tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13625848.post2843230839138076103..comments2023-12-29T05:22:40.380-05:00Comments on Exegetical Thoughts and Biblical Theology: An Exegetical Basis for Truth as Correspondence to RealityPhilipBrownhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09054435375764132992noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13625848.post-31624424503876218682015-04-02T09:51:38.818-04:002015-04-02T09:51:38.818-04:00Phil, Thanks for your thoughts! I have been worki...Phil, Thanks for your thoughts! I have been working through a better understanding and teaching of this matter of "truth." Do you think there is a danger when we only view truth as the correspondence of reality? What about truth being a person? I am wondering about "eternal life" that is referenced in the Bible as well. Is "eternal life" more than just an eternal existence? Is eternal life actually a person (Jo. 17:3)? Is the "way" (of salvation/holiness) more than mere process, direction or path? Is the "way" a person? Obviously, in my mind, as I pursue the person of Jesus these other matters take form in my life, but aren't these matters (truth, life, way) more than just the transference of a certain quality of information? Likely it is engages both to some degree. Just some rambling thoughts from a pastor-friend. :)Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16443676735202939377noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13625848.post-20625931643608764812015-03-30T09:50:28.150-04:002015-03-30T09:50:28.150-04:00Hi, Josh,
Two comments:
1. Hebrew and Greek words...Hi, Josh,<br /><br />Two comments:<br />1. Hebrew and Greek words translated 'truth' are polysemous, and it is crucial to avoid the semantic fallacy "totality tranfer" or reading all a word's senses into each of its occurrences. For more on this read Carson's Exegetical Fallacies or Silva's Biblical Words and their Meanings<br /><br />2. In regard to John 14:<br /><br />I assume you're referring to John 14:6 -- "I am the ... truth"?<br /><br />There are two interrelated exegetical questions that determine how one understanding 14:6 -- (1) how is the linking verb "am" (εἰμί) functioning semantically? (2) How are the terms way, truth, and life to be understood--metaphorically? literally? figuratively? some combination of the above?<br /><br />I understand Christ to be saying -- It is through me that you come to God (=I am the way); I am the source and sustainer of reality (cf. Heb. 1:3) and therefore the source of all truth (=I am the truth); I am the source and sustainer of all life and there is no life or truth or access to God apart from me (=I am the life).<br /><br />This understanding does not take these terms literally with "am" functioning as an equals sign, such that A = B; therefore, B = A. <br /><br />Misreading this texts leads to metaphysical assertions like "truth is a person" or "truth is ultimately personal/relational." Don't misunderstand me, the tri-personal God is indeed the ultimate reality, but truth is a term that denotes a specific relationship between verbal utterances and their intended reference.<br /><br />Given this reading of John 14:6, God's own definition of truth as correspondence to reality has significance for virtually every department of systematic theology. "To walk in truth" is to walk in harmony with reality as God has designed and sustains it. To be truth doers is to be Christlike, for he is the ultimate source and sustainer of reality.<br /><br />Blessings,<br />Philip BrownPhilipBrownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09054435375764132992noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13625848.post-65146784660425972672015-03-26T21:09:37.938-04:002015-03-26T21:09:37.938-04:00Prof. Brown,
Thanks very much for this brief syno...Prof. Brown,<br /><br />Thanks very much for this brief synopsis of your exegetical project on truth. I am a grad student who is interested in precisely this topic (more specifically, truth in the Gospel of John), but so far have come away with the opposite conclusion: namely, that correspondence theory is too reductionistic to handle the biblical text's various uses of truth--especially with respect to the climactic passage in John 14. <br /><br />If you have the time/interest, I would love to hear your thoughts on these and related matters. I am definitely open to correction, especially since I am a philosopher by training and thus wholly innocent of biblical Hebrew. <br /><br />-JoshJosh Harrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11907966074456360007noreply@blogger.com