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ACKNOWLEDGE
14
`recognition'. Recognition to-day has a primary and a secondary meaning. Disregarding the secondary meaning
that of `recognizing' anyone's features, manner, etc., the primary meaning that of `recognizing or acknowledging
liability or obligation', this English word would suit admirably.
Here are a few examples of the usage of the word epiginosko:
`Ye shall know (i.e. recognize) them by their fruits' (Matt. 7:16).
`Elias is come already, and they knew (i.e. recognized) him not' (Matt. 17:12).
`Their eyes were holden that they should not know (i.e. recognize) Him' (Luke 24:16).
An ordinary man does not `know' all that there is to know about a `fig-tree'. Even if he were a master of the
sciences of botany, zoology and horticulture, there would be infinitely more left unknown than any scientist has yet
comprehended, but an illiterate observer could readily `recognize' a fig-tree by its fruits.
It is a natural sequence for `recognition' to take on a moral colouring, and proceed from `recognizing' a fig-tree,
to `acknowledging' Christ and His teaching. No persecution is likely to arise from the one, but the `recognition' of
Truth may be resisted.
The earliest use of epiginosko by Paul is in 1 Corinthians 13:12:
`For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know (ginosko) in part; but then shall I
know (epiginosko) even as also I am known (epiginosko)'.
The bearing of this word on Dispensational Truth finds an illustration in Ephesians 1:17,18.
In Ephesians 1:3-14 the apostle has revealed the outstanding characteristics of the dispensation of the Mystery
(see MYSTERY3) which he follows by prayer. He does not pray that his reader shall pile up knowledge, but pauses to
say that `the spirit of wisdom and revelation' is given `in the acknowledgment of Him' en epignosei auton.
Occasionally we have had to say of a fellow-believer `he did run well, he appeared to accept the principle of
right division and the peculiar revelation of the dispensation of the Mystery - yet, he seems to have drawn back, and
his testimony is silenced'. It is usually not lack of `knowledge' or information that is at the bottom of this failure, it
is not that such do not see clearly what is involved in the profession. Alas, they see all too clearly what the logical
consequences must be of standing for such unpopular teaching, they shrink back from `acknowledging' and growth
ceases.
This is the theme of Ephesians 4:12-14 the only other occurrence of epignosis in Ephesians:
`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 fulness of Christ: that we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro' (13,14).
Here, once again we should read `the acknowledgment of the Son of God' and the following analysis may enable
the reader to follow the argument as it is indicated by the threefold use of eis `unto'.
`Till we all come
Eis Unto the unity of the faith, and the knowledge of the Son of God,
Eis Unto a perfect man,
Eis Unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ'.
The `acknowledgment' embraces all that is implied in `the perfect man' and the subdivisions that follow. Yet other
passages must be recorded:
`That ye might be filled with the knowledge (epignosis) of His will' (Col. 1:9).
`Increasing in the knowledge (epignosis) of God' (Col. 1:10).
`To the acknowledgment (epignosis) of the mystery of God' (Col. 2:2).