Know the Truth

(The “I Am” Sayings)

A Few Good Men is a 1992 American legal drama featuring an ensemble cast. The film is focused upon the court martial of two U.S. Marines who are charged with the murder of a fellow Marine, and the challenges their lawyers must overcome as they prepare a case to defend their clients. Tom Cruise is one of the stars and played the role of Navy lawyer Lieutenant Daniel Kaffee. Cruise’s character received the case because he is both inexperienced and unenthusiastic, with a proclivity for plea bargains.

The two Marines insist they heeded a “code red” order (a violent extrajudicial punishment) from their platoon commander and that they never intended to murder their fellow Marine. Jack Nicholson plays the role of Colonel Nathan R. Jessup, who is ultimately responsible for ordering the “code red” as a means of discipline. One climactic scene has Nicholson’s character (Jessup) called as a witness to be interrogated by Kaffee. Jessup spars with notable composure to Kaffee’s questioning, but is unnerved when the Cruise character identifies a contradiction in his testimony.

Jessup becomes irate and disgusted by what he perceives as Kaffee’s disrespect toward the Marines. Nicholson’s character extols the military’s importance and his own worth for national security. Recognizing his interrogation is failing, Kaffee asks Jessup directly if he ordered the “code red.” Jessep challenges Kaffee, “You want answers?” and receives the reply, “I think I’m entitled to them.” Jessep repeats, “You want answers?” to which Kaffee exclaims, “I want the truth!” Jessep responds with one of the best known and most parodied lines from recent films, “You can’t handle the truth!”

Most people would say they want to be told the truth. Certainly, no one finds pleasure in being told a lie, and yet the truth can be unsettling to the degree that some do not want to hear it. Human nature is such that people do not like being told that anything they believe or do is wrong. Jesus promised, “‘If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free’” (John 8:31-32).

“Darkness” is present in the world. Jesus, however, is “the Light of the world” (v. 12), and He overcomes that “darkness.” If one “will know the truth” (v. 32a) of Jesus’ teaching, he or she “will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life” (v. 12b). John 8 contains Jesus’ proclamation of light and truth, based upon an act of forgiveness.

Truth is a topic that many people love to discuss, yet some believe it to be relative, meaning something may be wrong for someone else but not for them. If truth were flexible, then morals also would be arbitrary. Truth is whatever corresponds to or harmonizes with the manner in which God created the world (as it truly is). Falsehood is anything contrary to God’s reality. According to Scripture, the word “truth” means the Word of God (17:17). Not everyone can handle the truth, yet the triune God enables disciples of Jesus Christ to know it. By His grace, Jesus promises enablement to each and every disciple, so that person is able to know and live the truth (cf. 16:12-15).

TRUTH AND FORGIVENESS

(John 8:1-11) The account of the woman caught in adultery whom Jesus forgave is called “The Pericope de Adultera.” The passage contains the well-known declaration, “‘He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her’” (v. 7). Despite the popularity of the passage, the best and earliest manuscripts do not contain John 7:53—8:11, which is why modern translations (such as the NASB) bracket the narrative. The pericope certainly does not appear to be original to John’s Gospel, yet there is little reason to doubt that the event truly occurred. The fact that John 8 begins and ends with the possibility of a stoning does support its authenticity.

The account of the adulterous woman demonstrates the outworking of justice and mercy, without condemning or condoning a sinner. As both the light and the truth, Jesus offers grace in forgiveness to repentant sinners. His teachings emphasize that while forgiveness is available, true repentance is evident in a change of behavior and heart. Acknowledging sin and turning from it are important. Salvation is not faith plus works; rather, a person who is truly justified by faith alone will produce good.

Jesus confounded His enemies as He taught, so they departed for the moment (7:53). Having gone to the Mount of Olives for sleep (8:1), Jesus rose early to resume teaching (v. 2). His enemies returned with a woman caught in adultery; yet in an unrighteous manner, they did not bring the man (vv. 3-4). The dilemma was that if Jesus said to stone the woman, He would contradict His reputation for being forgiving and gracious (3:16-21), and would be acting contrary to Roman law. A refusal to stone her would indicate disregard for the Law of Moses (v. 5).

