KNOWLEDGE

Essentially, knowledge means familiarity with facts acquired by personal experience, observation, or study.

Knowledge of Jehovah God and discernment of his will combined with faith and trust therefore form the foundation of all true understanding on the part of his intelligent creatures.

“Knowledge of the Most Holy One is what understanding is,” and this includes understanding “righteousness and judgment and uprightness, the entire course of what is good.” (Pr 9:10; 2:6-9; 16:20)

The book itself sets forth its objective: “For one to know wisdom and discipline, to discern the sayings of understanding, to receive the discipline that gives insight, righteousness and judgment and uprightness, to give to the inexperienced ones shrewdness, to a young man knowledge and thinking ability.” (Pr 1:2-4)

With reference to himself, Solomon stated: “The congregator had become wise, he also taught the people knowledge continually, and he pondered and made a thorough search, that he might arrange many proverbs in order.

The Biblical sense of wisdom lays emphasis on sound judgment, based on knowledge and understanding; the ability to use knowledge and understanding successfully to solve problems, avoid or avert dangers, attain certain goals, or counsel others in doing so.

Wisdom and Knowledge.

True wisdom and knowledge are gifts from God.

One prohibitive command was given to Adam, that forbidding eating of (or even touching) the tree of the knowledge of good and bad. (Ge 2:16, 17; 3:2, 3)

But God now tested Adam by restricting his eating of the fruit of this one tree, God thus causing the eating of that fruit to symbolize that the eater comes to a knowledge that enables him to decide for himself what is “good” or what is “bad” for man.

Such persons serve God not merely because of fear of his almightiness nor for selfish reasons but out of love of his righteousness, justice, and wisdom and because of having the knowledge of Jehovah’s greatness and loving-kindness. (Ps 97:10; 119:104, 128, 163)

They exclaim with the apostle Paul: “O the depth of God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge!

They choose to serve under his sovereignty rather than try to be independent​—this because of their knowledge of him and of his love, justice, and wisdom, which they realize far surpasses their own. (Ps 84:10, 11)

Godly love cannot exist in the person apart from knowledge and service of God or apart from meditation and appreciation.

Barnes’ Notes on the New Testament (1974) says: “It is to be presumed that [Paul], who had been trained in the knowledge of the Hebrew language, would have had a better opportunity of knowing its [referring to Psalm 104:4] fair construction than we can; and it is morally certain, that he would employ the passage in an argument as it was commonly understood by those to whom he wrote​—that is, to those who were familiar with the Hebrew language and literature.”​—Compare Heb 1:14.

Though Bezalel and Oholiab may have had knowledge of crafts before their appointment in connection with the making of the tabernacle equipment and priestly garments, God’s spirit ‘filled them with wisdom, understanding, and knowledge’ so that the work could be done in the way purposed.

It is also a powerful work, requiring greater power or knowledge than he has.

But he may be able to say something is impossible to explain in terms of our present knowledge.

Josephus’ statement, however, besides being inaccurate as to knowledge of the divine name prior to Moses, is vague and does not clearly reveal just what the general attitude current in the first century was as to pronouncing or using the divine name.

She obviously learned that name from her husband and head, Adam, from whom she had also learned God’s command concerning the tree of the knowledge of good and bad (although, again, the record does not directly relate Adam’s passing this information on to her).​—Ge 2:16, 17; 3:2, 3.

Foreknowledge means knowledge of a thing before it happens or exists; also called prescience.

“Foreknowledge” translates the Greek proʹgno·sis (from pro, before, and gnoʹsis, knowledge). (Ac 2:23; 1Pe 1:2)

knowledge of “good and bad”: 2:181, 1011

tree of knowledge of good and bad: 2:1011, 1123-1124

The range of his knowledge covered the plants and animals of earth, and his proverbs, along with his writings in the books of Ecclesiastes and The Song of Solomon, reveal that he had a deep knowledge of human nature. (1Ki 4:29-34)

The word is translated from the Greek sy·neiʹde·sis, which is drawn from syn (with) and eiʹde·sis (knowledge) and thus means co-knowledge, or knowledge with oneself.

