Non-Mythological Gnosis

non-mythological gnosis

seeking salvation through gnosis (‘hidden wisdom’),

Originally gnosis had no mythological associations and was simply “knowledge of the

divine mysteries reserved for an elite

first Jewish Gnosis had no mythologies to it, it saw the Law and the Deity as part of its orthodox beliefs

Book of Proverbs 25:2 ¶ It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter.

Psalm 19:2 One day after another day causes speech to bubble forth,
And one night after another night shows forth knowledge

isa  11:2 the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of Jehovah; 3 and there will be enjoyment by him in the fear of Jehovah.

9 They will not do any harm or cause any ruin in all my holy mountain; because the earth will certainly be filled with the knowledge of Jehovah as the waters are covering the very sea

12 For wisdom is for a protection [the same as] money is for a protection; but the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom itself preserves alive its owners

(Proverbs 3:18) She (Wisdom) is a tree of life to those taking hold of it, and those keeping fast hold of it are to be called happy

There are many says in the New Testament which attest to the gnostic view:

Seek and you will find,” “The Kingdom of Heaven is within you,” “My kingdom is not of this world,” “The flesh profiteth nothing”…)

They are all about seeking and finding hidden gnosis. They are also seen in the parables of the hidden treasure, the found pearl, and the captured fish of great price (Mt 13:44-50).

Such sayings also have nothing to do with the later mythology of Gnosticism. They
are all about seeking and finding hidden gnosis

(Ephesians 4:13) until we all attain to the oneness in the faith and in the accurate knowledge of the Son of God, to a full-grown man, to the measure of stature that belongs to the fullness of the Christ;


(Philippians 1:9) And this is what I continue praying, that YOUR love may abound yet more and more with accurate knowledge and full discernment;

Peter exhorts us to "grow in knowledge" (2 Pet. 1:5-6), and the word is "gnosis". He assures us that if we follow his advice we will be "neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ" (v. 8).  But in this statement the word is "epignosis", and
similar comparisons will be found elsewhere. The question is; What is the significance of these two words? And if we have "gnosis" (knowledge), when can we claim to have "epignosis" (deeper knowledge)?

Both words are derived from the verb "ginosko" which signifies the act of taking in knowledge, in such a way as to establish a relationship between the one knowing and the object known. For example:

John 17:3 This means everlasting life, their taking in knowledge of you, the only true God, and of the one whom you sent forth, Jesus Christ

In such a context, the verb implies the one knowing, and not merely an academic knowledge.

When the preposition "epi" is added to the noun or verb, transforming it into "epignosis" or "epignosko", it suggests a fuller knowledge or recognition of the object known. Hence the question posed us: When does one reach "gnosis" to move on to "epignosis"?

Salvation by Knowledge
their taking in knowledge of you John 17:3