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#6. The "Recognition" that leads to "Full Adulthood".
"The knowledge of the Son of God" (Eph. 4: 13).
pp. 117 - 120
Epignosis, the word under consideration, occurs but twice in Ephesians, and
epiginosko not at all. This of itself should make us hesitate to subscribe to the suggestion
that epignosis means the "full knowledge" of the mystery as distinct from the more
elementary knowledge of the Pentecostal dispensation. We have looked at Eph. 1: 17,
where is the first occurrence of epignosis in that Epistle. We must now look at
Eph. 4: 13, the only other reference.
We are all doubtless familiar with the fact that the epistle to the Ephesians is divided
into two main parts, chapters 1:-3: containing doctrine, and chapters 4:-6: containing
corresponding practice. We observe, therefore, that the word we have translated
"acknowledgment" occurs once in the doctrinal and once in the practical section of this
epistle.
"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 fullness of Christ; that we
henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro" (Eph. 4: 13, 14).
This passage must not be visualized as one long chain of equal links, but rather as a
succession of expansions, each containing a development of the doctrine enunciated. The
goal is "the unity of the faith". This goal is further expanded and explained as "the
acknowledgment, or recognition, of the Son of God". To follow the subdivisions clearly,
it is necessary to correct the Authorized Version in the matter of the translation of the
preposition eis which occurs in verses 12 to 16 seven times, as follows:
"For the work of the ministry, for the edifying . . . . . in the unity of the faith . . . . .
unto a perfect man, unto the measure . . . . . may grow up into Him . . . . . unto the
edifying of itself in love."
While it is impossible and undesirable to reduce the translation of the Greek original
to a lifeless and mechanical uniformity, it is wise, when examining a passage, to realize
that where prepositions are repeated, it will seriously influence our understanding if such
repetition is hidden by a variety of renderings, however charming they may sound.
Eis answers the question Whither? The idea of a goal or an end in view is always
present. Consequently, where the goal is material or physical, "to", "into" or "unto" is
the usual rendering. Where the goal is intangible, "for" sometimes better expresses the
idea of moving on to its attainment. Thus we have eis translated in Rom. 14: 9, "to this
end". While "into" may sometimes be a legitimate translation, it can sometimes be an
overstatement. In John 11: 38, "cometh to the grave" is true, "cometh unto the grave"
would be true, but "cometh into the grave" would be false (cf. 41). The Lord came unto,
but not into, Sychar (John 4: 5, 8, 28). Mary came unto, but not into, the sepulcher
(John 20: 1, 11).