It is said to stand for “the central part in general, the inside, and so for the interior man as manifesting himself in all his various activities, in his desires, affections, emotions, passions, purposes, his thoughts, perceptions, imaginations, his wisdom, knowledge, skill, his beliefs and his reasonings, his memory and his consciousness.”​—Journal of the Society of Biblical Literature and Exegesis, 1882, p. 67.

Showing that at times the heart, as referred to in both the Hebrew Scriptures and the Christian Greek Scriptures, includes the intellect are instances where it is associated with “thinking” (Mt 9:4), “reasoning” (Mr 2:6), “understanding” (1Ki 3:12; Mr 6:52), and “knowledge” (Pr 15:14).

In the ancient mystery religions that flourished in the time of the early Christian congregation, those who wished to take part in the mystery celebrations had to undergo initiation; the uninitiated were denied both access to the so-called sacred actions and to knowledge of them.

In the ordinary sense a mystery implies knowledge withheld; its Scriptural significance is truth revealed.

Timothy was instructed not to fight when dealing with Christians in the congregations he served, but to ‘instruct with mildness those not favorably disposed’ as God might give them “repentance leading to an accurate knowledge of truth, and they may come back to their proper senses out from the snare of the Devil.” (2Ti 2:23-26)

With those already having knowledge of God, it may be a case of their ‘calling back to their heart’ such knowledge of him and his commandments (De 4:39; compare Pr 24:32; Isa 44:18-20) so that they can “come to their senses.” (1Ki 8:47)

But one tree, that “of the knowledge of good and bad,” was placed off limits for the human pair.

Traditional teachings have attempted to explain the prohibited fruit in a variety of ways: as a symbol of sexual intercourse, represented by an “apple”; as standing for the mere cognizance of right and wrong; and as the knowledge attained upon reaching maturity and also through experience, which knowledge can be put to a good or a bad use.

In turn, this bad attitude toward the sanctuary and its maintenance caused the nation to suffer still further for lack of spirituality and knowledge of Jehovah.​—Ne 13:10-13; see also Mal 3:8-10.

If a jealous husband charged his wife with secret adultery, she had to be brought to the sanctuary, where the priest carried out the prescribed ceremony in which Jehovah’s knowledge of the truth of the woman’s innocence or guilt was appealed to for His direct judgment. (Nu 5:11-31)

Additionally, knowledge of other ancient Hamitic languages in Africa is very limited today, thereby making it difficult to determine the relationship of Egyptian to them.

Egyptian mathematics was sufficiently well developed to allow for the stupendous construction feats mentioned previously, and some knowledge of geometric and algebraic principles is evident.

Paul was not opposed to knowledge, for he prayed that Christians be filled with it.

But, as he showed, one must appreciate the role of Jesus Christ in the outworking of God’s purpose in order to obtain true wisdom and accurate knowledge. (Col 1:9, 10; 2:2, 3)

Mere knowledge or intellectual power is not enough to bring one into God’s favor.

This latter phrase means that not only must God’s servants love with feelings, emotions, and strength but they must also apply their minds vigorously in order to take in knowledge of God and Christ (Joh 17:3), to understand (Mr 12:33; Eph 3:18), to serve God and his purposes, and to share in declaring the good news.

Jesus made another reference to the subject of keys when he said to the religious leaders, versed in the Law, “You took away the key of knowledge; you yourselves did not go in, and those going in you hindered!” (Lu 11:52)

Different from the hypocritical religious leaders of that time, Peter clearly did use divinely provided knowledge to help persons to ‘enter into the kingdom,’ notably on three occasions.

In the garden of Eden, God employed two trees for symbolic purposes: “the tree of life” and “the tree of the knowledge of good and bad.”

The significance of “the tree of the knowledge of good and bad” and of the restriction placed on its fruit has often been incorrectly viewed as relating to the sexual act between the first human pair.

They have expanded our knowledge of all the regions touched by the Bible: Palestine, Egypt, Persia, Assyria, Babylonia, Asia Minor, Greece, and Rome.

The knowledge of the past in the light of archaeological discovery is interesting and appreciated, but not vital.

Jesus’ knowledge was enhanced by his having had an intimate relationship with his Father and God before coming to the earth.

