|
First posted Saturday, 4 January 2014 at 20:39
Pontius Pilate asked of Jesus, ‘What is truth?'
Subjectivism and moral relativism are betrayed in the very question. They were prominent in the self-righteousness of the Jews who, together with Pilate, spurned the truth in condemning Christ. They remain prominent also to the liberalism of the present, which has rejected the truth of the cross. The truth in all its grandeur and purity was not apparent before the raising of Christ on the cross. From that point, the world could only be true to the extent that it reflected God, the creative logic and the eternal reason that brought it into being. For with Christ’s passion a new hierarchy came into being that united man to other men in their union with God, through Christ. If the truth is objective, then ‘bearing witness to the truth’ means giving priority to God and his will - the truth of the cosmic hierarchy - over against the interests of this world and its powers. The antithesis stated in these terms could not be more stark - choose God or the devil.
The spurning of the truth continues to this day. The following lines from II Timothy are as relevant as ever.
II Timothy 3:1-5,7 "But realise this, that in the last days difficult times will come. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of god; holding to a form of godliness, although theyhave denied its power; always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth."
(Crucifixion from the Maletic Gallery, Serbian fresco)
John Dunn.
|
