Understanding Truth
What the Bible means when it talks about the truth.
In ancient Greek, the word for truth is ἀλήθεια – aletheia. It is a combination of the prefix ἀ - a, and the Greek root word λανθάνω – lanthano. Lanthano means hidden. In the Greek, ἀ - a is a negative participle, which when added at the beginning of a word means not or without. Therefore, aletheia means without hiding, leave nothing hidden, or to reveal (full disclosure). In short, truth simply means nothing hidden. To us truth is something which is factually correct, to the ancient Greeks truth also meant to hide nothing.
Therefore, when the New testament uses the word truth, we should keep in mind it often refers to something which was hidden in the past, but now is no longer hidden. We might remember several passages in the Gospel of John, in which Jesus repeatedly told the Jews that He told them the truth, but they did not believe. Basically He told them things that were hidden in the past, from prior generations, but was now being revealed.
Jesus called Himself ‘the Truth.’ I. E. Jesus, the hidden thing of God, hidden from the beginning of time; But now He was no longer hidden and was being revealed to the Jews.
John 14:6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth (the revelation of what was hidden,) and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
He was the Messiah (the Christ), the mysterious long awaited king. The prophets had prophesized about the mysteries of His Birth and His Kingdom. Those mysteries were being made known. Jesus revealed Himself to the Jews. He was their King, Messiah, and Establisher of God’s kingdom on earth. He confirmed this truth to Pilate.
John 18:37-38 Pilate therefore said to Him, "Are You a king then?" Jesus answered, "You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth . Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice. Pilate said to Him, "What is truth ?" And when he had said this, he went out again to the Jews, and said to them, "I find no fault in Him at all."
The Jews knew from the Prophets that in the last days God would send His Messiah (Christ) to them and all the hidden things and mysteries of the Kingdom, which God had kept secret from generation to generation, would be revealed to them. You may remember that several months ago I shared with you about the Samaritan woman at the well. She knew that Christ was coming and would tell them all the things.
John 4:25 The woman said to Him, “I know that Messiah is coming” (who is called Christ). “When He comes, He will tell us all things.”
The Jews at the time of Christ should have known that He was the Christ and believed in Him. And many of the Jews, especially the rulers, did know that He was Christ, but refused to believe in Him. Eventually they killed Him.
From the beginning of His ministry, Jesus revealed Himself and the mysteries of His Kingdom to His disciples. When He ascended to the heaven, He sent the Holy Spirit to lead the disciples into all truth (full revelation of Him and His Kingdom.) Nothing would be hidden from them.
The Apostles and disciples then went throughout the whole world declaring these hidden things which were no longer hidden - the truth.
They declared the truth that Jesus is Christ and His Kingdom is an everlasting Kingdom. And those who believe and have faith in Him will have eternal life. These were some of those hidden things that were no longer hidden. Through their messages and writings God has revealed His truth to us all.
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