6

Multiple times in the Bible Jesus declares that He is the Truth, or that He is on the side of Truth.

John 14:6 NIV

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

John 18:37

“You are a king, then!” said Pilate. Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.”

What is Jesus referring to with this word, Truth? Pilate then asks Jesus this same question. But I don't think that Pilate was actually looking for an answer, this is more of a sarcastic rhetorical question to in my opinion.

John 18:38

“What is truth?” retorted Pilate. With this he went out again to the Jews gathered there and said, “I find no basis for a charge against him.

Can you answer that for me?

0

6 Answers 6

8

A partial answer is that I understand that the Greek word for truth is also the same as reality. So Jesus is making a profound statement similar to Paul's:

Acts 17:28

‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’

Paul is referring to God. When Jesus (earlier) referred to Himself as Truth / Reality, it was probably to His listeners a claim to divinity.

So, He claimed to be The Way, The Truth and The Life. In other words, He said, "I'm the Path to God, I'm God and I'm what you experience when you're with God."

Footnote: He is certainly not claiming to be just a moral teacher...

1

The concept of the Logos or the Word is one that harkens back to Ancient Greek thought. As an emanation of Truth, the Word is the ideal perfection of thought, and hence is "Truth" perfected.

1

Also, to extend Wikis answer, one definition of true nowadays is "equal to the original". According to this definition I think Jesus was saying that he was equal to the original, meaning, equal to God the Father.

Not saying that Jesus was created from the original here, if He is equal to the Father, then He is not created and He is eternal... ;).

1
  • 1
    Welcome to C.SE! This is a good insight, although I will suggest that oddly enough, insight is not normally what we're after :) Ideally, we look for sourced answers - but this one is pretty good and directly answers the question. I'd invite you to check out the help center to see how we're different. Jun 17, 2013 at 11:27
0

Looking at Blue Letter Bible didn't really help, so I think that Jesus is speaking in such a way as to capture the purest essence of the word, like in John 1:1. There, "Word" is not being used in a typical way, but in a fuller sense, so to speak. Similarly, I think Jesus is making the point that He is entirely True when He says "I am...the Truth". Kind of a counter-point to Satan being the Father of Lies, if you will.

-1

The anglo saxon word for Tree is "Treo" which is also the root for the word Truth. A great picture of that which is imovable and beautifly strong. Jesus is all that embodied

1
-3

I BELIEVE WE KNOW VERY LITTLE ABOUT "TRUTH" AS FOR THE MOSTPART WE DON'T LIVE BY IT, WE DON'T WALK IN IT, MAYBE IT'S BECAUSE THE "TRUTH" HURTS IT MAKES US FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE, WHY? I THINK THE ANSWER IS OUR SINFUL NATURE AS SIN AND TRUTH ARE INCOMPATIBLE THROUGH OUR HUMAN NATURE. THE ANSWER IS DEATH TO SELF, AND LIFE IN [JESUS CHRIST]. VERILY, VERILY, (A SOLEMN PRONOUNCEMENT) I SAY UNTO YOU, EXCEPT YE EAT THE FLESH OF THE SON OF MAN, AND DRINK HIS BLOOD, YE HAVE NO LIFE IN YOU. THEREFORE IF WE ARE NOT WALKING IN LIFE, ARE WE WALKING IN DEATH? (JOHN 6:53).

1

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .