From the very beginning, God’s “revelation” to mankind has
been on a need to know basis.
This fact has been true from the creation of Adam up to the time of Moses
(approximately 2,000 years - before the written “Scripture of Truth”); and
from Moses’ time up to the death of the Apostle John (approximately 2,000 years
– during the writing
and recording of the “Oracles of God”, i.e. the “Scripture of Truth”); and from
the death of the Apostle John up to the present time (approximately 2,000 years
– after the close of the
“Canon” of the “Scripture of Truth”).
God’s “revelation” to His people (Old Testament “saints”
& New Testament “saints”) has been “progressive” – both in the number and kind
of Books of the Holy Scriptures, and in the steady advancement and factual
exposition of His Truth to His people over the years.
I undertook this study with the sincere intention of
learning the Scriptural Definition for each of the words knowledge;
understanding; discernment; and wisdom. But the more I
searched the Scriptures for the definition of each word, the more I came to
realize that I have only begun to understand the Scriptural “meaning” for each
of the words.
The following observations are not “set in stone” -
nor are they meant to be: After searching the Scriptures, it is my firm belief
that all four of these Biblical words are distinct (in meaning) from each
other; and it behooves us (as Bible believers) to learn those differences in order
to discern between the knowledge, understanding, discernment, and wisdom
of the world - which is temporal,
secular,
& carnal; and that knowledge, understanding,
discernment, and wisdom which is of God - which is spiritually
true.
OBSERVATIONS FROM
SCRIPTURE ON
Knowledge – Discernment
– Understanding –Wisdom
“KNOWLEDGE” (Scriptural & Spiritual) = WHO
or WHAT {Information
& Data}
“DISCERNMENT” (Spiritual) = WHERE {The Ability to Distinguish Between
Good & Evil}
“UNDERSTANDING” (Spiritual) = WHY {Reasoning, Acumen, and
Comprehension}
“WISDOM” (Spiritual) = HOW {Understanding HOW to apply the Knowledge
that we have received from God - through Obedience to Revealed Truth, and by
means of Holy and Righteous Living in and through the Lord Jesus Christ.}
KNOWLEDGE
FIRST OCCURRENCE IN SCRIPTURE {the word “knowledge” = 172 times in 169 verses}
Genesis 2:9 And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that
is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst
of the garden, and the tree of knowledge
of good and evil.
MANKIND’S QUEST FOR
KNOWLEDGE
Man’s quest for more and more “knowledge” appears to
be never ending! At the present time, people’s thirst for “knowledge” is
insatiable. The Holy Scriptures state that at “the time of the end” . . .
. “knowledge shall be
increased” [Daniel
12:4 But thou, O
Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end:
many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.].
There has never been a time in recorded history
where “knowledge” has “increased” at the pace or volume as it has in the
last 50 to 60 years; and along with the vast increase in knowledge
amongst the people of the world there has been (generally speaking) a
corresponding tragic decrease in personal Scriptural
knowledge - not only amongst the general population, but also amongst most of
those people who call themselves “Christians”.
DIFFERENT KINDS OF KNOWLEDGE
In this
world there exist different kinds of “KNOWLEDGE”. It is important for Bible
believers to distinguish between “worldly
knowledge” - i.e. “knowledge” that is not spiritual, but merely human, temporal, secular, and carnal; and “Godly Knowledge” - i.e.
“spiritual knowledge” that is given or taught by God, and which
comes directly from God.
According to the Holy Scriptures - all true (genuine) “spiritual knowledge” is derived from, and is given by, Almighty God [Proverbs 2:6; Ecclesiastes 2:26; Daniel 2:21; 1Corinthians 12:8]. Since the foregoing statement is scripturally true – then it follows that all of the truth, i.e. “spiritual knowledge”, that mankind possesses came to some man (at some point in time) from God.
When
Christians engage in the study of God’s Holy word the first thing that they
must do is distinguish the difference between “Bible Knowledge” (Information & Data about
the Bible and Bible subjects) and
“Godly Knowledge” (Information &
Data from Almighty God that is always factually true; scripturally sound; and
spiritually edifying).
