"And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways; To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins, Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us, To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace." (Luke 1: 76-79)
In the words "knowledge of salvation" we have another Genitive. In my view, and the view of most commentators, it is to be viewed as an objective Genitive and therefore means "knowledge for/unto salvation." It could also be a Genitive of Apposition and mean therefore "salvation knowledge" or "knowledge which is salvation."
Also, the preposition "by" should be translated as "in" being the Greek preposition "en." The verse therefore says "to give knowledge for salvation unto his people in the remission of their sins." To keep "by" as the correct preposition would affirm that salvation knowledge comes after remission of sins, remission being the condition or means for obtaining salvation knowledge. It makes more sense to see salvation knowledge as that which accompanies remission of sins. This translation also is in keeping with the many verses of scripture to which we have already called attention and which make knowledge of God, the Gospel, and Christ the means of salvation.
Long ago the Psalmist twice asked:
"Have all the workers of iniquity no knowledge? who eat up my people as they eat bread, and call not upon the LORD." (Psa. 14: 4; 53: 4))
The world's elite who reject God and his revelation in the scriptures and in the Gospel are without the knowledge of God, being agnostic rather than Gnostic. They are pretenders to true knowledge. To borrow new testament Greek words that are used to describe those who are by choice "without knowledge of God," we may say that they are idiots and morons, mere "educated fools," people who actually know and believe nothing of the truth about God, creation's origin and destiny, etc. From reality's perspective, yea, from God's perspective (and that of his servants), the knowledge of the secular elite is "vain knowledge" (Job 15: 2) or "false knowledge" (I Tim. 4: 6). In the same way the apostle James, brother of the Lord, spoke of worldly wisdom as "descending not from above," and as being "earthly, sensual, devilish," (Jas. 3: 15), so too with with worldly knowledge.
Wrote Jude and Peter:
"But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves." (1: 10)
"But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption." (II Peter 2: 12)
On the passage in Jude, Albert Barnes wrote in his Commentary:
"But what they know naturally - As mere men; as animals; that is, in things pertaining to their physical nature, or in which they are on a level with the brute creation. The reference is to the natural instincts, the impulses of appetite, and passion, and sensual pleasure. The idea of the apostle seems to be, that their knowledge was confined to those things. They did not rise above them to the intelligent contemplation of those higher things, against which they used only the language of reproach. There are multitudes of such men in the world. Towards high and holy objects they use only the language of reproach. They do not understand them, but they can rail at them. Their knowledge is confined to the subjects of sensual indulgence, and all their intelligence in that respect is employed only to corrupt and destroy themselves.
As brute beasts - Animals without intelligence. Notes, 2 Peter 2:12. In those things they corrupt themselves - They live only for sensual indulgence, and sink deeper and deeper in sensual gratifications."
Knowing how to live without God and righteous character is the kind of knowledge that wicked infidels have; knowing how to live independently of God. Men may be so smart that they can send rockets into space, make nuclear bombs, build mammoth structures, etc., but how has it made mankind's character and ethics any better? Some say that "advances" in knowledge of the physical world, of causes and effects, have given man the "better life," and in some ways that is no doubt true, but 1) has it not also brought on many evils too? and 2) has it brought anyone closer to knowing God the Creator? and 3) how is it on balance, by a cost benefits analysis?
Jeremiah, similarly to Jude and Peter, wrote this indictment of the people in his time:
"Every man is brutish in his knowledge: every founder is confounded by the graven image: for his molten image is falsehood, and there is no breath in them." (Jer. 10: 14)
Animalistic thinking of depraved man! Carnal knowledge it is. Hedonistic knowledge. Knowing how to lie, steal, cheat, murder, etc. Fallen man has learned a lot about knowing how to sin and do evil. The Psalmist chimes in similarly.
"O Lord, how great are thy works! and thy thoughts are very deep. A brutish man knoweth not; neither doth a fool understand this." (Psa. 92: 5-6)
There are millions of academic and scientific elites who know nothing of God and his works. In this area they are "willingly ignorant." (II Peter 3: 5) Wrote Isaiah the prophet:
"The ox knows his owner, and the ass knows his master's crib: but Israel does not know, my people do not consider." (Isa. 1: 3)
All unbelievers, no matter how much knowledge of the physical world they obtain, do not know who is their owner and benefactor. They do not know or believe that all their good comes from God. They do not know that the physical world was made by him and is governed by him. In all these areas domesticated animals know more than the world's elite.
The foundation of all knowledge of higher truth about God and his works of creation and providence is a fear of the Lord, a fear that includes belief in him.
"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction." (Prov. 1: 7)
As you may recall the same thing is said about wisdom.
"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding." (Prov. 9: 10)
So, how do we obtain true knowledge of God? It first begins with seeking it. Wrote Solomon:
"Yea, if you cry after knowledge, and lift up your voice for understanding; If you seek her as silver, and search for her as for hid treasures; Then shall you understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God." (Prov. 2: 3-5)
Seek "the knowledge of God" as people seek wealth and treasure? How many do this? Do not most seek earthly wealth far more than they seek knowledge of God? A seeking of the knowledge of God is proof that we are pleasing God and obtaining his approval. Further, it is a sure promise that is given. Anyone who seeks "the knowledge of God" will be sure to "find" it in the same way hidden treasure is found by treasure hunters.
Approved By Gospel Knowledge
"But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in watchings, in fastings; By pureness, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned..." (II Cor. 6: 4-6)
One of the ways in which believers "approve" or "commend" themselves as servants of God is "by knowledge." Not only is this approval outward towards our fellow men, but it is upward towards God. Paul exhorted Timothy to "be diligent to show yourself approved unto God." (II Tim. 2: 15) God approves of people who seek divine knowledge above all other things.
