Daily Lesson for Wednesday 4th of December 2024
Read John 1:14,17; John 8:32; John 14:6; and John 15:26. How does John tie the concept of truth directly to Jesus?
Again and again in John’s Gospel, truth is connected to Jesus, to His Father, and to the Holy Spirit. Truth is connected with Jesus, the Word (logos), and with light—in contrast to darkness (John 1:1-14, John 3:19-21). And, too, falsehood is connected with the devil and sin (John 8:44-46). Consequently, truth in John is not simply a matter of facts and figures. It does involve such things, but more than this, the idea of truth contains a moral aspect of faithfulness to God and to His will.
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“There are many who are crying out for the living God, longing for the divine presence. Philosophical theories or literary essays, however brilliant, cannot satisfy the heart. The assertions and inventions of men are of no value. Let the word of God speak to the people. Let those who have heard only traditions and human theories and maxims hear the voice of Him whose word can renew the soul unto everlasting life.”—Ellen G. White, Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 40.
Think about what it means for Jesus to be the Truth. Jesus is the logos, the Word who was with God from the beginning and who was the Creator of all things created (John 1:1-4). One with the Father from eternity to eternity, Jesus has the characteristics of the Father, and thus is also the “I AM.” His being is not subject to anyone or anything else. Nothing that exists, including knowledge, exists apart from Him. And everything that does exist, that was created, was created only by Jesus and exists only in Him, as well. “For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist” (Colossians 1:16-17, NKJV).
Jesus is not simply the embodiment of the truth; He is the Truth. Truth is not a concept or a construct. It is a Person!
The Truth, Jesus Christ, can be likened to the sun that lights up the world (John 8:12). It is parallel to what C. S. Lewis stated about Christianity: “I believe in Christianity as I believe that the Sun has risen, not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else.”—“Is Theology Poetry?” (n. p.: Samizdat University Press, 2014), p. 15, originally presented in 1944.
It is by Jesus, the Truth, that we are able to interpret the world around us rightly.
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