His keen discernment was enhanced by miraculous knowledge of the background and reasoning of others. (Mt 12:25; Lu 6:8; Joh 1:48; 4:18; 6:61, 64; 13:11)

Next, a knowledge of the Law, the customs and usages, and the idiom of the day is often helpful.

For example, a knowledge of the Law helps us to understand the illustration of the dragnet. (Mt 13:47-50)

Though the Jews did not recognize ahead of time all the prophecies that related to the Anointed One, the evidence in the Gospels shows that they had sufficient knowledge by which to recognize the Messiah when he did appear.

It is evident that even though knowledge about the coming Messiah was common among the Jews, not all persons had the same knowledge or understanding about that one.

The apostle Paul urged Christians to take joy at all times in their knowledge of Jehovah and his dealing with them, writing to them: “Always rejoice in the Lord [“Jehovah,” in several versions].

Additionally, there is the joy that the servant of God has in those whom he aids in coming to the knowledge and service of Jehovah. (Php 4:1; 1Th 2:19)

The confusion of their language would also hinder or slow down future progress in a wrong direction, a God-defying direction, since it would limit mankind’s ability to combine its intellectual and physical powers in ambitious schemes and also make it difficult to draw upon the accumulated knowledge of the different language groups formed​—knowledge, not from God, but gained through human experience and research. (Compare Ec 7:29; De 32:5.)

However, Adam was given a command that prohibited eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and bad (Ge 2:17); this command was transmitted to Eve. (Ge 3:2, 3)

At 1 Corinthians 8:7 the apostle Paul says that lack of accurate Christian knowledge could result in a weak conscience.

Throughout the known visible universe his laws are so stable and reliable that, in areas where scientists have knowledge of these laws, they can calculate the movements of the moon, planets, and other celestial bodies with split-second accuracy.

From God’s command regarding the use of the trees of the garden of Eden and the tree of the knowledge of good and bad in particular, they could appreciate the principle of ownership rights and due respect for such.

As to living forever, Jesus said: “This means everlasting life, their taking in knowledge of you, the only true God, and of the one whom you sent forth, Jesus Christ.”​—Joh 17:3.

Following the truth will lead one to a knowledge of God’s provision of Jesus Christ, who gave himself “a ransom in exchange for many.” (Mt 20:28)

Christians are urged to have faith, virtue, knowledge, self-control, endurance, godly devotion, brotherly affection, and love (2Pe 1:5-11), and they are admonished to pay attention to the inspired “prophetic word.” (2Pe 1:16-21)

God has freely given all things that concern life and godly devotion; in response Christians must exert themselves to develop faith, virtue, knowledge, self-control, endurance, godly devotion, brotherly affection, and love​—qualities that will make them active and fruitful (1:1-15)

Magnifying Jesus Christ, therefore, and getting acquainted with the knowledge of him result in a better knowledge of God and His purposes, thereby giving the glory to God above all.​—Php 2:9-11; see PROPHECY.

But great stress was laid on the need for every Jew to have a knowledge of the Law.

Therefore those who studied and gained a great deal of knowledge were looked up to, and these scholars eventually formed an independent group, many not being priests.

The apostle Peter stated: “Supply to your faith virtue, to your virtue knowledge, to your knowledge self-control, to your self-control endurance, to your endurance godly devotion, to your godly devotion brotherly affection, to your brotherly affection love.

That test did not involve enduring persecution or suffering, but only maintaining obedient respect for God’s will in regard to the tree of the knowledge of good and bad. (Ge 2:16, 17; see TREES.)

Also, as the royal Messiah, the foretold “twig out of the stump of Jesse [David’s father],” Jesus had to manifest ‘the spirit of Jehovah in wisdom, counsel, mightiness, knowledge, along with the fear of Jehovah.’

But, above all, the knowledge that Ezra wrote under inspiration (2Ti 3:16) and the fact that the Chronicles are included in the Hebrew canon, fully accepted by Jesus and the apostles (Lu 24:27, 44), ensure their reliability.

The work was undoubtedly prepared for those recently returned from exile, as they would be greatly lacking in knowledge of their sacred history and customs.