Journal: Tyndale Bulletin
Volume: TYNBUL 59:2 (NA 2008)
Article: ‘Known By God’
Author: Brian S. Rosner

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TynBull 59:2 (2008) p. 207

‘Known By God’

The Meaning And Value Of A Neglected Biblical Concept1

Brian S. Rosner

Summary

Despite the fact that being known by God is a critical concept in biblical theology it is sorely neglected in biblical exegesis and theology. This introductory article seeks to revive interest in the doctrine by reflecting on its definition and by considering its pastoral function in the Bible and in early Jewish texts. It argues that being known by God is roughly equivalent to three related notions: belonging to God, being loved or chosen by God, and being a child or son of God. With respect to the use to which it is put in the relevant texts, whereas not being known by God adds severity to dire warnings, being known by God promotes humility and supplies comfort and security. The implications of a biblical doctrine of being known by God for Christology, Anthropology, and Ethics are also briefly considered.

1. Introduction

The ‘Cinderella’ Of Theology

No one would deny the centrality of knowing God to biblical theology. Yet few treatments of the doctrines of God and salvation acknowledge that, as with every relationship, the knowledge of God has two sides: believers know God and are also known by him. Whereas knowing

TynBull 59:2 (2008) p. 208

God is the focus of countless academic and popular books and articles, being known by God has been barely noticed.2

At first blush the biblical data appears to justify this state of affairs. Compared with knowing God, the Bible speaks explicitly of God knowing human beings only rarely, less than twenty in comparison with several hundred. However, references to being known by God typically appear at critical points in the biblical narrative: in the Old Testament, Abraham (Gen. 18:19), Moses (Exod. 33:12), David (2 Sam. 7:20), Jeremiah (Jer. 1:5) and the nation Israel (Amos 3:2; Hos. 13:5) are all known by God; and in the New Testament being known by God defines Christian existence (Gal. 4:8-9; 1 Cor. 8:3), is a criterion of the last judgement (Matt. 7:23 [‘I never knew you’]; 25:12; cf. Luke 13:27) and is a measure of eschatological glory (1 Cor. 13:12 [‘then I sha...

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