employed in 1 Tim. 2:4, 2 Tim. 3:7, and Titus 1:1. The phrase is
translated in the Vulgate asagnitio veritatis(1.Tim. 2:4, Titus 1:1)
orscientia veritatis(2 Tim. 3:7).
When the author of 1 Tim. 2:4 says that God desires everyone to be
saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth, he refers to the
saving religious knowledge to which Christians attach themselves in
faith.^5 Both in 1 Tim. 2:2–4 and Titus 1:1, the knowledge of the truth
is accompanied by a moral life that is characterized aseusebeia,
‘godliness’. This is the general civil virtue of the Christian whose
faith manifests itself as a pious life.^6 In contrast to this, the people
who are criticized in 2 Tim. 3:6–7 can never arrive at the knowledge
of the truth because they are overwhelmed by their sins.
While the phraseepignosis aletheiassounds philosophical, it is not
found as such in classical philosophy.^7 A similar phrase appears once
in Epictetos, who holds that‘man has received from nature measures
and standards for discovering the truth’(Disc.2, 20, 21). Epictetos
also treats godliness in this context (Disc.2, 20, 22). The Qumran
writings speak repeatedly of‘truth’in similar contexts.^8 Commenta-
tors largely agree in holding that the phrase embraces both intellec-
tual understanding and life commitment. As such, it designates the
norm of Christian truth.^9 Some commentators translateepignosisas
‘full knowledge’, indicating that more than generic knowledge or
philosophicalgnosisis at stake here.^10
Exegetes have devoted some attention to the issue of whether
epignosisin the Pastoral Epistles indicates an anti-Gnostic religious
knowledge that is not philosophical or merely natural. It may be most
plausible to treatgnosisandepignosisas basically synonymous.^11 In
the early patristic literature, however, a distinction can be found.
Justin, for instance, says in hisDialogue with Trypho(3, 5):
Is not knowledge (episteme) a term common to different matters? For in
arts of all kinds, he who knows any one of them is called a skilful man in
the art of generalship, or of ruling, or of healing equally. But in divine(^5) Marshall 1999, 425–8. (^6) Marshall 1999, 135–44.
(^7) Collins 2002, 97.
(^8) The Qumran evidence is presented in Marshall 1999, 121–2; he also gives Philo,
Prob. 74 and Diog.Laert. 7, 42 as parallels.
(^9) Weiser 2003, 257–8; Roloff 1988, 120.
(^10) Collins 2002, 304; Quinn & Wacker 2000, 159, 165, 180.
(^11) Marshall 1999, 121–3 presents evidence and a balanced judgement.
The Latin Traditions 45