The Mystery of God's Infinite Nature in Theology

The infinite nature of God is a foundational concept in theology, emphasizing that God's being and attributes are without limit or measure. This infinitude is often described as incomprehensible to human understanding ^{[1, 9]}. The Bible frequently speaks to this boundless quality, particularly concerning God's wisdom, knowledge, and power ^[4].

One aspect of God's infinite nature is His knowledge, often termed foreknowledge. This attribute means that God's knowledge is absolute and without bounds, encompassing all things past, present, and future ^[1]. Passages such as Acts 2:23, Romans 8:29, and 1 Peter 1:2 refer to God's foreknowledge, while 1 Samuel 23:9-13 and Jeremiah 38:17-23 illustrate the depth of His understanding ^[1]. The prophet Isaiah also speaks of God's unsearchable understanding (Isaiah 40:28), a theme echoed in the New Testament ^[4]. Romans 11:33 exclaims, "O the depth of the aboundant wysdome and knowledge of God: how vnserchable are his iudgementes and his wayes past findyng out" ^[2]. This unsearchable quality highlights that while aspects of God can be known, His full essence remains beyond human comprehension ^{[12, 13]}.

God's wisdom is also described as infinite and unsearchable ^[4]. It is characterized as perfect, mighty, universal, and underived ^[4]. Job 36:4 and 37:16 describe God's wisdom as perfect, while Daniel 2:22 and Acts 15:18 point to its universal scope ^[4]. The psalmist marvels at God's wonderful wisdom, which is beyond human comprehension (Psalm 139:6) ^[4]. This wisdom is not merely an intellectual capacity but is actively displayed in His works and is the source from which all human wisdom is derived ^[4].

The concept of God's infinitude extends to His other attributes, such as His justice and loving-kindness. God's justice is an unchangeable principle of His nature, meaning He is infinitely righteous in all He does ^[8]. This justice is not an optional product of His will but an inherent part of His being, evident in His imposition of moral laws and His righteous dealings with His creatures ^[8]. Similarly, God's loving-kindness is described as great, excellent, good, marvelous, multitudinous, and everlasting ^[7]. It is through Christ that this loving-kindness is manifested, drawing and preserving believers ^[7].

The mystery surrounding God's infinite nature is a recurring theme. Zophar, in the book of Job, speaks of God as an "incomprehensible Being, infinite and immense, whose nature and perfections our finite understandings cannot possibly form any adequate conceptions of" ^[9]. Adam Clarke, commenting on Job 36:26, notes that God is "unsearchable" and "eternal," propositions that are "too profound, comprehensive, and sublime" for simple paraphrase ^[11]. John Gill, in his commentary on Job 11:7, explains that while the existence of God can be inferred from creation, His nature, being, and perfections cannot be fully discovered by human search ^[12].

This mystery is also central to understanding core doctrines, such as the incarnation. The apostle Paul refers to the incarnation of Christ as a "great mystery of godliness" (1 Timothy 3:16) ^[3]. John Gill elaborates that the union of divine and human natures in Christ is a mystery that, though revealed, cannot be fully accounted for or comprehended by reason ^[10]. Jamieson, Fausset & Brown emphasize that the "whole dignity of Christ's person" points to His essentially superhuman nature, which is part of this great mystery ^[14]. The very name "God" (Hebrew 'El, 'Eloah, 'Elohim, and Jehovah) signifies the Divine Being, whose existence is taken for granted in the biblical narrative rather than argued for ^[5]. The eternity of God is also implied in names like "Eladah" ^[6].

