What is Truth
John 6:35-40
Rev. Dr. Michael H. Koplitz
John 6:35 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst. 36 “But I said to you that you have seen Me, and yet do not believe. 37 “All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out. 38 “For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. 39 “This is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day. 40 “For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day.”
This narrative from John’s Gospel is one of the shorter ones. It packs many punches to it. Some we have already read and a couple of new ones. Let us review a couple of the statements in this narrative. “I am the bread of life” is a good one. What is the bread of life? Not what the Church says it means but instead in Jesus’ day. Bread was considered sacred and a gift from the LORD. Bread was used metaphorically to indicate “truth.” Therefore, the bread of life is the truth about the LORD. The truth about the meaning of the Torah and the Prophets. Jesus said that he came to fulfill the Torah and the Prophets.
One of Jesus’ tasks was to bring the truth of the LORD’s Word to us. The intention of the Torah was corrupted over time. Jesus teaches us in all four Gospels what the Torah is about. He teaches us how to live a good life under the Torah. The truth of the Kingdom of Heaven is that you must follow the LORD’s ways when you enter it. How do I do that? There is an easy answer. Follow the practices of Jesus. Examine his words and actions, and you will learn how to behave in a way that pleases the LORD.
The Torah promises that you will receive eternal life when you live by it. We like to say, “Jesus died for our sins.” That is true because Jesus died to bring us this message of life. Live by the Torah and the Prophets as explained and demonstrated to us by Jesus. Prophets, before Jesus died in Jerusalem, just like Jesus did. They told kings and princes that they needed to follow the Torah, just like Jesus did. God’s people became corrupted by the religious leaders. The corruption needed to stop. Jesus tried to stop it. He wanted reform. However, it did not happen fully.
Ask yourself, “what is your guide to living a godly life?” You cannot live a godly life without some education and a guide. The guide is the easy part. Just go out and purchase a Bible. Which one do you ask? There are a lot of English versions. I will recommend you find a Bible that makes sense to you. You will not benefit if you do not understand what you are reading.
The next step is to find a teacher who understands the truth of Jesus’ message and his ways. This person can help you learn the ways of God and incorporate them into your life. As you search for your teacher, question the person. Learn about the views of the teacher. Take note of whether or not the teacher follows Jesus’ way. It is easy to say what Jesus expects. It is another thing to actually do it. What good is a teacher of the ways of God who cannot themself live by those ways?
Seek the truth! Weigh the preacher’s sermon against the Bible. You should do this with my words. Many uneducated persons are preaching the message of Jesus. I am not saying they are all wrong. I am saying that you have to be examining the preacher as to the truths of their words. When I was new in Christ, I listened to several preachers I discovered later did not understand the Gospel message.
I pray that your journey, your pilgrimage, is successful. Go out and learn the ways to please the LORD. Let the Bible be your guide, and Jesus be your teacher. May you find people who understand the ways of the LORD and can help you in your life.
