This past week we have had some really wonderful Bible Studies… and one question that came up was.. “What is truth” [repeat]… Today in our Gospel reading Jesus said to Pilate.. "You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice."… That is verse 37… but not included in our reading was Pilate’s response in v.38… “What is truth?”.. so it seems the question has been around for a while…
In theology.. there are all sorts of truth.. ontological truth.. Moral truth… logical truth.. which is broken down into various theories.. the Scholastic theory of truth.. The Hegelian theory of truth.. The pragmatic theory… the “new” realist theory… all of which are trying to define what we would normally think a rather easy term to define.. but – in truth – it is not… don’t worry.. we aren’t going through all these theories… but I did want to at least try and understand what Jesus meant when he said.. that he came to “testify to the truth.”.. or even when He refers to himself as “the Way.. the Truth.. and the Life”
When we discussed this in Bible Study.. several answers came up as to what the truth was… not telling a lie… what you perceive to be correct… reality as truth.. but at issue here is that so often this way of looking at truth turns out to be more opinion than truth… One that comes up often in religious studies would ask… “Is there more than one way to God?”… Are only the Christians right.. or do the Muslims get to go to heaven also? And if it is the Christians.. then which denomination… Baptist… Catholics… Episcopalians?... In other words… just because “you” think something is right and believe it with all your heart to be true… does that make it true..? Answer.. No. Someone is wrong… yet this is the soil in which radicals are grown.. for they are so convinced that they are correct.. that they are willing to kill and die for their.. well.. opinion…
Even so.. in the quest for truth… our opinions.. beliefs.. play a major role and are generally the determining factor in what we consider to be truth… but as I said.. just because you believe it does not make it so…. Once, a stubborn disputer was arguing with Abraham Lincoln.. so Lincoln asked.. "Well, let's see.. how many legs has a cow?" … "Four, of course," came the reply disgustedly. … "That's right," agreed Lincoln. "Now suppose you call the cow's tail a leg; how many legs would the cow have?"… "Why, five, of course," was the confident reply… "Now, that's where you're wrong," said Lincoln. "Simply calling a cow's tail.. a leg.. doesn't make it a leg."
So.. When Jesus says that he is the Truth.. and that he came to testify to that Truth.. is he simply stating his opinion.. his belief in what the truth is… or was he stating something absolute… something that is unquestionable… about who He is?
If you walk into anyone’s house that has kids or grandkids.. you will most likely see some wonderful pictures on the refrigerator… not necessarily of the kids.. but pictures the kids have drawn… It is not always discernable as to what that picture is.. but it has received a place of honor with its little magnet holding it there…
If you were to ask that same child to draw a picture of you.. you would probably end up with little stick figure.. with a round head.. round eyes.. funny nose and a line for a mouth… Would anyone else know it was you? unless the child is a prodigy.. most likely not…
Now… if you were to ask me to draw the picture of you.. you would end up with a highly nuanced stick figure.. with an oval head.. round eyes.. a funny nose and line for a mouth… would anyone else know it was you…? not a chance.
If we got someone like Picasso to draw the picture of you.. well.. the child’s picture would probably come closer to looking like you than Picasso’s… But.. if we had one of the impressionist like Degas or Monet paint your picture.. well it would be pretty darn good.. but being an impressionist.. we might still not be able to tell it was you…
Now with someone like Rembrandt or Caravaggio we would know exactly who the painting was of.. and I’m pretty sure it wouldn’t be hanging on your refrigerator with a with a chubby cherub angel holding it up…
Yet even in the best of paintings.. have we truly captured you.. is it a perfect rendition of who you are?... No… but what if we went to Annie Leibovitz and had her take your picture… now we would be getting somewhere… she’s taken pictures of presidents and movie stars… yet.. we still would not have captured you for who you are…
In fact… if we were to see your reflection in a flawless mirror.. we still would not have a true image of who you are…
When we try and see God.. to understand him… we encounter this same problem… as St. Paul wrote to the Corinthians… “Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.”… You and I were created in the very image of God… yet we cannot capture God for who He truly is simply by looking at one another.. we might get glimpses.. and we should encounter one another as though we were encountering Christ himself.. but we still can’t see God fully… As St. Augustine wrote.. when the “truth has been broken down or even slightly weakened, all things will remain doubtful.”… the truth of God – due to sin – has broken down.. weakened… therefore the image of God in which we were created has been distorted and is no longer true…
But do you remember the time in John’s Gospel when Jesus tells the disciples he is going to prepare a place for them.. and that they know the way.. and then Andrew says.. how can we know the way.. and it is then that Jesus says to the, “I am the way.. the truth.. and the life.. and then Philip makes that bold request… "Lord, show us the Father [.. show us God..] and that will be enough for us." And Jesus answered: "Don't you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.”
“What is truth?”… Jesus is not the greatest artist’s rendition of God… he is not a photograph of God… he is not some distorted image of God… He is God incarnate.. God… The truth that Jesus came to testify to.. was the truth about the very nature and love of God
Today is the celebration of Christ the King… it is the last Sunday of the Church year… and throughout this Church year.. we have been witnesses of this nature and love of God … At his birth.. he says.. I love you enough to give up heaven itself… In the healing of the blind.. he says I love you enough to give you sight… in the curing of the lame.. he says I love you enough to give you health… in the feeding of the 5,000.. he says I love you enough to care for you… In the miracles – walking on the water.. calming the storm.. changing the water into wine – he says.. I love you enough to change the very fabric and nature of creation itself … and the truth of God’s love is no where more clear.. than in Christ upon the Cross… because in that one act.. God tells you how far he is willing to go… how far he is willing to go.. to show his love for you…. Beloved.. that is not opinion… that is truth…
But.. the story does not end there… For Jesus says… “I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing.”… Are you.. doing what Christ did? Is your life testifying to the Truth…? When someone looks at you.. even though the image may be somewhat distorted.. can they see glimpses.. even hints of God?
Let us pray… God of wisdom and love, you have sent your Son Jesus to be the light of the world, and continue to send your Holy Spirit among us to guide us into the way of truth… Open our hearts to your word and let us ponder your actions among us. Give us your Spirit of wisdom and knowledge, of understanding and counsel. With Mary, may we rejoice in your gifts, and walk in the way of truth and love… With all your people on earth and in eternity, we ask this prayer through our Lord Jesus Christ, in the unity of your loving Spirit, one holy God, for ever and ever. Amen!