Jesus, knowing He was being tested, “stooped down and with His finger wrote on the ground” (v. 6), perhaps as a reminder of the manner in which God wrote the Ten Commandments (Exod 31:18). When His enemies persisted, Jesus stood to confront them as unfit subjects to enforce the Law’s sentence (John 8:7). Jesus returned to writing, which not only freed His opponents from His convicting eyes, but also to consider their own guilt (vv. 8-9). Jesus addressed the woman respectfully, with a call to “sin no more” (vv. 10-11).

TRUTH AND LIGHT

(John 8:12-30) Verse 12 contains the second of seven “I Am” declarations from Jesus. Similar to water (4:7-24) and bread (6:26-58), light is essential for life. Light was an important symbol during the Feast of Tabernacles (also known as the Feast of Lights), because of the many ceremonies involving various kinds of lighting in remembrance of the pillar of fire that guided Israel during the Exodus. Knowing the importance of the symbol, Jesus applied it to Himself and indicated that His light would endure forever.

One should not be surprised that Jesus was misunderstood by those blinded from their sin (v. 13). Jesus indicated how He was uniquely qualified to give testimony concerning Himself, because He judges righteously (vv. 14-16). God the Father is the second witness to Jesus (vv. 17-18). Jesus knows His Father, while the Pharisees did not (vv. 19-20). The religious leaders insulted Him when Jesus prophesied His coming departure to glory (vv. 21-22). To follow Jesus on earth is to be with Him in heaven. If a person has no desire to follow Jesus on earth, he or she certainly will not go to Jesus in heaven (vv. 23-24).

Jesus depended upon His Father in everything He spoke (vv. 25-27) and in all He did (vv. 28-29). Despite the evident opposition of the religious leaders, “many came to believe in Him” because Jesus’ life was consistent with His message (v. 30). All who trust in the light of Jesus can say as He did: “‘And He who sent Me is with Me; He has not left Me alone” (v. 29a).

TRUTH AND FREEDOM

(John 8:31-59) Disciples of Jesus are those who persevere through faith in His Word (v. 31), and to them He promises freedom (v. 32). Saving faith is trust in Jesus Himself, not just the things He did or some thoughts concerning Him. The concluding verses of John 8 reveal how “the truth will make you free,” as opposed to having a counterfeit faith that may seem alluring, yet does not make one acceptable before God (such as through relationships, religious beliefs and/or practices, or self-righteousness). Faith in Jesus frees a person from sin’s enslavement, or that person remains in bondage (vv. 33-36).

Scripture is God’s revelation of truth by means of the Holy Spirit, who impelled erring persons as penmen, yet miraculously superintended them as they wrote, thereby preventing any error or omission. Truth results in an authentic, Christlike community and unites believers (cf. 17:6-23). “The truth” is God’s revelation in Scripture, the Holy Bible. Truth is unchanging “and will be with us forever” (2 John 2). The trustworthiness of Scripture means it is credible and worthy of belief. God gave His Word to reveal Himself and His will for humanity. Scripture makes errant persons wise unto salvation, and hearing and heeding The Holy Bible will certainly grant a person all the strength and wisdom needed for life. Truth does not change from age to age or from generation to generation. The same Holy Spirit who enabled the human authors of the Bible to record what God desired to have written as Scripture, also permanently “abides” with genuine believers.

Scripture affirms the need to be watchful concerning false teaching (1 Tim 4:1; 1 John 2:18; 4:1-6; 2 John 7-8). There is “a full reward” for doing so, and loss for compromise! Always test all teachings by Scripture. Even test your knowledge and personal encounters by The Holy Bible, but never examine Scripture on the basis of experience. “Anyone who goes too far and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God” (2 John 9a).

The test of biblical fidelity is not what a person thinks or feels, or even what someone else has done or said; rather, it is what The Holy Bible reveals. “The one who abides in the teaching [of Scripture] … has both the Father and the Son” (v. 9b). This means a vital, personal relationship with God that is the result of living in accordance with the truth of the Bible—not merely affirming correct doctrine (orthodoxy) without a change of heart or practical outworking of those beliefs (orthopraxis).