BIBLE KNOWLEDGE = WHO or WHAT
{Information and Data about the Bible
and Bible Subjects}
GODLY KNOWLEDGE = WHO or WHAT
{Information and Data from Almighty God that is always Factually
True; Scripturally Sound; and Spiritually Edifying.}
{Much of the information & data that is being taught in “Bible”
Schools and “Christian” Colleges and Universities today fits into the first
category (i.e. “Bible Knowledge”), and depending upon the institution, most of
which is “second hand knowledge” (from
man) at best.}
GODLY KNOWLEDGE
THE KNOWLEDGE OF
GOD’S WORDS {Scriptural Knowledge, i.e. “knowledge” of
the “truth”}
Proverbs 2:6 For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his
mouth cometh knowledge
and understanding.
1 Timothy 2:3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our
Saviour;
4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.
2 Timothy 3:1 This know also, that in the last
days perilous times shall come.
2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters,
proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent,
fierce, despisers of those that are good,
4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of
pleasures more than lovers of God;
5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such
turn away.
6 For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive
silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts,
7 Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
GODLY KNOWLEDGE {Spiritual “Knowledge” - Given by
God}
2 Chronicles 1:11 And God said to Solomon, Because this was in thine heart, and
thou hast not asked riches, wealth, or honour, nor the life of thine enemies,
neither yet hast asked long life; but hast asked wisdom and knowledge for thyself, that thou
mayest judge my people, over whom I have made thee king:
12
Wisdom and knowledge is
granted unto thee; and I will give thee riches, and wealth, and honour,
such as none of the kings have had that have been before thee, neither shall
there any after thee have the like.
Ecclesiastes 2:26 For God giveth to a man that is good in his
sight wisdom, and knowledge,
and joy: but to the sinner he giveth travail, to gather and to heap up, that he
may give to him that is good before God. This also is vanity and vexation of
spirit.
Jeremiah
Daniel
Daniel
1
Corinthians 12:8
For to one is given
by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same
Spirit;
1 Corinthians
13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing
spiritual things with spiritual.
2 Corinthians 4:6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness,
hath shined in our hearts, to give
the light of the knowledge of the
glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
Ephesians
18
The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know
what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches
of the glory of his inheritance in the saints,
Ephesians 3:1 For this cause I Paul, the prisoner of Jesus Christ for you
Gentiles,
2 If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward:
3 How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote
afore in few words,
4 Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the
mystery of Christ)
5 Which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now
revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit;
6 That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and
partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:
7 Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift
of the grace of God given
unto me by the effectual working of his power.
James
1 John
21 I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but
because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth.
GODLY KNOWLEDGE {Taught by God}
Job
36:22 Behold, God
exalteth by his power: who teacheth
like him?
Psalms
94:10 He that chastiseth the heathen, shall not he correct? he that teacheth
man knowledge, shall not he know?
Psalms
25:8 Good and
upright is the LORD: therefore will he
teach sinners in the way.
Psalms
25:9 The meek will he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way.
Psalms
25:12 What man is
he that feareth the LORD? him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose.
Psalms
32:8 I will instruct
thee and teach thee in the way which
thou shalt go: I will
guide thee with mine eye.
Psalms
132:12 If thy
children will keep my covenant and my testimony that I shall teach them, their children shall
also sit upon thy throne for evermore.
Isaiah
28:9 Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to
understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the
milk, and drawn from the breasts.
John
26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy
Ghost, whom the Father will
send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all
things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
1 John
27 But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you,
and ye need not that any man teach
you: but as the same anointing teacheth
you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.
GODLY KNOWLEDGE {Taught by man}
Proverbs
Ecclesiastes
12:8 Vanity of
vanities, saith the preacher; all is vanity.
9 And moreover, because the preacher was wise, he still
taught the people knowledge; yea,
he gave good heed, and sought out, and set in order many proverbs.
10 The preacher sought to find out acceptable words: and that which was written was upright, even words of truth.
Jeremiah
Galatians
6:6 Let him that is
taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things.
2
Timothy 2:2 And the
things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to
faithful men, who shall be able to teach
others also.
MEN REQUEST “KNOWLEDGE” FROM GOD {“Knowledge” - in order to obey His Will}
Psalms
25:4 Shew me thy
ways, O LORD; teach me thy
paths.
