What is truth?

When Jesus appeared before Pilate and was questioned by Pilate, Jesus responded with the simple remark “You say so”, with the emphasis on “you”. Pilate responds with the rhetorical question “What is truth?”. There is already an article on this statement on this website, which I am happy to recommend for reading here.

However, there are other aspects to the popular understanding of truth. There are philosophical assumptions that truth can only be personal and is never absolute. Much can be said against this, especially as no community or society can exist without generally accepted values. But that is a different discussion. I would just like to point out that some people see truth as subjective. Although there is subjectivity, the reverse conclusion is drawn here that “therefore” there is no absolute truth.

Others, however, insist on “absolute” truth, which usually only means their own understanding. This also applies in particular when reference is made to the Bible. “What is true is what I myself or what my community justifies with the Bible.” This is a limited understanding, from which general validity is assumed, which was first projected onto it. That is a circular argument.

Literally true?

As a result of the doctrine of verbal inspiration, it is often claimed that the Bible is to be read “literally” and is “literally” true. That’s nonsense, because it often doesn’t work at all. You project this view onto the Bible and then think that this is confirmed by the text. However, it does not, which is easy to see.

In Judges 9 a parable of trees is told. It is Jotam’s parable:

“And it was reported to Jotam. So he went and stood on the top of Mount Gerizim, and he lifted up his voice and called out and said to them: Listen to me, citizens of Shechem, and God will listen to you!

Once the trees went to anoint a king over them, and they said to the olive tree, “Be king over us! And the olive tree said to them, “Should I give up my fatness, which gods and men praise in me, and go to hover over the trees? Then the trees said to the fig tree, “Come, be king over us! And the fig tree said to them, “Should I give up my sweetness and my good fruit and go to hover over the trees? Then the trees said to the vine, “Come, be king over us! And the vine said to them, “Should I give up my must, which delights gods and men, and go to hover over the trees? Then all the trees said to the briar: “Come, be king over us! And the briar said to the trees, “If you will anoint me king over you in truth, come, entrust yourselves to my shadow; but if not, let fire come out of the briar and consume the cedars of Lebanon.”
Judges 9:7-15

The question now is what the truth is. Do trees talk? Does this story from the Bible have to be read “literally”, as if the plant kingdom is being correctly described here? Hardly. These and many other stories use imagery to convey a truth, but the image is never the subject. This is an example of how truth can only ever be described in words. It is not about the letter, but about the spirit (2 Corinthians 3:6). If we cannot even interpret language, how can we understand the statement?

Truth is touched by language, but must not be confused by language, just as truth must not be confused by my personal understanding. What is needed here is healthy differentiation and modesty. This can be developed in a shared learning culture.

False security

There is often a desire for reliability. Those who believe want security. At least that’s how I know it from myself. But I had to learn to think about it. It is not uncommon to fight for a false sense of security. People talk about truth, but they mean security. It is an unholy combination of longing for security and a supposedly absolute truth. I can understand that, but the two things are different.

Truth in an absolute sense does not have to be “what I myself believe to be true”. Then truth would simply be the function of my brain. One characteristic of truth, however, would be universality, which is not dependent on agreement. However, this universality is beyond me. I am part of reality, not “the” reality. My insight is at best a fraction and therefore subjective. This does not invalidate the idea of absolute truth and reliability, but my understanding is fragmentary.

If I confuse my limited understanding with absolute truth, I have a problem. This also applies when I present the Bible as absolute truth and defend it with fire and the sword. This is an evasive maneuver. Here I merely conceal my lack of understanding of the Bible and claim that the Bible is absolute and therefore my assessment is correct. It’s like constantly shouting “The Lord says! The Lord says!” when he hasn’t said anything and you’re just covering up your own insecurity – super piously disguised.

It can be very threatening to become aware of your limitations in understanding. Only those who have the courage to look will learn from it. That is called humility. It is the courage not to place oneself and one’s own understanding in the center as absolute truth, but to allow oneself honest and open questions for a better understanding.

Here is the real security: do not allow yourself to know everything and at the same time experience yourself as loved by God. Perhaps in something like the way Paul describes it:

“Rejoice in the Lord always! Once again I want to emphasize: Rejoice! Let your joy be known to all people: The Lord is near! Be anxious for nothing, but in everything let your requests be made known to God in prayer and thanksgiving. Then the peace of God, which is superior to all reasoning, will keep your hearts and minds as in a fortress in Christ Jesus.”
Phil 4:4-7

With this invitation, Paul testifies to what he understands. It is very practical because it starts with thinking. His attitude to life is the attitude of faith with which he moves forward. It is not that he classifies everything as “safe”, but he has confidence in God that He will do it. Security comes from the relationship, not from a false certainty. It is an understanding with which He moves forward, not a list of absolute facts in which He stops. There is even a promise in these words, namely that the peace of God, which is superior to all thinking, keeps our hearts and minds as in a fortress in Christ Jesus. This is an understanding that everything depends on God and His Christ.

We recognize here what Paul is talking about: a positive orientation of faith, supported by God and His Christ, not by the supposed superiority of one’s own knowledge.

Belief is always subjective

Faith is trust and therefore personal and subjective. My understanding is fragmented, even if reality is not. Differentiation is the way out of the mess of false securities. Discover what is right for you today, knowing that your understanding will take you further in this world and that the truth behind all things is never affected.

You can let the Bible accompany you on this path, you can reach out for more biblical understanding and draw valuable insights from it day by day. “The truth” is what you are examining, but one’s own understanding is not to be confused with it, as if one could encompass everything oneself. If I could do that, I would be like God. Therefore: modesty is the order of the day. I am subjective in my understanding. God is not affected by this, whatever you think you understand about God.

That’s why you can confidently leave any misconceptions behind. You’ve just learned something new. Reflection helps you to recognize why you are moving on. You can let go of the old without having to throw the Bible, God or Jesus overboard. The book is simply what it is: a testimony. The understanding of God and the understanding of who Jesus is is our personal understanding or the understanding of the community in which I stand. These are human insights. They are completely imperfect.

Living forward

You can take further steps in this life without losing “truth”, because it will always be there. However, you can revise “your own understanding” once you have recognized the limitations and found a better version of the limitations.

Frankly, I can’t claim to know everything either. But I want to be curious and ready to learn in this world. I burned my fingers on absolute ideas. I try to avoid this experience today, even though I see myself in this competition day after day and stretch myself to see what lies ahead. Just as Paul describes it:

“Brothers, I do not yet consider myself to have grasped it. But I do one thing: I forget what lies behind me and reach out for what lies ahead. In this way I pursue the goal, the battle prize of God’s calling in Christ Jesus. Let all of us then who are mature be intent on this; and if you are of a different mind about anything, God will reveal this to you also. However, in what we overtake others, we should be of the same mind, to follow the basic rules according to the same standard.”
Phil 3:13-16