What is Enlightenment Ephesians 1:18

What is Enlightenment?

In this study we will look at the biblical (resembling the language or style of the Bible) understanding of enlightenment using both the Bible and apocryphal gospels

The Savior said, "The lamp of the body is the mind. As long as the things inside you are set in order, that is, the soul, your bodies are enlightened. (The Dialogue of the Savior)

The word Enlightenment is often linked to the Age of Enlightenment (also known as the Age of Reason or simply the Enlightenment) was an intellectual and philosophical movement that dominated the world of ideas in Europe during the 17th to 19th century.

For Enlightenment thinkers themselves, however, the Enlightenment is not an historical period, but a process of social, psychological or spiritual development, unbound to time or place.

There is a natural and spiritual enlightenment. natural enlightenment is to except who you are having good self-esteem.

Spiritual enlightenment is very different it is first self knowledge (self examination) and second a union with the Deity the Great "Uncreated and Eternal Spirit" a gnosis which illuminates us within and shines out to the world. "For Christ is all, and in all, and in Christ we live and move and have our Being"

In Christianity, the word "enlightenment" is rarely used, except to refer to the Age of Enlightenment and its influence on Christianity. Roughly equivalent terms in Christianity may be metanoia, revelation, salvation and conversion.

Perennialists and Universalists view enlightenment and mysticism as equivalent terms for religious or spiritual insight.

The word translated as “repent” is metanoia, which means a transformation of mind. in Young's literal translation the word metanoia is translated ‘Reform, reformation, in Phanerosis Dr John Thomas translates metanoia as enlightenment

"Him hath Theos exalted to His right hand, a Prince and SAVIOUR; to give enlightenment (metanoian) to Israel, and remission of sins" (Acts 5:31). Phanerosis Page 57

Luke 2:32 

a Light of Nations for enlightenment, and a Glory of thy People Israel (Emphatic Diaglott)
A light to enlighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel. (Webster's Bible Translation) 

In Luke 2:32 the word rendered enlighten or enlightenment is the Greek word for revelation

a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.” (English Standard Version)

602. ἀποκάλυψις apokalupsis [ap-ok-al’-oop-sis]; from 601; disclosure: —  appearing, coming, lighten, manifestation, be revealed, revelation.

a disclosure of truth, instruction concerning things before unknown

The Greek word photizo (5461 φωτίζω) is used 11 times in the New Testament

AV-give light 2, bring to light 2, lighten 2, enlighten 2, light 1, illuminate 1, make to see 1; 11

5461 φωτίζω photizo fo-tid’-zo

from 5457; v; TDNT-9:310,1293; {See TDNT 839 }

1) to give light, to shine
2) to enlighten, light up, illumine
3) to bring to light, render evident
3a) to cause something to exist and thus come to light and become clear to all
4) to enlighten, spiritually, imbue with saving knowledge

5461. φωτίζω photizo fo-tid’-zo; from 5457; to shed rays, i.e. to shine or (transitively) to brighten up (literally or figuratively): — enlighten, illuminate, (bring to, give) light, make to see.

Another Greek word that can be translated as Enlightenment is φωτισμός photismos

5462. φωτισμός photismos [fo-tis-mos’]; from 5461; illumination (figuratively): — light.

phótismos: illumination
Usage: light, luster, illumination, enlightenment.
1) the act of enlightening, illumination
2) brightness, bright light

light itself, the embodiment of the source (beginning) of the illumination. 

2cor 4:6  because [it is] God who said, Out of darkness light [is] to shine, who did shine in our hearts, for the enlightening of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. (Young's)

2cor 4:6 For God is he who said: “Let the light shine out of darkness,” and he has shone on our hearts to illuminate [them] with the glorious knowledge of God by the face of Christ. (NWT)

From these Greek words used in the New Testament we can see that Enlightenment or illumination is a biblical concept.

The Hebrew word for Enlightenment is השׂכּלה Haskalah. The term Haskalah is from the Hebrew word sekhel (שׂכּל) “the intellect.

Daniel 12:3 And the intelligent (07919. שׂכל) shall shine brilliantly like the brilliance of the expanse; and they that bring many to righteousness shall be like the stars, for ever and ever.

The intelligent or “the wise,” the men of wisdom shall shine brilliantly because they have been enlightened

The Hebrew verb sakhal´ means “to look at; to be prudent, circumspect; to act prudently, to be intelligent.”  Thus, sakhal´ is rendered ‘have insight’ (Psa 14:2), ‘act with discretion’ (Prov 10:19), “act prudently” (1Sam 18:5), ‘have success’ (Pr 17:8), ‘cause to show insight’ (Prov 16:23). The noun sekhel is translated “insight” (Psa 111:10) and “discretion.”—1Sam 25:3.

The illuminator of Knowledge

For there to be Enlightenment or illumination there has to be an illuminator of knowledge, a revealer, a teacher of righteousness this person is the Messiah Jesus

John 8:12 Therefore Jesus spoke again to them, saying: “I am the light of the world. He that follows me will by no means walk in darkness, but will possess the light of life.

