The Knowledge of God

Τὴς μὲν γὰρ περὶ αὐτοῦ γνώσεως ἀπλανοῦς καὶ θεωρίας ἰσχνῆς καὶ ἀπεξεσμέμης, εἴη ἂν, ὥς γε οἴμαι, τὸ ὕστατον οὐδεν, ὸὐ περιουσίαι χρημάτων, οὐ λαμπτότης κοσμικὴ, καὶ ἀξιωμάτων ὅγκοι, οὐ σοφίας δόκησις τῆς ἐπιγείου καὶ ψυχικῆς καὶ δαιμονιώδους. Καὶ γοῦν ἔφη που Θεὸς, διὰ τῆς Ἰερεμίου φωνῆς· 'Μὴ καυχάσθω ὁ σοφὸς ἐν τῇ σοφίᾳ  αὐτοῦ, καὶ μὴ καυχάσθω ὁ δυνατὸς ἐν τῇ δυνάμει αὐτοῦ, καὶ μὴ καυχάσθω ὁ πλούσιος ἐν τῷ πλούτῳ αὐτοῦ, ἀλλ' ἐν τούτῳ χαυχάσθω ὁ καυχώμενος, ἐν τῷ συνιεῖν καὶ γνώσκειν τὸν Κύριον.' Ἔφη δέ που καὶ αὐτὸς ὁ Σωτὴρ πρὸς τὸν ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς Πατέρα καὶ Θεόν· ' Αὔτη δέ ἐστιν ἡ αἰώνιος ζωὴ, ἵνα γινώσκωσι σε τὸν μόνον ἀληθινὸν θεὸν, καὶ ὄν ἀπέστειλας Ἰησοῦν Χριστόν.' Οὐκοῦν ἄριστον αὐχημάτων εἴη ἂν ἡ περὶ Θεοῦ γνῶσις. Ὀρθῶς δὲ ταῦτ' ἔχειν, καὶ αὐτοῖς τοῖς Ἐλλήνων λογάσι συνδοκεῖ. Καὶ γοῦν ὁ Ἀριστοτέλους μαθητὴς Ἀλέξανδρος, ἐν τῷ Περὶ τῆς καθ' ἔκαστα Προνοίας λόγῳ, φησίν, 'Ἴσως δὲ χρὴ τάληθὲς εἰπεῖν διὰ τῆς περὶ τὸ Θεῖον εὐσεβείας, τὸ μέγιστον μὲν τελεώτατον ἀγαθὸν πάντων δὲ τὸ εὐδαιμόνως ζῇν. Τοῦτο δὲ ὄν ἐν θεωριᾳ δείκνυται·ἡ δὲ θεωρία ἐν γνώσει τῶν ἀρίστων· ἄριστα δὲ ὁμολογειτᾶ πρὸς ἀπάντων εἰναι τὰ θεῖα. Τούτων γὰρ οὕτως ἐχόντων, ἐν τῇ γνώσει τῶν θείων εἴη ἂν ἡμῖν τὸ εὐδαιμονεῖν κείμενον. Οὐκοῦν, ὡς ἔφην ἀρτίως, τῶν περὶ Θεοῦ δογμάτων οὐδὲν ἂν γένοιτο τιμαλφέστερον τοῖς τῆς ἀληθοῦς σοφίας ἐρασταῖς. Ἅγιος Κύριλλος Ἀλεξανδρείας, Προς Τα Του Ἐν Ἀθεοις Ιὀυλιανου, Λογος Πεμπτος

Before the certain exact and accurate knowledge of God nothing must come, I think, no power of works, no splendour of the world and praise of the worthy, no mundane wisdom of the worldly, of those possessed. Truly God spoke in the voice of Jeremiah, 'Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom and let not the powerful glory in their power and let not the rich man glory in his wealth, but let him glory in this who would glory, that he understands and knows the Lord.' 1 And the Saviour Himself said somewhere to God the Father who is in heaven, ' This is eternal life, that they know you only the true God, and him whom you sent, Jesus Christ.' 2 Therefore the best type of glory is the knowledge of God. And correctly about these things those celebrated among the Greeks agree. For a certain Alexander, follower of Aristotle, in his book On Providence writes, ' Perhaps it is true to say that piety toward God, the greatest of all and most perfect good, is to live well. And in contemplation it is shown, for contemplation is thought of things most excellent, and as it is confessed by all that Divine things are the most excellent.' For having possession of these things, in the knowledge of Divine things, happiness lies for us. Therefore, I speak correctly, nothing is more honourable than devotion for true wisdom. Saint Cyril of Alexandria, Against Julian, Book 5 1 Jer 9.23-24  2 Jn 17.3