Apophatic theology – What is it?

TL;DR:

Apophatic theology, or negative theology, helps us understand God by describing what He is not, emphasizing the mystery of a God beyond our full comprehension. While apophatic theology doesn't replace positive statements about God, it protects against false ideas by clearing away misconceptions about who God cannot be.

what does the bible say?

Apophatic theology is a way of describing God by identifying what He is not. Also known as negative theology, it is in contrast with cataphatic theology, which describes God positively, that is, identifying Him through what He is.

The Bible supports the apophatic approach through numerous statements that define God by what He is not. For example, Isaiah 55:8–9 emphasizes the incomparability of God’s thoughts and ways with ours. Titus 1:2 affirms that God cannot lie, establishing His perfect truthfulness by denying the possibility of deceit. James 1:13 teaches that God cannot be tempted with evil, revealing His holiness through negation.

Psalm 90:2 highlights God’s eternality, presenting Him as having no beginning or end. Job 11:7–8 shows that God’s nature is beyond full human comprehension. John 4:24 affirms that God is spirit, implying He is not bound by physical limitations. Acts 17:24–25 describes God as not dwelling in man-made temples or needing anything, denying creaturely limitations.

First Timothy 1:17 and Romans 11:33–36 further reinforce God's transcendence and unknowability in full. These examples illustrate that Scripture often uses negative descriptions to protect true theology from error, showing the legitimacy of apophatic theology when grounded in biblical truth.

from the old testament

Negative theology is used by Scripture. For example, one way that the Bible teaches that God is infinite is by using negative language to describe the limitations with which God is not limited. Zohpar, one of Job’s friends, used a form of negative theology saying, “Can you find out the deep things of God? Can you find out the limit of the Almighty? It is higher than heaven—what can you do? Deeper than Sheol—what can you know?” (Job 11:7–8). By saying what does not limit God helps us understand what being infinite is like.
As another example, God used negative language to say what His thoughts are not like ours. “My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways” (Isaiah 55:8). While we can’t understand God’s thoughts, from statements like this, we learn that even the biggest thought or idea we have doesn’t come close to God’s thought process.

from the new testament

The New Testament also has examples of apophatic theology, teaching what God is like through negative statements. Paul opened his letter to Titus referring to “God, who never lies” (Titus 2b). Saying that God never lies is a negative statement that reveals the truth that God is perfectly righteous.
James commented, “Let no one say when he is tempted, ‘I am being tempted by God,’ for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one” (James 1:13). Saying that God cannot be tempted by evil is using a negative statement of what God cannot do (be tempted to evil) to emphasize God’s holiness.
Jesus told the Sadducees, a group of religious leaders who didn’t believe in resurrection, “as for the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was said to you by God: ‘I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is not God of the dead, but of the living” (Matthew 25:31). By saying God is not the God of the dead, Jesus was both teaching that God is a living God and the reality of life after death.

implications for today

Apophatic theology is a way of thinking about God that helps remove misconceptions about Him and distinguishes Him from humans and false gods.

In our culture, it is common to hear that different religions are simply worshiping the same God in their own way. However, through the use of negative theology, we can eliminate that argument because all other religions ascribe characteristics to their god(s) that contradict what the Bible teaches about the true God.

Consider how gods of other religions are different from God’s portrayal of Himself in Scripture. Any deviation means that the other god is not the same as the true God. It is not enough to make positive statements about them to say, for example, that they both exhibit love. A distinction through negation highlights the differences despite any superficial similarities. The true God is the creator (Genesis 1:1) and final judge (Hebrews 9:27) over His creation. It does not matter what other gods are said to teach because the Creator who demands death for every sin is not like them (Isaiah 45:21). Any religion claiming another way to heaven or paradise or nirvana is simply lying.

The next time you encounter a claim about who God is, consider applying negative theology. The Bible along with apophatic theology are tools to show our God is the only true God.

understand

Apophatic theology describes God by presenting what He is not to clarify who He is.
The Bible primarily uses cataphatic theology (describes God in positive ways) but contains some apophatic theology as well.
Apophatic statements about God help us to explain how He is distinct from false gods.

reflect

How do you try to better understand who God is?
When you reflect on God’s character, how does knowing what He is not help you to better understand who He is?
What apophatic statements in the Bible are especially helpful to you in understanding God?

engage

How can apophatic statements about God be used in evangelism efforts?
What are some apophatic biblical statements about God that best distinguish Him from the false gods of other religions?
How can apophatic theology be used to counter cultural relativism and religious universalism?