In Early Christian Documents Jesus is referred to as the Illuminate or illuminator of knowledge

odes of solomon ode 36 1 I rested in the Spirit of the Lord: and the Spirit raised me on high: 2 And made me stand on my feet in the height of the Lord, before His perfection and His glory, while I was praising Him by the composition of His songs. 3 The Spirit brought me forth before the face of the Lord: and, although a son of man, I was named the Illuminate, the Son of God: 4 While I praised amongst the praising ones, and great was I amongst the mighty ones.

For you are not the redeemer nor a helper of strangers.
You are an illuminator and a redeemer of those who are mine,
and now of those who are yours.
You shall reveal (to them); you shall bring good among them all. (The Apocryphon of James)

"Father, Father, Father of the light, who possesses the incorruptions, hear us just as thou hast taken pleasure in thy holy child Jesus Christ. For he became for us an illuminator in the darkness. Yea hear us!"  (The Letter of Peter to Philip)

The Process of Enlightenment 

We must be transformed in mind and enlightened in heart a purification of mind and body

As I have said above the beginning of Enlightenment is self knowledge, to come to know oneself, your world. and place in it

Rom 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.

the Bible says, we are saved by “the renewing of the Holy Spirit” (Titus 3:5). It also says, we are renewed by knowledge” (Col. 3:10). In this, however, it does not contradict its self, but rather makes the one phrase explanatory of the other; as if he had said, “we are renewed by the Holy Spirit through knowledge.” The Holy Spirit renews or regenerates a person intellectually and morally by putting faith in the truth. “Sanctify them by thy truth,” says Jesus; “thy word, O Father, is truth” (John 17:17).

“Ye are clean,” said he to his apostles, “through the word which I have spoken to you” (John 15:3). God’s power is manifested through agencies. His Spirit is His power by which He effects intellectual, moral, and physical results. When He wills to produce intellectual and moral effects, it is by knowledge revealed by His Spirit through the prophets and apostles.

This knowledge becomes power when received into “good and honest hearts”; and because God is the author of it, it is styled “the Knowledge of God” (2 Pet. 1:2), or “the word of truth” (James 1:18), by which He begets sinners to Himself as His sons and daughters. “The word of the truth of the gospel,”" the gospel of the kingdom.” “the incorruptible seed,” “the word,” “the truth as it is in Jesus,”" the word of the kingdom,”" the word of reconciliation,” “the law and the testimony,” “the word of faith,” “the sword of the spirit which is the word of God,” “the word of Christ,” “the perfection of liberty,” etc.-are all phrases richly demonstrating "the power of God” by which He saves His people from their sins, and translates them into the Hope of the kingdom and glory to which He invites them. The truth is the power that makes men free indeed (John 8:32, 36).

Enlightenment a gift of the Spirit

Eph 1:17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give YOU a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the accurate knowledge of him;
Eph 1:18 the eyes of your understanding being enlightened, for your knowing what is the hope of His calling, and what the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,

The enlightening is by the gift of the Spirit (:17); it is an internal mental operation. 

"Enlightenment" is associated with being partakers in the Holy Spirit and tasting the Heavenly gift [i.e. the Spirit] in Heb. 6:4. 

And Heb. 10:32 speaks as if this "enlightenment" was a standard part of the Christian path ("... after you were enlightened...").

The same word for "enlightened" is found in Jn. 1:9- the Lord Jesus is the light of our world and enlightens every man who comes into that world. Once we take the step in faith of entering His world, then the gift of the Spirit enlightens us. He is therefore not passively sitting in Heaven awaiting the time of His return; He is busy enlightening believers, and He does this through the operation of His Spirit. 

God is “the Father of lights.” (Jas 1:17) Not only is he the “Giver of the sun for light by day, the statutes of the moon and the stars for light by night” (Jer 31:35) but he is also the Source of all spiritual enlightenment. (2Co 4:6)

Light is a symbol of intelligence. The understanding faculty in the mind. Light is a symbol of wisdom. When Jesus said, "I am the light of the world" (John 8:12), He meant that He was the expresser of Truth in all its aspects.

The love of Christ was shown in His cross; and through the Spirit's enlightenment we can know the height, length, breadth of that love (Eph. 3:18,19).

Our eyes have been enlightened, now we see (Eph. 1:18; 5:8; Col. 1:13; 1 Pet. 2:9).

ode 34 1 No way is hard where there is a simple heart. 2 Nor is there any wound where the thoughts are upright: 3 Nor is there any storm in the depth of the illuminated thought (Mind): 4 Where one is surrounded on every side by beauty, there is nothing that is divided. 5 The likeness of what is below is that which is above; for everything is above: what is below is nothing but the imagination of those that are without knowledge. 6 Grace has been revealed for your salvation. Believe and live and be saved. Hallelujah.

Conscience must be enlightened; if not, it can mislead