 As a boy, Knutzen was sent to his brother Johann Knutzen, an organist in Königsberg in East Prussia, and attended there a secondary school (the Altstädtisches Gymnasium) from 1661 to 1664.In 1664, he registered at the university of Königsberg and in 1668, at the University of Copenhagen to study theology.In between he earned some money as a private tutor.