So I've been spending a lot of time in Hebrews and John (and a few other places) this week in preparation for Sunday's next message in our new series 'EPIC'. One of the things that came up, that sort of led to me running down a rabbit trail just for fun, was the "issue" of the oldest surviving fragment of the New Testament being some verses from the Book of John - specifically from Chapter 18, verses 31-33 and 37-38.
Curiously enough, many purveyors of religious beliefs contrary to Christianity use the "evidence" that this fragment discovered in Egypt, cannot possibly be dated prior to the mid second century. According to them, that leaves room for doubt. Wow. In my own common and uneducated understanding, I sort of came to a vastly different conclusion. Can I just tell you that what blows me away about this fragment is not that it is dated possibly more than 100 years after the death of Jesus, but the words that were written on it?
The verses record part of the discourse between Pilate and Jesus, specifically those dealing with who Jesus is. Pilate asks him, "Are you the King of the Jews". In verse 37 Jesus says, "You say I am a king. Actually I was born and came into the world to testify to the truth. All who love the truth recognize that what I say is true".
Now, granted, I gave you the New Living Translation of those verses - but is it lost on any Christ-follower how significant it is that the oldest known fragment of the New Testament we have contains such powerful testimony? Held in those few verses is the reason Jesus, the Son of God came into the world - to testify to the truth.
Jesus is the Word (in the Greek, the logos - the power that set the world in perfect order and kept it, and keeps it, in perfect order). Who better to testify to the truth. If all who love the truth recognize that what Jesus said is truth, it follows that all who love Jesus recognize that the Word Himself is truth, because He is the only One qualified to reveal the truth.
Speaking of Himself, Jesus asked Peter, "Who do people say the Son of Man is?" Peter didn't have the Greek papyri with the answer written on it. He didn't have an NLT. Just curious. Who do you say Jesus is? Why?
This just makes me think of my favorite Bible verse: John 8:32
ReplyDeleteJesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God.
ReplyDeleteJesus is the way the truth and the life. No man comes to the Father except through Him. John 14:6
ReplyDeletethe light that guides my life.
ReplyDeletenot only do I believe he showed us the best possible way to live, but the only way to live.
I honestly believe he is the one and only son of God. and He is every bit as much "God" as His Father is.
He is King of a kingdom that this world can't understand. a kingdom that is rule by Sacrifice and Love, not violence and coercion. a kingdom I want to be a part of. with Jesus as my king.
I believe He is Salvation from Death. like He told Martha (Peter overheard this too I'm sure"
He said "I am the Resurrection" I love that.