Topical Encyclopedia
The term "unknown" in the context of the Bible often refers to aspects of God, His will, or His creation that are beyond human understanding or have not been revealed to humanity. The concept of the "unknown" can be seen in various passages and themes throughout Scripture, emphasizing the mystery and majesty of God, as well as the limitations of human knowledge.
God's IncomprehensibilityThe Bible frequently highlights the incomprehensibility of God, underscoring that there are aspects of His nature and plans that remain unknown to human beings. In
Isaiah 55:8-9 , the Lord declares, "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, declares the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so My ways are higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts." This passage illustrates the vast difference between divine and human understanding, suggesting that certain things about God will always remain unknown to us.
Mysteries of the KingdomJesus often spoke in parables, which contained truths about the Kingdom of God that were not immediately apparent to all listeners. In
Matthew 13:11 , Jesus explains to His disciples, "The knowledge of the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them." Here, the "unknown" refers to spiritual truths that are revealed to some but remain hidden from others, highlighting the selective revelation of divine mysteries.
The Unknown GodIn
Acts 17:23 , the Apostle Paul addresses the Athenians at the Areopagus, saying, "For as I walked around and examined your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Therefore what you worship as something unknown, I now proclaim to you." Paul uses the Athenians' acknowledgment of an "unknown god" to introduce them to the one true God, whom they did not yet know. This passage illustrates the human recognition of the divine that exists beyond their understanding and the opportunity for revelation through the Gospel.
Human LimitationsThe Bible acknowledges the limitations of human knowledge and understanding. In
Ecclesiastes 3:11 , it is written, "He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men, yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end." This verse reflects the idea that while humans have an innate sense of the eternal, the full scope of God's work remains unknown to them.
Faith and the UnknownFaith is often described as trust in what is not seen or fully understood.
Hebrews 11:1 states, "Now faith is the assurance of what we hope for and the certainty of what we do not see." This definition of faith involves embracing the unknown, trusting in God's promises and character even when the details are not fully revealed.
The Future and ProphecyThe future, particularly concerning end times, is another area where the "unknown" is significant. While the Bible provides prophetic glimpses of future events, the exact timing and details remain unknown. Jesus Himself stated in
Matthew 24:36 , "But about that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father." This reinforces the idea that certain knowledge is reserved for God alone.
In summary, the concept of the "unknown" in the Bible serves to remind believers of the greatness and mystery of God, the limitations of human understanding, and the call to live by faith, trusting in God's revealed truth while acknowledging what remains beyond our grasp.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
(
a.) Not known; not apprehended.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
UNKNOWN GODun-non', (agnostos theos): InActs 17:23 (St. Paul's speech in Athens) the American Standard Revised Version reads: "I found also an altar with this inscription, To AN UNKNOWN GOD. What therefore ye worship in ignorance, this I set forth unto you." the King James Version and the English Revised Version margin translate "to the Unknown God," owing to the fact that in Greek certain words, of which theos is one, may drop the article when it is to be understood. In the present case the use of the article. is probably right (compareActs 17:24). In addition, the King James Version reads "whom" and "him" in place of "what" and "this." The difference here is due to a variation in the Greek manuscripts, most of which support the King James Version. But internal probability is against the King James Version's reading, as it would have been very easy for a scribe to change neuters (referring to the divine power) into masculines after "God," but not vice versa. Hence, modern editors (except yon Soden's margin) have adopted the reading in the Revised Version (British and American).
Paul in Athens, "as he beheld the city full of idols," felt that God was truly unknown there. Hence the altar with the inscription struck him as particularly significant. Some Athenians, at any rate, felt the religious inadequacy of all known deities and were appealing to the God who they felt must exist, although they knew nothing definite about Him. No better starting-point for an address could be wished. What the inscription actually meant, however, is another question. Nothing is known about it. Altars dedicated "to unknown gods" (in the plural) seem to have been fairly common (Jerome onTitus 1:12; Pausanias, i.1, 4; Philaster, Vita Apoll., vi.3), and Blase (Commentary ad loc.) has even suggested that the words in Acts were originally in the plural. But this would spoil the whole point of the speech, and the absence of references to a single inscription among thousands that existed can cause no surprise. Those inscriptions in the plural seem to have been meant in the sense "to the other deities that may exist in addition to those already known," but an inscription in the sing. could not have this meaning. Perhaps a votive inscription is meant, where the worshipper did not know which god to thank for some benefit received. That a slur on all the other Athenian objects of worship was intended is, however, most improbable, but Paul could not of course be expected to know the technical meaning of such inscriptions.
