Ginosko ~

I love Pauls earnest longing for more of Jesus in scripture. His desire to truly know the Lord is such encouragement to me. In Philippians he talks about how he counts all as loss compared to knowing Christ. I had read this verse so many times, and although it was great, my eyes were opened all the more after I heard a message at Ellerslie, by Nathan Johnson. I would love to tell you about it. Something I learned was that in the Greek, they have words for everything, unlike English where we have common words that we use for several different things. Such as, love, we say I love pizza, but we also say I love my mom, both are different types of love and yet we use one word for it. In the Greek it is different. They have words for each kind of word, for instance, gnostos in Greek is one of the many forms of know. It means  fact, or data.  

Here is an example in scripture with the Word gnostos. 

Acts 1:18-1918 Now this man purchased a field with the reward of iniquity; and falling headlong, he burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out. 19 And it was known(gnostos) unto all the dwellers at Jerusalem; insomuch as that field is called in their proper tongue, Aceldama, that is to say, The field of blood.

I could keep going with the many different forms of the word know, but there is one in particular that I want to point out. This one, I would say, has to be my favorite of them all. Sorry to all the other "knows" in the Greek language. With out further ado...

Ginokso - knowledge found through experience or relationship, an intimate understanding. 

 Below is some scripture to explain more of how this word is used. 

Matthew 1:24-25

24 Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife:25 And knew(ginosko) her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name Jesus.

Luke 1:34

34 Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know (ginosko) not a man?

John 17:3

3 And this is life eternal, that they might know(ginosko) thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

Basically, ginosko is a intimate form of knowing that is found in marriage, in time, and relationship experience. There is something even more though. 

Epiginosko - an elevated form of ginosko

1 Corinthians 13:12

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.

I am saying all of that to get back to the scripture that we talked about in the beginning, you know the one that Paul wrote, about knowing that Lord. Yes, that one. Well, after knowing(pun intended) what ginosko means, lets take a deeper look into the meaning of that scripture, and why I found it so very sweet.

Philippians 3:8-10

8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge(Gnostos) of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them, but dung, that I may win Christ, 9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:

What Paul is saying here is that he would let everything go, count all as loss, to just gnostos Jesus, which means to just know him as a fact, information, or data. He doesn't stop there though. Paul goes on to say. 

Philippians 3:8-10 ....[my passion, focus, desire is]10 That I may know(ginosko) him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;

 That scripture right there, challenges me to the core. Am I willing to count all as loss, just to know Christ as a fact? It doesn't mean that is all I should strive for. But, if that is all I had of Him, would I count all as loss for it. The beautiful part of this is that Paul doesn't stop at the knowing Christ as data, He presses deeper into Christ, He wants to know Christ in a way that is so very intimate and comes from a relationship with Christ. May I press for this. A true and deep knowing of my Savior, where it becomes like a marriage relationship. I learn to say what He says, do what He does, love like He does. Kinda like the kind of knowing that a old couple has, the one  you look at and get all mushy inside because there love has lasted and they are one. They resemble each other, they know the other like no one else, they love each other with a love that only comes through knowing the person.  Oh, that I might truly know Jesus. I want to become one with Jesus.