Throughout my PhD program, I’ve been ramping up my Koine Greek (the language the New Testament was written in). Recently, I came across the word καρδιογνώστης (kardiognōstēs).
Like Germans, Greeks were fond of compounding words. Hence, καρδιογνώστης comes from καρδιο (heart) + γινώσκω (to know). Essentially, καρδιογνώστης means “a heart-knower” or a “knower of the heart.”
This noun only occurs twice in the New Testament, both in the book of Acts (1:24 and 15:8). Both times the word is used to describe God. Both occur in contexts where the early church leaders are seeking wisdom and discernment for a decision they’re needing to make.
In Acts 1:24, the apostles are trying to decide who will replace Judas. As they seek to live out Jesus’ commission, they need someone else to join the band of apostles. They seek discernment through prayer, “You, Lord, the heart-knower…” (translation mine).
In Acts 15:8, Paul and Barnabas join the apostles and elders to discuss the pressing issue of whether Gentiles, who were coming to faith in Jesus, needed to uphold the law of Moses. After much debate, Peter reminds them that “God is the heart-knower…” (translation mine).
I think this is a beautiful way to speak about God. God is the knower of our inner life. God knows our deepest desires, intentions, hopes, sadnesses, fears, joys, confusions, shortcomings, and frustrations. I find much solace knowing that the knower of my heart is guiding, helping, and leading me; that I can trust the heart-knower as I make difficult decisions or face challenging situations. Simply put, it’s comforting to know that God knows me.
Wherever we find ourselves today, may we entrust our lives to God, the one who knows our hearts.