Transcending Human Perception of God's Essence
The essence of God transcends human perception, a concept deeply embedded in biblical thought and theological reflection. While humanity can apprehend aspects of God's character and works, a full comprehension of His being remains beyond finite grasp [2, 5, 9]. This idea is articulated in various ways, emphasizing both the knowability and the incomprehensibility of the divine.
One prominent biblical expression of this paradox is found in Ephesians 3:19, which speaks of "the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge" [1]. Commentators note that this phrase implies that while believers can "know" Christ's love, this knowledge is not exhaustive; rather, it acknowledges that His love exceeds even the most profound human understanding [5, 7]. John Gill, a Baptist/Reformed commentator, describes Christ's love as "matchless and unparalleled," exceeding human comprehension due to its freeness, sovereignty, and enduring nature [10]. Adam Clarke, a Methodist/Wesleyan commentator, similarly highlights that the "gift of Christ to man is the measure of God's love; the death of Christ for man is the measure of Christ's love," yet this love still "passeth knowledge" [7]. The Tyndale House commentary suggests that the Christian life is founded on experiencing and personally knowing God's grace and love in Jesus Christ, even as this love is "too great to understand fully" [8].
The invisible attributes of God are "clearly seen" through creation, allowing for a certain level of understanding, yet this understanding is mediated and not direct apprehension of His essence [4]. The apostle Paul states in Romans 1:20 that "the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made" [4]. This suggests that while creation serves as an "interpreter of our faith in God," the primary source of faith lies within, and the outward world helps to form an "intelligible and articulate conviction" [4]. However, this does not equate to a full grasp of God's infinite nature.
The concept of God's foreknowledge further illustrates this transcendence. Easton's Bible Dictionary notes that God's foreknowledge is "one of those high attributes essentially appertaining to him the full import of which we cannot comprehend" [2]. Passages like Acts 2:23, Romans 8:29, and 1 Peter 1:2 point to God's infinite knowledge, which extends to all things, past, present, and future [2]. David, in Psalm 139:5, expresses this sentiment, stating, "Such knowledge is too wonderful for me," acknowledging that the manner of God's knowing is "past his conception" [9].
The divine presence and power are often described in ways that emphasize their mysterious and unsearchable nature. The "power of the highest" that "overshadows" Mary in Luke 1:35 is described by Calvin as having a "mysterious secrecy, withdrawn, as if by a cloud, from human scrutiny" [6]. This imagery suggests that God's operations, while efficacious, are not always fully transparent to human understanding. Similarly, the concept of a "trance" in biblical texts (Acts 10:10, 11:6, 22:17) describes a state where an individual "has passed out of the usual order of his life, beyond the usual limits of consciousness and volition," often due to "strong religious impressions" [3]. This points to moments where human perception is overwhelmed by divine encounter, indicating the limits of ordinary human faculties in comprehending the divine.
Sources
- Ephesians “and to know Christ’s love which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. -- Ephesians 3:19”
- 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).”
- Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Trance — (1) In the only passage-- (Numbers 24:4,16)--in which this word occurs in the English of the Old Testament italics show no corresponding word in Hebrew. In the New Testament we meet with the word three times-- (Acts 10:10; 11:6; 22:17) The ekstasis (i.e. trance) is the state in which a man has passed out of the usual order of his life, beyond the usual limits of consciousness and volition, being rapt in causes of this state are to be traced commonly to strong religious impressions. Whatever explanation may be given of it, it is true of many, if not of most, o”
- Romans (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Romans 1:20: For the invisible things of him from--or "since" the creation of the world are clearly seen--the mind brightly beholding what the eye cannot discern. being understood by the things that are made--Thus, the outward creation is not the parent but the interpreter of our faith in God. That faith has its primary sources within our own breast (Rom 1:19); but it becomes an intelligible and articulate conviction only through what we observe around us ("by the things which are made," Rom 1:20). And thus are the inner and the outer revelation of God the comp”
- Ephesians (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Ephesians 3:19: passeth--surpasseth, exceeds. The paradox "to know . . . which passeth knowledge," implies that when he says "know," he does not mean that we can adequately know; all we know is, that His love exceeds far our knowledge of it, and with even our fresh accessions of knowledge hereafter, will still exceed them. Even as God's power exceeds our thoughts (Eph 3:20). filled with--rather, as Greek, "filled even unto all the fulness of God" (this is the grand goal), that is, filled, each according to your capacity, with the divine wisdom, knowledge, and lov”
- Luke (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Luke 1:35: Holy Ghost--(See on Mat 1:18). power of the highest--the immediate energy of the Godhead conveyed by the Holy Ghost. overshadow--a word suggesting how gentle, while yet efficacious, would be this Power [BENGEL]; and its mysterious secrecy, withdrawn, as if by a cloud, from human scrutiny [CALVIN]. that holy thing born of thee--that holy Offspring of thine. therefore . . . Son of God--That Christ is the Son of God in His divine and eternal nature is clear from all the New Testament; yet here we see that Sonship efflorescing into human and palpable”
- Ephesians (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Ephesians 3:19: To know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge - It is only by the love of Christ that we can know the love of God: the love of God to man induced him to give Christ for his redemption; Christ's love to man induced him to give his life's blood for his salvation. The gift of Christ to man is the measure of God's love; the death of Christ for man is the measure of Christ's love. God so loved the world, etc. Christ loved us, and gave himself for us. But how can the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, be known? Many have labored to reconcile this seeming co”
- Ephesians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Ephesians 3:19: 3:19 May you experience (literally know) the love of Christ: The whole Christian life is based on the experience and personal knowledge of God’s grace and love in Jesus Christ (see Rom 12:1). • it is too great to understand fully: Christ’s love is much greater than ordinary human love (see Rom 5:6-8). • The believer’s life is made complete when it is filled with all the fullness of life and power by the presence of Christ within (see Eph 1:23; Gal 2:20; Col 1:27). The believer then is conformed to his image and reflects God (see Eph 4:14, 24; 5:1-2; Rom 8:29; 2”
- Psalms (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Psalms 139:5: Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,.... Meaning either the knowledge of himself, such as God had of him, which was vastly superior to what he had of himself; and especially the knowledge of other persons and things, whether visible or invisible, in heaven, earth, or hell; things past, present, and to come; or else the manner in which God knew all this was amazing to him, and quite impenetrable by him; that he did know him, his thoughts, his words and actions, and so those of all others, was easy of belief; but how he should know all this was past his conception, ”
- Ephesians (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Ephesians 3:18: And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge,.... The love of Christ to his own, to his church and people, is special and peculiar; free and Sovereign; as early as his Father's love, and is durable and unchangeable; the greatest love that ever was heard of; it is matchless and unparalleled; it is exceeding strong and affectionate, and is wonderful and surprising: the instances of it are, his engaging as a surety for them; his espousing both their persons and their cause; his assumption of their nature; his dying in their room and stead; his payment of th”