What’s the truth? Pilate’s question reflected a more saturated skepticism of the very idea of truth than of a serious philosophical indeed. How tragic it is for a man in charge of life-and-death affairs to express such a cynical attitude. And how different should the attitude of Christians be, whom Jesus described as those who are, to be?(John 18:37).
The supreme value of truth is attested by the presence of the Ninth Commandment in the decalogue: “Will you not say false testimony against your neighbor?(Exodus 20:16). The injunction is more immediately about truthfulness in the judicial context. Deuteronomy 19. 15 -21 gives instructions on testimony in criminal cases. A single witness is not enough to support an accusation; there must be two or three witnesses (Deuteronomy 17. 6; see also Matthew 18. 16; 2 Corinthians 13. 1; 1 Timothy 5. 19). doubt about the integrity of a witness, should judges do it?And if it turns out to be a false witness? (in Hebrew, eid-shek-er is the same term used in Exodus 20:16), it must receive the same sentence that would apply to the accused. Therefore, perjury led to the maximum death penalty under Mosaic law.
- One of the reasons for the prohibition of false testimonies is that justice presupposes the truth.
- If justice is to be done in court.
- All the facts relevant to the case must be known.
- Implying that witnesses say “the truth.
- The whole truth and nothing but the truth.
- “Justice means that the accused is entitled to the truth.
- Regardless of guilt or innocence.
- The eighth and ninth commandments are closely related: saying false testimony is a form of theft; is to maintain what is legally owed to someone.
- A similar principle applies to defamation: damaging someone’s reputation is stealing precious good (Proverbs 22.
- 1; Ecclesiastes 7.
- 1).
Clearly, the Ninth Commandment is not limited to the courts. As the rest of the scriptures make it very clear, telling the truth is a fundamental moral duty and being honest is a fundamental moral virtue. They’re characterized by the righteous by the truth, aren’t they? (Zechariah 8. 19) while the bad guys have lying lips?(Psalm 31. 18; 120. 2; Proverbs 10. 18; 12. 22; see also Psalm 101. 7; Proverbs 12. 17; Jeremiah 9. 5; Osas 4. 1-2) . One of the ways we love our neighbor is to tell them the truth (Ephesians 4:15, 25).
Why is it so important to tell the truth? As always in Christian ethics, the answer is fundamentally theological: is God the God of truth?(Isaiah 65. 16) Truth is an essential attribute of God and His Word (John 4. 23-24; 14. 17; 15. 26; 16. 13; 17. 17; 2 Timothy 2. 15; Titus 1. 2; 1 John 4. 6; 5. 6). On the other hand, the lie reflects the character of Satan and those who follow him (John 8. 44; 1 Timothy 1. 10; 1 John 2. 22; Revelation 21. 8) Since we were created in the image of God, designed to reflect His character, we must tell the truth as God is to tell the truth. The Ninth Commandment, no less than the sixth, is based on the doctrine of imago Dei.
Although most of the Ten Commandments are presented negatively (“no”), each has both a positive and negative application; each contains one?What to do, as well as a no. Keeping the ninth commandment is not simply a matter of avoiding false statements. As the Westminster Brief Catechism acknowledges in Question and Answer 77, command also requires us to actively seek and promote truth throughout our dealings with others.
Promoting the truth involves more than just true statements. It is perfectly possible to fool someone without telling them a single lie. If I write a report on someone and focus on their imperfections and flaws, ignoring points of value or virtue, every sentence in the report may well be true, but as a whole, it would not promote the truth. Does promoting the truth mean giving a fair and accurate overview of the reality of things? even when it goes against our own interests. we must tell the truth with an appropriate degree of precision, never relying on vagueness, ambiguity, or subterfuge to obscure the truth for selfish reasons or to escape responsibility for our words. In short, does promoting the truth mean loving the truth? by herself, simply, but motivated by a sincere love for God and others.
At a time when trust in public figures is diminishing, the media blurs the line between information and advertising, when the term turn has become a common place [1] and postmodernism has eroded the very concept of truth, it is imperative that Christians distinguish themselves from the surrounding culture, as a people marked by honesty. integrity and fidelity. We must be people of our word precisely because we are people of the Word.
What’s the truth? it is an important philosophical question, despite Pilate’s cynicism. But an even more important question can be asked: “Who is the truth?”The man before Pilate had already given his answer (John 14:6). If we invoke the name of Christ, our relationships with believers and non-believers must corroborate our confession. Only if we are known to bear true testimony can we bear faithful testimony of the truth.
[1] N. T. : In public relations, the turn is a form of publicity, made through a sesathed interpretation of an event, which may include the use of malicious, misleading and highly manipulative tactics.