Evidences Of Knowledge
"Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation (behavior) his works with meekness of wisdom." (James 3: 13)
How do we know if we, or others, have the knowledge of God? One thing for sure, it must come from God himself, from his revelation, from the scriptures, which are his word to us. Whether one truly knows "the things of God" is determined by the person's "works" (activities) and "conversation" or "behavior." Does the knowledge that is professed have "meekness" and humility attached to it? Or, does our supposed knowledge make us proud and arrogant? Does it make us high minded?
What are the fruits of saving knowledge? What are its evidences? Paul had much to say about the fruit and evidence of true love and charity (I Cor. 13). Did he not also say much about the changes in character that result from knowledge of God and belief of the Gospel?
How does theological knowledge of God and his works, by the Christian, differ in its effects than that of Pagan knowledge, or knowledge of atheists?
True knowledge of God, intimate knowledge of him, conviction of divine revelation of the holy scriptures, is superior because it is correct and real. Wrote Paul to the Corinthians in this his first epistle to them:
"But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him. Howbeit there is not in every man that knowledge." (8: 6-7)
To have Christian knowledge, or saving knowledge, one must believe that there is "but one God, the Father." This is what the scriptures everywhere affirm. If one believes in more than one God, then he is ignorant and knows nothing of the truth. The smartest people in Paul's day, the elite, were often people who believed in "gods many and lords many." In India today, there are lots of intelligent people in math and science and yet who, like all Hindus, believe in myriads of gods and goddesses, and in myriads of lords and demons.
To have saving knowledge one must know and believe that "all things" are a result of that one God (all things owe their origin to the Creator), and that all creatures and things are "in him," seeing he fills heaven and earth and is everywhere present. Correct theology also includes knowledge and belief that the Lord Jesus Christ is the instrument of "all things." All is "by him." This recalls Romans 11: 36. "For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen."
Also of his words to the Colossians:
"For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist." (1: 16-17)
To have saving knowledge of God is also to know that all things are not only "from" God the Father, and that all are within his providence and knowledge (or "in him") and that all things are "by" the Son of God.
When Paul says "there is not in every man that knowledge" he means that they do not know God, or the truth of things about life and creation.
The Fragrance Of Gospel Knowledge
"But thanks be to God, who always leads us as captives in Christ’s triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of him everywhere. For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are an aroma that brings death; to the other, an aroma that brings life. And who is equal to such a task?" (II Cor. 2: 14-16 NIV)
The "pleasing aroma (or fragrance)" of the knowledge of God and of Christ is a delight to believers! But, all do not think the Gospel smells so good. To rebels of the knowledge of God the truth of the Gospel, and the bible in general, it smells rotten, and to such the aroma of Gospel knowledge becomes toxic, an aroma that "brings death." On the other hand, those who delight in the aroma of Gospel knowledge find life in its perfume.
Every believer should put on this kind of perfume every day. He will then smell good to the Lord, like the sacrifices which he accepted, as Paul wrote, saying -
"And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God." (Eph. 5: 2)
Christ is that sacrifice that pleases the Father. Burning human flesh is not a very fragrant smell. However, as we all know, cooking meat on an open fire can put out very pleasant aromas (as we know from the odors coming from restaurants and outdoor grills). Christians are they who present their "bodies" to the Lord as "living sacrifices" (Rom. 12: 1) and the Lord mixes in his own fragrance to those sacrifices to make them pleasant to the nostrils of God. On this subject Paul also wrote:
"I have received full payment, and more. I am well supplied, having received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent, a fragrant offering, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God." (Phil. 4: 18)
The Christian's good deeds are like "fragrant offerings." What makes the sacrifices and prayers of Christians fragrant to the Lord is the presence of the virtue of Christ's own sacrifice mixed with them. This is what we see happening in the Apocalypse.
"And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel's hand." (Rev. 8: 3-4)
Prayer is compared to sweet smelling incense. Wrote the Psalmist: "Let my prayer be set before you as incense." (Psalm 141: 2)
Difference Between Wisdom & Knowledge
What is the difference between wisdom and knowledge? Said one source (emphasis mine):
"The primary difference between the two words is that wisdom involves a healthy dose of perspective and the ability to make sound judgments about a subject while knowledge is simply knowing. Anyone can become knowledgeable about a subject by reading, researching, and memorizing facts. It’s wisdom, however, that requires more understanding and the ability to determine which facts are relevant in certain situations. Wisdom takes knowledge and applies it with discernment based on experience, evaluation, and lessons learned...Wisdom is also about knowing when and how to use your knowledge, being able to put situations in perspective, and how to impart it to others." (here)
Years ago I recall talking with my seminary professor about the difference between wisdom and knowledge. I said to him that "wisdom was the proper use of knowledge." I recall him saying that such was true but my definition was kind of "bland." Nevertheless, one can find several slightly different ideas about the difference and yet the definition I gave is the basic difference. The citation above also says much the same thing. So too did Solomon when he wrote:
"The tongue of the wise uses knowledge aright: but the mouth of fools pours out foolishness." (Prov. 15: 2)
Wisdom involves "using knowledge aright." This thought is well captured in the famous "serenity prayer."
“God, grant me the Serenity to Accept the things I cannot change, Courage to change the things I can, and Wisdom to know the difference.”
We as believers look for the day when "the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord." (Hab. 2: 14) There will come a day when the earth will be populated by only people who know and love God and our Lord Jesus Christ.
"And they shall not teach every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest." (Heb. 8: 11)
Glorious day! Do you know the Lord today?
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