Seeing and Knowing So You Can Know and Others Can See and They Can Know
There are two Greek words Eido and Gnosis that are translated knowing in our English bible translations. The first one is “eido” and it means to see but when eido is used as a perfect tense verb it means to know. Eido is the Greek word translated knowing in Galatians 2:16 “Knowing (seeing) that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified. The word “knowing” as used in Galatians 2:16 conveys the idea of a life time of experiences and makes perfect sense to translate it as “knowing” in context. The context of Galatians 2:16 is a confrontation between The Apostles Paul and Peter both of whom were Jews that had lived under the Mosaic Law and more importantly both were guilty of not being able to keep the Mosaic Law. Paul’s argument is based on the obvious observation (seeing) that it is impossible for any person to be justified by keeping the Mosaic Law. To be justified by keeping the law you must keep all of it without exception “For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, cursed [is] every one that does not keep all things which are written in the book of the law to do them” (Gal 2:10) and how about (Jas 2:10) “For the one who obeys the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it”. Obviously, Peter is being a hypocrite in teaching people to keep the Mosaic Law as the means of justification after seeing or knowing that no one can. Paul was confrontational to the point he got in Peters face about putting the gentiles under the Mosaic Law while seeing knowing that the gentiles would never live up to the Mosaic Laws standard. The standard summed up in one phrase by Jesus in the sermon on the mount “be ye perfect as your Father in Heaven is perfect. Interestingly the Greek word Eido translated “to see” in Galatians 2:16 means “to know” when it is in the Greek perfect tense and it is. In other words, Paul is saying Peter: “you have seen your whole life that no one can be justified by keeping the Law why are you now teaching the Gentiles they must keep the Law when you “KNOW” they cannot. When Paul says no one, he is excluding one man The man Jesus Christ. Rom 5:19 “For just as through one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so also through the one man’s obedience (to the Law) the many will be justified”. Oh if only the one and only man to live a justified life would give His life for us (He did). Oh, if only the one and only man to live a righteous life would give His life to us (He has). Oh, if only the one and only man to live a righteous life would live His life through us (He can and He will). John 17:3 And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. Knowing in John 17:3 is the word gnosis in the Greek and is the other word translated knowing we are looking at (pun attended). Ginosko means to “know” (absolutely) or to experience. When Jesus, who gave His life for you and to you and lives His life through you; you are Knowing God. In other words, eternal life is when you are experiencing the Holy Spirit of God. Knowing God is a sensation that is best described in Romans 14:17 “For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.” The results of experiencing the Spirits righteousness are joy and peace both of which are feelings. The result of experiencing you own self-righteousness is death which is the sensation you feel when you know you fell short of the righteousness of God. Now back to our definitions (Eido and Gnosis) eido means to see but when in the perfect tense it means having seen and can be translated having known. In Galatians 2:16 Seeing is in the perfect tense so it could be translated “we (Peter and Paul) having seen or having known that no one is justified by the works of the Law.
Seeing we cannot live the eternal life by keeping The Law in our own strength is not “The Gospel” but seeing we cannot live the eternal life by keeping The Law in our own strength is what makes us ready for receiving “The Gospel”. The Apostle Paul describes what he sees when he compares doing his utmost to be declared righteous to “knowing” Christ. “If someone thinks he has good reasons to put confidence in human credentials (the flesh), I have more:I was circumcised on the eighth day, from the people of Israel and the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews. I lived according to the law as a Pharisee.In my zeal for God I persecuted the church. According to the righteousness stipulated in the law I was blameless. But these assets I have come to regard as liabilities because of Christ.More than that, I now regard all things as liabilities compared to the far greater value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things – indeed, I regard them as dung! – that I may gain Christ, and be found in him, not because I have my own righteousness derived from the law, but because I have the righteousness that comes by way of Christ’s faithfulness – a righteousness from God that is in fact based on Christ’s faithfulness. I want to know him, to experience the power of his resurrection, to share in his sufferings, and to be like him in his death,and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead”. (The Apostle Paul Philippians Three). Paul’s goal was to “know Christ and the power of His resurrection life”. Something I noticed is the synonymous meaning of 1. “The Eternal Life” 2. “The Kingdom of God” 3. “The Kingdom of Heaven” and 4. “Knowing Christ”. The reason I call them synonymous is because they are interchanged in the four gospels as well as Paul’s Epistles.
Matt 3:2 “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.”
Mark 1:15 He said, “The time is fulfilled and the kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the gospel!”
Luke 4:43 But Jesus said to them, “I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns too, for that is what I was sent to do.”
John 17:2 just as you have given him authority over all humanity, so that he may give eternal life to everyone you have given him.
John 17:3 Now this is eternal life – that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you sent.
They are also interchanged in Paul’s letters
Rom 6:21 So what benefit did you then reap from those things that you are now ashamed of? For the end of those things is death.
Rom 6:22 But now, freed from sin and enslaved to God, you have your benefit leading to sanctification, and the end is eternal life.
Rom 6:23 For the payoff of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Rom 14:17 For the kingdom of God does not consist of food and drink, but righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.
The other reason they are synonymous is because “eternal life”, “the kingdom of God or Heaven” and “knowing God” are sensations you experience and others see. The effect of others seeing is best described in the New Covenant Prophecy found inZech 8:23 “The LORD who rules overall says, ‘In those days ten people from all languages and nations will grasp hold of – indeed, grab – the robe of one Jew and say, “Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.”’” Notice how one Jew experiences (knows) Christ life in them and Ten Gentiles who were never under the Mosaic Law observe (see) and desire to experience (know) that same Life of Christ in them. That my friends is how The Gospel (good news) is spread.