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What thing is truth?
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Kendall K. Down
Aug 21, 2021, 1:40:08 AM8/21/21
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"What is truth?" asked Jesting Pilate,
And quickly turned away.
The lines from a mediaeval mystery play come irresistably to mind
whenever I read the gospel of John, for it seems as though the Roman
governor is asking "What is truth?" amid a multitude of conflicting
theories or philosophies, some of which are truth and some are falsehood.
Recently my wife and I have been reading the familiar old New Testament
in the Tyndale Translation. Because the KJV drew so heavily on the work
of Tyndale, most of it sounds familiar, but every so often there is a
change in word order which reminds us that the KJV was intended for
reading aloud and the translators were not only concerned with accuracy
but also with fluency and mellifluousness.
However when we came to Pilate's dialogue with Jesus there was an odd
difference. "What thing is truth?" asked Pilate - not what is truth
versus error, but what is this thing called "truth"? It is a question of
philosophy, not of fact. What thing is truth and how can we know it?
It seems to me that people are still asking Tyndale's version of
Pilate's question. If I claim that David's reign of 40 years is just
myth or parable, is it still Truth? If I claim that Dives and Lazerus
really existed and really conversed in the afterlife, is that Truth? (As
a certain former poster actually did.) Does it matter - or should we,
like Jesting Pilate, turn quickly away and dismiss the question as
unimportant?
God bless,
Kendall K. Down
And quickly turned away.
The lines from a mediaeval mystery play come irresistably to mind
whenever I read the gospel of John, for it seems as though the Roman
governor is asking "What is truth?" amid a multitude of conflicting
theories or philosophies, some of which are truth and some are falsehood.
Recently my wife and I have been reading the familiar old New Testament
in the Tyndale Translation. Because the KJV drew so heavily on the work
of Tyndale, most of it sounds familiar, but every so often there is a
change in word order which reminds us that the KJV was intended for
reading aloud and the translators were not only concerned with accuracy
but also with fluency and mellifluousness.
However when we came to Pilate's dialogue with Jesus there was an odd
difference. "What thing is truth?" asked Pilate - not what is truth
versus error, but what is this thing called "truth"? It is a question of
philosophy, not of fact. What thing is truth and how can we know it?
It seems to me that people are still asking Tyndale's version of
Pilate's question. If I claim that David's reign of 40 years is just
myth or parable, is it still Truth? If I claim that Dives and Lazerus
really existed and really conversed in the afterlife, is that Truth? (As
a certain former poster actually did.) Does it matter - or should we,
like Jesting Pilate, turn quickly away and dismiss the question as
unimportant?
God bless,
Kendall K. Down
Timreason
Aug 21, 2021, 3:40:04 AM8/21/21
to
Tim.
Jason
Aug 21, 2021, 3:56:05 PM8/21/21
to
and see that it is indeed a thing). I've always pictured him saying it
in a more exasperated way, kind of "what's truth got to to with it". He
seems to find no fault with Jesus but instead gives in to the braying
mob, and I think he's saying "well guilty or not he'll hang for it" just
to appease the mob.
So I don't think he's addressing whether Jesus' guilt is true or not, but
that he's going to go with the flow in any case. I don't therefore think
it's addressing the questions as to whether topics such as Dives and
Lazarus are literally "true" or not.
Kendall K. Down
Aug 21, 2021, 4:30:11 PM8/21/21
to
On 21/08/2021 17:21, Jason wrote:
> I'm not familiar with the term "Jesting Pilate" (though I just googled it
> and see that it is indeed a thing).
As I said, it is from a mediaeval mystery play.
> I'm not familiar with the term "Jesting Pilate" (though I just googled it
> and see that it is indeed a thing).
> So I don't think he's addressing whether Jesus' guilt is true or not
when he has a near riot on his hands.
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