THE FIRST PROPOSITION

Concerning the true Foundation of Knowledge:

Seeing the height of all happiness is placed in the true knowledge of God ("This is life eternal, to know the true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent” a), the true and right understanding of this foundation and ground of knowledge is that which is most necessary to be known and believed in the first place.

 

Let’s unpack this opening proposition from Robert Barclay’s Apology. This is the First Proposition, where Barclay lays out what he sees as the cornerstone of all spiritual understanding. Here’s a clear commentary on its meaning:

 

Text Breakdown:

"Seeing the height of all happiness is placed in the true knowledge of God": Barclay starts by asserting that the ultimate goal of human life—complete happiness or fulfillment—comes from truly knowing God. This isn’t just intellectual knowledge (like facts about God), but a deep, personal, experiential understanding.

"This is life eternal, to know the true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent": He directly quotes John 17:3 from the Bible to back this up. In this verse, Jesus says eternal life isn’t just living forever—it’s about knowing God and Jesus intimately. For Barclay, this knowledge is the essence of salvation and the heart of true religion.

"The true and right understanding of this foundation and ground of knowledge is that which is most necessary to be known and believed in the first place": Here, Barclay emphasizes that before anything else—doctrines, rituals, or moral rules—people need to grasp this fundamental truth. Understanding how we come to know God is the starting point for all other beliefs.

Commentary:

Barclay is setting the stage for a Quaker perspective that prioritizes direct, personal experience of God over external authorities like church traditions or clergy. He’s saying that knowing God isn’t about memorizing creeds or following rules—it’s a living relationship, revealed inwardly by God Himself. This reflects the Quaker belief in the "Inner Light," the idea that every person has a divine spark or presence within them that can guide them to truth.

For Barclay, this isn’t optional or secondary; it’s the most necessary thing to understand because everything else in faith builds on it. He’s challenging the religious systems of his time (17th-century Europe), where knowledge of God was often mediated through priests, scriptures alone, or institutional dogma. Instead, he insists that true knowledge of God is accessible to all, directly, and it’s what gives life its ultimate meaning.