Sources

Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Foreknowledge of God — Acts 2:23; Rom. 8:29; 11:2; 1 Pet. 1:2), one of those high attributes essentially appertaining to him the full import of which we cannot comprehend. In the most absolute sense his knowledge is infinite (1 Sam. 23:9-13; Jer. 38:17-23; 42:9-22, Matt. 11:21, 23; Acts 15:18).”
Romans “Romans 11:33 (Tyndale) — O the depnes of the aboundaunt wysdome and knowledge of God: how vnserchable are his iudgementes and his wayes past findyng out.”
I Timothy “I Timothy 3:16 (Geneva1599) — And without controuersie, great is the mysterie of godlinesse, which is, God is manifested in the flesh, iustified in the Spirit, seene of Angels, preached vnto the Gentiles, beleeued on in the world, and receiued vp in glorie.”
Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Wisdom of God, The — Is one of his attributes -- 1Sa 2:3; Job 9:4. Described as Perfect. -- Job 36:4; 37:16. Mighty. -- Job 36:5. Universal. -- Job 28:24; Da 2:22; Ac 15:18. Infinite. -- Ps 147:5; Ro 11:33. Unsearchable. -- Isa 40:28; Ro 11:33. Wonderful. -- Ps 139:6. Beyond human comprehension. -- Ps 139:6. Incomparable. -- Isa 44:7; Jer 10:7. Underived. -- Job 21:22; Isa 40:14. The gospel contains treasures of -- 1Co 2:7. Wisdom of saints is derived from -- Ezr 7:25. All human wisdom derived from -- Da 2:1. Saints ascribe to him -- Da 2:20. Exhibited in His works. ”
Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: God — (A.S. and Dutch God; Dan. Gud; Ger. Gott), the name of the Divine Being. It is the rendering (1) of the Hebrew 'El, from a word meaning to be strong; (2) of 'Eloah_, plural _'Elohim. The singular form, Eloah, is used only in poetry. The plural form is more commonly used in all parts of the Bible, The Hebrew word Jehovah (q.v.), the only other word generally employed to denote the Supreme Being, is uniformly rendered in the Authorized Version by "LORD," printed in small capitals. The existence of God is taken for granted in the Bible. There is nowhere any argume”
Hitchcock's Bible Names “Hitchcock's Bible Names: Eladah — the eternity of God”
Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Loving-Kindness of God, The — Is through Christ -- Eph 2:7; Tit 3:4-6. Described as Great. -- Ne 9:17. Excellent. -- Ps 36:7. Good. -- Ps 69:16. Marvellous. -- Ps 17:7; 31:21. Multitudinous. -- Isa 63:7. Everlasting. -- Isa 54:8. Merciful. -- Ps 117:2. Better than life. -- Ps 63:3. Consideration of the dealings of God gives a knowledge of -- Ps 107:43. Saints Betrothed in. -- Ho 2:19. Drawn by. -- Jer 31:3. Preserved by. -- Ps 40:11. Quickened after. -- Ps 119:88. Comforted by. -- Ps 119:76. Look for mercy through. -- Ps 51:1. Receive mercy through. -- Isa 54:8. Are ”
Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Justice of God — That perfection of his nature whereby he is infinitely righteous in himself and in all he does, the righteousness of the divine nature exercised in his moral government. At first God imposes righteous laws on his creatures and executes them righteously. Justice is not an optional product of his will, but an unchangeable principle of his very nature. His legislative justice is his requiring of his rational creatures conformity in all respects to the moral law. His rectoral or distributive justice is his dealing with his accountable creatures according”
Job (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Job 11:7: Zophar here speaks very good things concerning God and his greatness and glory, concerning man and his vanity and folly: these two compared together, and duly considered, will have a powerful influence upon our submission to all the dispensations of the divine Providence. I. See here what God is, and let him be adored. 1. He is an incomprehensible Being, infinite and immense, whose nature and perfections our finite understandings cannot possibly form any adequate conceptions of, and whose counsels and actings we cannot therefore, without the greatest presumption, pas”
1 Timothy (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on 1 Timothy 3:16: And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness,.... What follows is so, the incarnation of Christ, his birth of a virgin, the union of the two natures, divine and human, in his person; this is a mystery, which though revealed, and so to be believed, is not to be discerned nor accounted for, nor the modus of it to be comprehended by reason: and it is a great one, next, if not equal, to the doctrine of a trinity of persons in the divine essence; and is a mystery of godliness, which tends to encourage internal and external religion, powerful and practical g”
Job (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Job 36:26: God is great - He is omnipotent. We know him not - He is unsearchable. Neither can the number of his years be searched out - He is eternal. These three propositions are an ample foundation for endless disquisition. As to paraphrase and comment, they need none in this place; they are too profound, comprehensive, and sublime.”
Job (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Job 11:7: Canst thou by searching find out God?.... God is not to be found out by human search; that there is a God may be found out by inquiring into the book of nature, by considering the creatures that are made, who all proclaim some first cause or maker of them, who is God; but then it cannot be found out what God is, his nature, being, and perfections: an Heathen philosopher (i), being asked by a certain king what God was, required a day to give in his answer; when that was up he desired a second, and still went on asking more; and being demanded the reason of his dilatorines”
Romans (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Romans 1:19: That which may be known of God - Dr. Taylor paraphrases this and the following verse thus: "Although the Gentiles had no written revelation, yet what may be known of God is every where manifest among them, God having made a clear discovery of himself to them. For his being and perfections, invisible to our bodily eyes, have been, ever since the creation of the world, evidently to be seen, if attentively considered, in the visible beauty, order, and operations observable in the constitution and parts of the universe; especially his eternal power and universal dominio”
1 Timothy (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on 1 Timothy 3:16: And--following up Ti1 3:15 : The pillar of the truth is the Church in which thou art required to minister; "AND (that thou mayest know how grand is that truth which the Church so upholds) confessedly (so the Greek for 'without controversy') great is the mystery of godliness: (namely), HE WHO (so the oldest manuscripts and versions read for 'God') was manifested in (the) flesh (He who) was justified in the Spirit," &c. There is set before us the whole dignity of Christ's person. If He were not essentially superhuman (Tit 2:13), how could the apostle ”

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