SeeATHENS.
Buston Scott Easton
GOD, THE UNKNOWN
SeeUNKNOWN GOD.
Greek
57. agnostos --unknown...unknown. Part of Speech: Adjective Transliteration: agnostos Phonetic Spelling:
(ag'-noce-tos') Short Definition:
unknown Definition:
unknown, unknowable.
...50. agnoeo -- to be ignorant, not to know
... 1), ignorant (2), ignorantly (1), know (2), knowing (2), recognize (1), recognized
(1), recognizing (1), unaware (4), understand (2), uninformed (2),unknown (2...
540. apator -- fatherless
... fatherless. Part of Speech: Adjective Transliteration: apator Phonetic Spelling:
(ap-at'-ore) Short Definition: without father, ofunknown father Definition...
2316. theos -- God, a god
... God, (b) a god, generally. 2316 (ofunknown origin) -- properly,, Creator
and of all things (Jn 1:3; Gen 1 - 3). [Long before the NT...
2990. lanthano -- to escape notice
... of person from whom concealment takes place; I do so and so unconsciously,unknown
to myself, I shut my eyes to so and so. Word Origin from a prim....
602. apokalupsis -- an uncovering
... 602 ("revelation, unveiling") is principally used of the of Jesus Christ (the ),
especially a () of Christ (His will) previouslyunknown to the extent (because...
282. ametor -- without a mother
... without mother. From a (as a negative particle) and meter; motherless, ie Ofunknown
maternity -- without mother. see GREEK a. see GREEK meter....
3933. parthenos -- a maiden, a virgin
... virgin. Ofunknown origin; a maiden; by implication, an unmarried daughter -- virgin.
(parthenoi) -- 4 Occurrences. (parthenois) -- 1 Occurrence....
36. agenes -- unborn, of no family, ignoble
... base things. From a (as negative particle) and genos; properly, without kin, ie
(ofunknown descent, and by implication) ignoble -- base things. see GREEK a....
2333. Theudas -- Theudas, an Israelite
... Transliteration: Theudas Phonetic Spelling: (thyoo-das') Short Definition: Theudas
Definition: Theudas, a Jewish pretender of date about 4 BC, otherwiseunknown...
Strong's Hebrew
3581a. koach -- a small reptile (ofunknown species)koach or koach. 3581, 3581a. koach or koach. 3581b . a small reptile (of
unknown species). Transliteration: koach or koach Short Definition: crocodile.
...2051. Vedan -- a place ofunknown location
... 2050, 2051. Vedan. 2052 . a place ofunknown location. Transliteration:
Vedan Phonetic Spelling: (ved-awn') Short Definition: Vedan....
495. Ellasar -- a country ofunknown location
... 494, 495. Ellasar. 496 . a country ofunknown location. Transliteration: Ellasar
Phonetic Spelling: (el-law-sawr') Short Definition: Ellasar....
4506b. Manachath -- "resting place," a city ofunknown location
... 4506a, 4506b. Manachath. 4506c . "resting place," a city ofunknown location.
Transliteration: Manachath Short Definition: Manahath....
3581. koach -- a small reptile (ofunknown species)
... 3580, 3581. koach. 3581a . a small reptile (ofunknown species). Transliteration:
koach Phonetic Spelling: (ko'-akh) Short Definition: ability....
6336. Puthi -- a family in Judah
... Word Origin of uncertain derivation Definition a family in Judah NASB Word
Usage Puthites (1). Puhites, descendants of anunknown Puth....
5525. Sukkiyyim -- Sukkiims
... Sukkiims. Patrial from anunknown name (perhaps cok); a Sukkite, or inhabitant of
some place near Egypt (ie Hut-dwellers) -- Sukkiims. see HEBREW cok....
5515. Sinim -- inhab. of unc. location
... of unc. location NASB Word Usage Sinim (1). Sinim. Plural of an otherwiseunknown
name; Sinim, a distant Oriental region -- Sinim. 5514, 5515. Sinim. 5516...
1784. Diynay -- judges
... Dinaite (Aramaic) partial from uncertain primitive; a Dinaite or inhabitant of some
unknown Assyria province -- Dinaite. 1783, 1784. Diynay. 1784a ....
