"Partial Knowledge" -- Have We Progressed Beyond It?
The Bible reveals that First Century Christians Possessed A "Partial Knowledge" of Scripture and Prophecy.
This being the case, we may then properly ask, Have We today, as modern-day christians, Progressed Beyond this "partial knowledge" thus far?
Paul describes this particular unsolvable dilemma for first century christians this way,
"Whether there is knowledge, it will be done away with. For we have partial knowledge and we prophesy partially; but when that which is complete arrives, that which is partial will be done away with."
"When I was a babe, I used to speak as a babe, to think as a babe, to reason as a babe; but now that I have become a man, I have done away with the [traits] of a babe. For at present we see in hazy outline by means of a metal mirror, but then it will be face to face. At present I know partially, but then I shall know accurately even as I am accurately known." -- 1 Corinthians 13:9-12 NWT
The New Oxford Annotated Bible renders verse 12 this way,
"For now we see in a mirror, dimly..."
Also, the New Jerusalem Bible renders the same verse as,
"Now we see only reflections in a mirror, mere riddles..."
The Modern Language Bible says, covering verses 8-12,
"...as for knowledge, it will lose its meaning, For our knowledge is fragmentary and so is our prophesying...For now we see indistinctly in a mirror..."
First century christians possessed a "fragmentary," "partial knowledge" of God's Purposes, that would one day, actually "lose its meaning" or be "discarded" or "thrown away," "done away with."
Why?
Their "understanding" of "prophecy," was "partial", incomplete. It should be "discarded". It appears as "mere riddles" to them. As "riddles", which could not be properly understood by anyone in the first century at all, including the inspired apostles of that time.
Thus, any "prophesying" done by first century christians was "partial," "Indistinct," and "Incomplete" and did not fully reveal all of God's true purposes within prophetic scripture, particularly as it applies to our day. That faulty understanding of scripture then, The Greek Scriptures, the New Testament and "understandings" expressed by Paul and other inspired men, yes, by God's permission, then must be "discarded" or "done away with", since inevitably it would by necessity "lose its meaning" as having no application for us today.
Also, further because "that which is complete" must "arrive." And when that which is "perfect", "complete" whole as in Bible knowledge and understanding, then the former understanding of "prophecy" must prove itself to be "obsolete," and totally "ineffectual," and thus, as the King James Version says of verse 8, "it shall vanish away." This "partial understanding" of scripture and prophecy as understood by first century christians -- The Greek Scriptures, the New Testament and its currently understood passages of scripture. Yes, it must pass away..."vanish away," become "obsolete." It will become "antiquated" when "that which is complete" is to arrive.
So then, we as true servants of God must then be prepared, prepared to dutifully "discard" such incomplete "Bible understandings" as taught and understood by first century christians, when it is called for us to do so...when that which is "complete arrives." God expects to do so.
It is just as the Amplified Bible says of these verses,
"...as for knowledge, it will pass away [that is, it will lose its value and be superseded by truth]."
"For our knowledge is fragmentary (incomplete and imperfect), and our prophecy (our teaching) is fragmentary (incomplete and imperfect.) But when the complete and perfect [total] comes, the incomplete and imperfect will vanish away -- become antiquated, void and superseded."
Yes, that "partial knowledge" and "partial" understanding of Bible prophecy possessed by first century christians, then must become "superseded," "antiquated," and "voided" out, as it is the Will of God to do so.
Thus, if we mistakenly base all of our present day "understanding" of scriptures SOLELY upon what first century christians understood, believed, and taught, what Paul, Peter, John and others taught, we will fall short...we will not be able to comprehend, understand Bible Prophecy properly, as it was meant to be understood, in its "complete" sense.
We would be simply "echoeing" or repeating what first century christians "understood", which was a "partial," "indistinct," and "hazy", "riddle-filled" understanding of Bible prophecy.
The Bible in this case, can only appear to us as endless "riddles," "riddles" and more "riddles." Or as Vincent's "Word Studies in the New Testament," says of the Greek expression "riddles," -- as an "ENIGMA". Yes, the Bible just becomes "an enigma" to us.
Thus, we are making no further progress at all, are we? No, we are not progressing at all from the initial "partial," "fragmentary" and "hazy knowledge" of the first century christians. And regrettably and unavoidably, this situation will lead us to draw FALSE CONCLUSIONS about the Bible and what is really meant in God's Holy Word. This is what has happened to the WATCHTOWER SOCIETY and company.
MDS
He is TELLING HIS WORD TO JACOB, His regulations and his judicial decisions to Israel. He has NOT done that way to any other nation; and as for his judicial decisions, they have not known them..."-- Psalms 147:19, 20