Psalms
25:5 Lead me in
thy truth, and teach me: for thou art
the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day.
Psalms
86:11 Teach
me thy way, O LORD; I will walk
in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name.
Psalms
90:12 So teach us to number our
days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.
Psalms
94:12 Blessed is
the man whom thou chastenest, O LORD, and teachest him out of thy law;
Psalms
119:12 Blessed art
thou, O LORD: teach me thy statutes.
Psalms
119:26 I have
declared my ways, and thou heardest me: teach me thy statutes.
Psalms 119:33 HE. Teach me, O LORD, the
way of thy statutes; and I shall keep it unto the end.
Psalms
119:64 The earth, O
LORD, is full of thy mercy: teach
me thy statutes.
Psalms
119:66 Teach me good judgment
and knowledge: for I have
believed thy commandments.
Psalms
119:68 Thou art good, and doest good; teach
me thy statutes.
Psalms 119:108 Accept, I beseech thee, the freewill
offerings of my mouth, O LORD, and teach
me thy judgments.
Psalms
119:124 Deal with thy
servant according unto thy mercy, and teach
me thy statutes.
Psalms
119:135 Make thy
face to shine upon thy servant; and teach
me thy statutes.
“KNOWLEDGE” GIVEN BY
GOD {Talent
and Ability (given by God) to accomplish a given Task}
Exodus 31:3 And I have filled him with the spirit of God, in
wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge,
and in all manner of workmanship,
Exodus 35:31 And he hath filled him with the spirit of God, in
wisdom, in understanding, and in knowledge,
and in all manner of workmanship;
OUR RESPONSIBILITY REGARDING
KNOWLEDGE
Job 33:3 My words
shall be of the uprightness of my heart: and my lips shall utter knowledge clearly.
Job 36:3 I will fetch
my knowledge from afar, and will
ascribe righteousness to my Maker.
Proverbs 2:3 Yea, if thou criest
after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding;
Proverbs 5:2 That thou mayest regard discretion,
and that thy lips may keep knowledge.
Proverbs
Proverbs 12:1 Whoso loveth instruction loveth
knowledge: but he that hateth
reproof is brutish.
Proverbs
Proverbs
Proverbs 14:6 A scorner
seeketh wisdom, and findeth it not: but knowledge
is easy unto him that understandeth.
Proverbs
14:7 Go from the presence of a
foolish man, when thou perceivest not in him the lips
of knowledge.
Proverbs
Proverbs 15:2 The tongue of the wise useth knowledge
aright: but the mouth of fools poureth out
foolishness.
Proverbs 15:7 The lips of the wise disperse
knowledge: but the heart of
the foolish doeth not so.
Proverbs
Proverbs
Proverbs
Proverbs
Proverbs 19:27 Cease, my son, to hear the instruction that causeth to err
from the words of knowledge.
Proverbs
Proverbs
Proverbs
23:12 Apply thine heart unto
instruction, and thine ears to the words of knowledge.
2 Timothy
THE “KNOWLEDGE” OF GOD
{The
“Knowledge” of the Person of Almighty God}
Proverbs
1:7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but
fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Proverbs
2:1 My son, if thou
wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee;
2 So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding;
3 Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding;
4 If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures;
Proverbs 2:5 Then shalt thou understand
the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.
Proverbs
Hosea 6:6 For I desired mercy, and not
sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than
burnt offerings.
Romans
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 knowledge of his will in all wisdom and
spiritual understanding;
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;
2 Peter 1:2 Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,
3
According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto
life and godliness, through the knowledge
of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:
Job
1 Samuel 2:3 Talk no more so exceeding proudly;
let not arrogancy come out of your mouth: for the LORD is a God of knowledge,
and by him actions are weighed.
Numbers 24:16 He hath said, which heard the words
of God, and knew the knowledge of
the most High, which saw the vision of the
Almighty, falling into a trance, but having his eyes open:
2 Chronicles 30:22 And Hezekiah spake comfortably unto
all the Levites that taught the good knowledge
of the LORD: and they did eat throughout the feast seven days, offering
peace offerings, and making confession to the LORD God of their fathers.
