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How did Bernard of Clairvaux connect love with knowing God?

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St. Bernard of Clairvaux maintained that love is the essential condition and primary means for attaining the knowledge of God. In his view, one seeks God through a life of charity rather than through rationalistic disputation or intellectual curiosity, which he believed could degrade divine mysteries. He famously asserted, "The Father is never fully known if He is not loved perfectly," emphasizing that true spiritual understanding is a fruit of love rather than academic inquiry.12

To facilitate this spiritual growth, Bernard outlined four progressive stages of love in his treatise On Loving God:

Love of oneself for self’s sake: The initial stage of human affection.1
Love of God for self’s sake: Seeking God for the benefits one receives.1
Love of God for God’s sake: Loving the divine for His own inherent goodness.1
Love of oneself for God’s sake: The final stage where the individual’s love is fully aligned with the divine will.1

Ultimately, Bernard taught that this knowledge is deepened through prayer and contemplation, allowing the soul to experience the divine in an intuitive and mystical manner.32