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Compare also II Tim. 3: 7 where although some are "ever learning", they are "never
able to come to the knowledge (epignosis) of the truth". It ought also to be noted that the
knowledge (epignosis), to which Paul refers in I Cor. 13:, is in harmony with the Lord's
knowledge of the believer:
"Then I shall know according as also I have been known" (verse 12 lit.).
Consider now other references to the verb epiginosko:
"Ye shall know them by their fruits" (Matt. 7: 16, 20).
"Elias is come . . . . . and they knew him not" (Matt. 17: 12).
"When she (Rhoda) knew Peter's voice" (Acts 12: 14).
"When they (the Ephesians) knew that he was a Jew" (Acts 19: 34).
The idea of recognition is resident in the above usage--Rhoda could not see Peter but
she recognized his voice; false prophets may come in sheep's clothing but they may be
recognized as wolves by their fruits. In the first of these examples the evidence for
knowledge is hearing; in the second, hearing might well lead the believer astray (they
are false prophets) and doing is appealed to (the evidence of sight).
What conclusion may then be drawn from this usage of epiginosko? Two thoughts
must influence any attempted definition of the word: (1) the idea of a goal and (2) the
evident meaning of "recognition". The writer was encouraged to find that these two
thoughts had been brought together n the definition of J. Armitage Robinson, D.D. (in his
St. Paul's Epistle to the Ephesians), in the following manner:
"So far then as we are to distinguish between gnosis and epignosis, we may say that
gnosis is the wider word and expresses `knowledge' in the fullest sense: epignosis is
knowledge directed towards a particular object, perceiving, discerning, recognizing: but
it is not knowledge in the abstract: that is gnosis . . . . ."
"Knowledge directed towards a particular object" appears to represent the nearest
definition of epignosis, with the added thought that it is more personal and exact than
gnosis, involving "recognition" and its natural outcome, "acknowledgment". This
meaning must now be applied to the passage in question:
"That the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging
(epignosis) of every good thing which is in us in Christ Jesus" (6).
In the light of what has been learnt about "communication" (fellowship), "effectual"
(suggesting activity) and "acknowledging" (personal, exact and directive knowledge), the
following seems to express the Apostle's meaning.
By a due recognition, and exact personal knowledge and acknowledgment of the good
in us (which is in us for, or towards [eis] Christ Jesus) the sharing of faith becomes
effective towards the saints. Consider Eph. 2: 10--"We are His workmanship, created
in Christ Jesus for (epi) good works, which God prepared before in order that we should
walk in them" (lit. rendering).
The sharing of faith, in Philemon's case, involved (verse 7)--hospitality: