Bultmann makes a significant theological move when he considers
that the Hebrew verb for knowing can also be used of God in similar
manner:
The element of will emerges with particular emphasis...whenyadais
used of God, whose knowing establishes the significance of what is
known. In this connectionyadacan mean‘to elect’, i.e. to make an
object of concern and acknowledgement (Anerkennung).^217Bultmann further claims that this sense is also found in some New
Testament verses that speak of God’s knowledge; for instance, 2 Tim.
2:19 and 1 Cor. 8:3. In these verses, knowing means election and the
affinity resulting from it, a sense that is not as such found in ordinary
Greek.^218 For the purposes of our study, these are important remarks,
because they show that Bultmann has a concept of mutual epistemic
recognition between God and Christians. Like Schleiermacher, he
considers that God also recognizes humans in the salvific action,
conceptualizing this event as election.
In general, Bultmann considers the Christian knowledge‘an obedi-
ent and grateful recognition of the deeds and demands of God’,
connected with processual knowledge regarding God’s actions. In
this sense,gnosisis a gift of grace that shapes the life of a Christian.^219
Bultmann in fact continues the cultural Protestant idea of primary
practical attachment. At the same time, the relative importance of the
concept of recognition is higher for Bultmann than for Ritschl and
Herrmann. Bultmann claims directly and explicitly that the biblical
concept of religious knowing basically means recognition in the sense
of the GermanAnerkennen. Because of the definitive influence of
Kittel’s dictionary, this interpretation remains obvious through the
entire twentieth century.
Bultmann’sarticleonpistisstrengthensthispicture.Heconsiders
that the Hebrew concept of faith and trust can also be understood as
recognition.^220 Such faith involves a strong mutual relationship which
God initially establishes. As recognition, faith may nevertheless be an
active human response. Sometimes the divine initiative is expressed as
a command, sometimes as a promise. In both cases, the faithful human
response can be labelled as an act of recognition (Anerkennung)which
(^217) Ginosko, 698; E, 698. (^218) Ginosko, 705; E, 706.
(^219) Ginosko, 707; E, 707. (^220) Pistis, 186–7, 198; E, 187, 198.
The Modern Era 159