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The symbolic and diabolic
What does it mean ‘to belong to the truth’ (John 18.37b)?
Context
This week we explore John 18.33-37. The Gospel of John has more references to ‘truth’ than the other three Gospels combined. In John 14.6 Jesus speaks of himself as ‘the truth’. Truth is last mentioned in Jesus’ dialogue with Pilate, where Jesus says that the entire reason for his life has been ‘to testify to the truth’ (18.37).
- Never in this author’s life have I heard and seen truth so disputed as in the last five years — particularly in the US, but also in Europe: Is Covid real/true or a con? Are vaccines truly helpful or dangerous? Is climate change true or a charade? Did Biden truly win the US election? And on it goes.
- Concerned about the truth of what has and will be accomplished as a result of COP26?
- There are two murder cases being tried in the US wherein the shooters are claiming self-defence.
- The ‘relativising’ of truth has led to the false and pernicious assumption that there are always two sides to everything — including the Holocaust.
Reflection and ideas for a sermon, talk or conversation
Perhaps you thought of the 'devil' when you saw 'diabolic' in the title above. Although that would be understandable, it is instructive to note that the biblical understanding of diabolos is as one who 'accuses', 'slanders', 'misleads', 'bends the truth'. A word of caution here, because it is too easy for us to assume that everything diabolic is the work of the devil; whereas, according to Scripture, the devil (diabolos) is merely the one who entices, tempts, gets the ball rolling, as it were – it is we human beings who do the dirty work. The term diabolos itself is rooted in the verb diaballo 'to throw apart' or 'divide'. The devil merely throws apart, divides intent from outcome, spoken word from action. There is nothing of the truth in the diabolic.
Its opposite is the symbolic, from the Greek symballo, a verb which can mean: ‘to bring together, to unite, to contribute or bear a part in, to contract friendly relations, to converse or confer, to do one's part or be useful’. One could hardly find a greater contrast with 'diabolic'. I firmly believe this is what Jesus was talking about when he said the truth will make us free (John 8.32) and that he is ‘the truth’ (John 14.6). Such truth as Jesus lives and reveals makes us whole and free to do our part for God’s kingdom.
Questions for discussion
- How then do we discern the truth? In groups try using the above definitions of diabolic and symbolic as a guide. Use recent news stories and note how they are written.
- Some of you might be familiar with the Rotary Club’s ‘Fourfold Test’:
Is it the TRUTH?
Is it FAIR to all concerned?
Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS?
Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?
Replay conversations/arguments (in person or on social media) through this lens and see how they might have played out.
Revd Dr Jack Lawson is a free-lance writer and author of four novels: Doing Time, No Good Deed, Criminal Justice and The Woods (Wings ePress). For more information, visit Jack’s website or read his blog.
Check-in
Connecting faith with everyday, real-life issues for young people
With much of the news (and these Check-ins) being rightly focussed on COP26 over the past few weeks, another important story may have slipped your notice. It’s a bit messy and complicated (a summary can be found here) but, in simple terms, at the end of October/beginning of November, it came to light that an MP called Owen Paterson broke the rules about using his position to make money. The government tried to stop him being punished for it, everyone got really cross, and the government had to do a U-turn. The row is now engulfing Westminster and Boris Johnson will face questions from across Parliament.
And so, we turn to the passage for this week, John 18:33-37, in which Pilate asks Jesus about his political kingship, and Jesus responds by saying that his kingship is rooted in being ‘on the side of truth’.
We are given, here, two models of leadership: one defined by power (“My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest…”) and the other defined by truth (“Everyone on the side of truth listens to me…”). Truth in speech, in action, and in adherence to the word of God.
If you are reading this, there is a pretty good chance you are not an MP. But even those of us without elected office often find ourselves in positions of leadership.
- How can we make sure that we lead in a way which shows we are ‘on the side of truth’?
- When others look to us, how do we look to Jesus to see what makes a good leader?
- And how can we hold our own leaders (at church, in our school or work, and in parliament) to the standard of truth over power?
David Wadsworth is a storyteller and poet, and writer-in-residence at Cambourne Church in Cambridgeshire. More information and examples of his work can be found at www.wadsworthcreative.com
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