7877. Shiza -- a Reubenite
... Word Origin of uncertain derivation Definition a Reubenite NASB Word Usage Shiza
(1). Shiza. Ofunknown derivation; Shiza, an Is. -- Shiza. 7876, 7877....
Library
Unknown
...Unknown.Unknown. Some of our finest hymns are ofunknown origin. The authors
had such humble opinion of their work as to feel that...
The GreatUnknown
... HYMNS THE GREATUNKNOWN. "I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out My
hand, and no man regarded.""Proverbs 1:24.... Unseen,unknown, unregarded,....
TheUnknown To-Morrow
... THEUNKNOWN TO-MORROW. A New Year's Sermon... So the words of the text are a promise
of preservation. Then, dear brethren, how do you stand fronting thatUnknown?...
The GreatUnknown Lack.
... The Need The GreatUnknown Lack. The greatness of men's need stands out
most pathetically in this, that men don't know their need....
January the First theUnknown Journey
... JANUARY The First THEUNKNOWN JOURNEY. "He went out not knowing whither
he went." "Hebrews 11:6-10. Abram began his journey without...
TheUnknown Giver and the Misused Gifts
... TheUnknown Giver and the Misused Gifts. A Sermon (No.2252). Intended for Reading
on Lord's-Day, April 17th, 1892,. Delivered by. CH SPURGEON,....
Your Theologians, Then, and Authors onUnknown Antiquity, Say that...
... Book IV. 14 Your theologians, then, and authors onunknown antiquity, say
that in the universe there are? Your theologians, then...
Letter vii. To anUnknown Person, Begging the Favor of a Letter. ....
... Severus. Letter VII. To anUnknown Person, Begging the Favor of a Letter.?
To anUnknown Person, Begging the Favor of a Letter. The...
Of theUnknown Purpose of Some of the Intestines.
... Chap. XIV."Of theUnknown Purpose of Some of the Intestines. It is evident
that there are many things in the body, the force and...
At theUnknown' Feast in Jerusalem, and by the Pool of Bethesda.
... AT THEUNKNOWN' FEAST IN JERUSALEM, AND BY THE POOL OF BETHESDA.... Here was simple
trust, unquestioning obedience to the unseen,unknown, but real Saviour....
Thesaurus
Unknown (15 Occurrences)...UNKNOWN GOD.
... Paul's speech in Athens) the American Standard Revised Version reads:
"I found also an altar with this inscription, To AN
UNKNOWN GOD.
...Tongue (160 Occurrences)
... 1 Corinthians 14:2 For he that speaketh in anunknown tongue speaketh not unto men,
but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he...
Athens (5 Occurrences)
... The altar of which Paul there speaks as dedicated "to the [properly "an"]unknown
God" (23) was probably one of several which bore the same inscription....
Stranger (152 Occurrences)
... resident in a foreign land; Exodus 23:9, one who is not a Jew; Numbers 3:10, one
who is not of the family of Aaron; Psalm 69:8, an alien or anunknown person....
Dial (2 Occurrences)
... The first and essential point to be noted is that this was no ordinary astronomical
phenomenon, nor was it the result of ordinary astronomical laws thenunknown...
Speaketh (367 Occurrences)
... 1 Corinthians 14:2 For he that speaketh in anunknown tongue speaketh not unto men,
but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he...
Judith (1 Occurrence)
... in the western country, including Palestine, to help him to subdue a rival king
whose power he feared-Arphaxad, king of the Medes (otherwise quiteunknown)....
Burial (25 Occurrences)
... ON THE WAY TO THE GRAVE 1. CoffinsUnknown 2. Professional Mourners IV.
AT THE GRAVE 1. Graves Dug in the Earth 2. Family Tombs....
Ziph (9 Occurrences)
... (2) A town in the Negeb of Judah (Joshua 15:24), siteunknown.... (ziph, meaningunknown):
(1) A grandson of Caleb (1 Chronicles 2:42); the Septuagint has Zeiph....
Zophar (4 Occurrences)
... Arabia). He is called a Naamathite, or an inhabitant of someunknown place
called Naamah. Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. ZOPHAR....
Resources
Who is the unknown god in Acts 17:23? | GotQuestions.orgWhat happened at Mars Hill in the Bible? | GotQuestions.orgCan you give me a basic timeline of the Bible? | GotQuestions.orgUnknown: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.comBible Concordance •
Bible Dictionary •
Bible Encyclopedia •
Topical Bible •
Bible Thesuarus