Psalms 139:1
To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. O LORD, thou hast searched me, and known me.
2 Thou knowest my downsitting and mine
uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.
3 Thou compassest my path and my lying down,
and art acquainted with all my ways.
4 For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest
it altogether.
5 Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge
is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.
Proverbs
30:1 The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, even the
prophecy: the man spake unto Ithiel, even unto Ithiel and Ucal,
2 Surely I am more brutish than any man, and have not the understanding
of a man.
3 I neither learned wisdom, nor have the knowledge of the holy.
Proverbs
Jeremiah
1 Corinthians
2 Corinthians 10:5 Casting down imaginations, and
every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to
the obedience of Christ;
Colossians 2:1 For I would that ye knew what great
conflict I have for you, and for them at Laodicea,
and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh;
2 That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and
unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement
of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ;
3 In whom are hid all the treasures of
wisdom and knowledge.
THE “KNOWLEDGE” OF GOD’S WAYS
Job
Romans
THE “KNOWLEDGE” OF
GOD’S WILL {“Spiritual Knowledge”}
Psalms
143:10 Teach me to
do thy will; for thou art
my God: thy spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness.
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 knowledge of his will in all wisdom
and spiritual understanding;
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;
THE “KNOWLEDGE” OF
“GOOD” & “EVIL” {to be Aware
of the Existence of “Good”
& “Evil”}
Genesis 2:9 And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree
that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the
midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge
of good and evil.
Genesis
Deuteronomy 1:39 Moreover your little ones, which ye said should be a prey,
and your children, which in that day had no knowledge between good and evil, they shall go in thither, and
unto them will I give it, and they shall possess it.
Jeremiah
Nehemiah 10:28 And the rest of the people, the priests, the Levites, the
porters, the singers, the Nethinims, and all they
that had separated themselves from the people of the lands unto the law of God,
their wives, their sons, and their daughters, every one having knowledge, and having understanding;
THE “KNOWLEDGE” OF
“SIN” {to be Aware of the Existence of “Sin” & its deadly effects on
man}
Romans
Leviticus
Leviticus
Psalms 32:5 I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity
have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and
thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah.
Psalms 51:3 For
I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.
Jeremiah
1 Corinthians
THE “KNOWLEDGE” OF
THE WORLD {“Worldly Knowledge” - temporal; secular, & carnal}
Job 15:2 Should a wise man utter vain knowledge, and fill his belly with
the east wind?
Isaiah 47:10 For thou hast trusted in thy
wickedness: thou hast said, None seeth me. Thy wisdom and thy
knowledge, it hath
perverted thee; and thou hast said in thine heart, I am, and none
else beside me. {Humanism}
Romans 12:2 And be not
conformed to this
world: but be ye transformed
by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and
acceptable, and perfect, will of God. {Humanism}
SOME GENERAL FACTS
CONCERNING “KNOWLEDGE”
2
Chronicles
Proverbs
Proverbs
Ecclesiastes
Daniel 12:4 But thou, O Daniel, shut up the
words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end:
many shall run to and fro, and knowledge
shall be increased. { human,
secular,
& carnal - “spiritual knowledge”}
Hosea 4:1 Hear the word of the LORD, ye
children of
Hosea 4:6 My
people are destroyed for lack of knowledge:
because thou hast rejected knowledge,
I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou
hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.
Luke
Acts 24:22 And when Felix heard these things, having
more perfect knowledge of that way,
he deferred them, and said, When Lysias the chief captain shall come down, I
will know the uttermost of your matter.
Romans
Romans
Romans 10:2 For I bear them record that they
have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.
1 Corinthians 8:1 Now as touching things offered unto idols, we know that we
all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but
charity edifieth.
2
And if any man think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he
ought to know.
3 But if any man love God, the same is known of
him.
1 Corinthians
2 Corinthians 11:6 But though I be rude in speech,
yet not in knowledge; but we have been throughly made manifest among you
in all things.
Colossians 3:9 Lie not one to another, seeing that
ye have put off the old man with his deeds;
10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him
that created him:
2 Peter 1:5 And beside this, giving all
diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;
6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to
patience godliness;
7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness
charity.
8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye
shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
2 Peter