding of a deeper life with Jesus.
There are at least two different Greek words that Bible translators translate as “knowledge.” One is “gnosis” and the other is “epignosis.” The “epi” prefix means something in the Greek language, and in this case it sets apart epignosis from gnosis. Gnosis is simply head knowledge, as in:
“Knowledge (gnosis) makes arrogant, but love edifies” (1 Corinthians 8:1).
“O Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to you, avoiding worldly and empty chatter and the opposing arguments of what is falsely called “knowledge” (gnosis) — which some have professed and thus gone astray from the faith” (1 Timothy 6:20-21).
Here, “knowledge” means, basically, head knowledge, which is to know facts. But epignosis has a deeper meaning, and it’s the kind of knowledge that is absolutely necessary in order to have a deeper relationship with God. Epignosis is a deep, personal knowledge of someone or something based on personal experience, not just knowledge about something.
If I had only read books about my wife before I married her, and even if read letters from her and talked about her with her own family and friends, that would only result in gnosis. But experiential, personal knowledge comes only from spending time together and getting to know one another personally. That’s epignosis.
The New Testament often translates both words, gnosis and epignosis, as simply “knowledge.” Sometimes the New American Standard Bible will use “true knowledge” for epignosis, as in:
“His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the ‘true knowledge’ (epignosis) of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence” (2 Peter 1:3).
But often epignosis is translated simply “knowledge.” So it’s important, I think, to know the difference. At the end of this article I have included all the scriptures that use the Greek word “epignosis.”
Epignosis is this kind of knowledge:
“For I testify about them that they have a zeal for God, but not in accordance with knowledge (epignosis)” (Romans 10:2).
The Pharisees had a knowledge of God and His law, but it was not epignosis, it was only head knowledge. That’s precisely why they could never understand that Jesus was indeed the Messiah.
“Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge (epignosis) of the truth” (2 Timothy 3:7).
Those who opposed the gospel were learning plenty of gnosis, but that could never get them to “the knowledge of the truth” like epignosis could.
“For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge (epignosis) of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding” (Colossians 1:9).
Here, epignosis is necessary for operating in the center of “his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding.” This is perhaps the best way to describe epignosis – it allows us to step into all wisdom and spiritual understanding.
Where does this “true knowledge” come from? Is it some kind of gift, must we strive for it, must we work to achieve it, must we beg God for it? I believe my earlier illustration about getting to know my wife is a good example. It’s about relationship. Isn’t this what it always boils down to?
God’s first and foremost goal for us is to simply be in a personal relationship with Him. This is far more important to Him than anything we can do for Him, any ministry we can focus on, any kind of good works we can get involved in, anything! The most important thing we can possibly do is to live out Romans 12:1-2:
“ Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.”
Step 1: Be a living sacrifice. A sacrifice does not get to decide what happens to it. When the priest was ready to sacrifice the lamb, the lamb had nothing to say about its own destiny. Its life was completely subjected to the will of the priest.
Step 2: Renew the mind. Being a living sacrifice without a renewed mind can be dangerous. We may be willing and ready to pour it all out for Jesus, but without a renewed mind we are subject to our own whims, deception from the enemy, and lies from the world around us. The lack of a renewed mind is perhaps the most common and deadly thing that keeps Christians ineffective in their relationship the Christ and the subsequent epignosis that can result.
How do we renew our minds? Simply soak in the Word of God. Dive in, spend the time, prayerfully study and understand God’s Word, which will change you from the inside out.
The following scriptures all use “epignosis.” It’s worth studying them and thinking about why the original writers would have chosen epignosis instead of simply gnosis. Both words are meaningful, but there is a good reason why God chose epignosis when He did!
Ephesians 4:13 “Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.”
Romans 1:28 “And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient.”
Romans 3:20 “Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledgeof sin.”
Romans 10:2 “For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.”
Ephesians 1:17 “That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him.”
Ephesians 4:13 “Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledgeof the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.
Philippians 1:9 “And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledgeand in all judgment.”
Colossians 1:9 “For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledgeof his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding.”
Colossians 1:10 “That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God.”
Colossians 2:2 “That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgementof the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ.”
Colossians 3:10 “And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him.”
1 Timothy 2:4 “Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledgeof the truth.”
2 Timothy 2:25 “In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledgingof the truth.”
2 Timothy 3:7 “Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledgeof the truth.”
Titus 1:1 “Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God’s elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness.”
Philemon 1:6 “That the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledgingof every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus.”
Hebrews 10:26 “For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledgeof the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins.”
2 Peter 1:2 “Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledgeof God, and of Jesus our Lord.”
2 Peter 1:3 “According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledgeof him that hath called us to glory and virtue.”
2 Peter 1:8 “For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledgeof our Lord Jesus Christ.”
2 Peter 2:20 “For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledgeof the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.”