Date : June 1, 2007
of Jesus |
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Can One Know the Truth?
Jesus Says We Can!
by a disciple of Jesus of Nazareth
June 2007
There are so many voices
out there in the world today. Which is the right voice to follow?
How do we know not to
follow strange voices that are not of the Truth?
Who do we believe?
Do they
have a witness?
Who is the Way, the Truth, the Light, and the Life?
Why do so many not hear
the Truth or believe?
And finally, how can we really
know that we have found the Truth?
We believe that
the voice of Truth comes from Jesus of Nazareth. Many
books have been written on why one should or should not believe in Jesus. This paper
attempts to answer these very questions, yet not by our own interpretation of
the Word, but by listening to what Jesus himself said about this very
subject. Yes, it is true that Jesus knew
of these questions in man’s heart, and he did not leave them unanswered. The multitudes of
those who try to disprove Jesus’ Words surely have their own worldly agenda and
reason for doing so. Yet, we invite you
to go directly to the source itself, to Jesus. Hear what he has to say, not
what others have to say about him, and make the choice for yourself whether to
believe he is of the Truth or not. For
one who is earnestly and honestly seeking the Truth, it should and must be an
individual choice, not someone else making that choice for you. You can spend
your lifetime listening to what others have determined is or is not the Truth,
or you can find it out yourself. If we listen
(read) the Words of Jesus alone, apart from what anyone else tells you (this
includes bible commentaries, Paul, online sites, or even us at the VOJ), then
he (Jesus) promises that we will know the Truth, and that this Truth will set us
free. He also tells us that if we do not believe in him, then at least believe
the works/words he is telling us and in so doing, we will find out if he is
telling us the Truth or not. His message from
the Father has been preserved in the world, and will continue to be preserved
until the end of this world. It will come down to one’s faith in order to
accept this, for material proof cannot be given. We do, however, offer
spiritual proof. We offer His Word.
Jesus tells us that we can know! If one will only try it out, do the will of the Father, than by doing so that one will know if
Jesus' teaching is from God or not: (Jesus’ Words are highlighted in red) Give It A
Try! John 7 14 Now the festival being
already in the middle Jesus went up to the temple and was teaching. 15 So the Jews were
marveling saying: How does this [one] know letters, not having been taught? 16 So Jesus answered them
and said: My teaching is not mine but of the [one]
having sent me. 17 If anyone wills to be doing his will, he
shall know concerning the teaching, whether it is from God or [if] I speak from
myself. 18 The
[one] speaking from himself seeks his own glory. But the [one] seeking the
glory of the [one] having sent him, this [one] is true and injustice is not in
him.
Jesus Has Witnesses
John 5
31 If
I witness concerning myself, my witness is not true. 32 Another
is witness concerning me, and I know that the witness is true that he witnessed
concerning me. 33 You
sent to John, and he has witnessed to the truth; 34 but
I do not receive witness by man, but I say these [things] that you be saved.
35 That
[one] was the burning and shining lamp and you wanted to rejoice for [hour] in
his light. 36 But I have [a] witness greater than John; for the works that the father has given me in order that I
complete them, these works themselves
which I do witness concerning me that the father has sent me. 37 And the father having sent me, that [one] has
witnessed concerning me. Neither his voice
have you ever heard nor his visible-form have you ever seen, 38 and
his word you do not have abiding in you, because he
whom that [one] has sent, in this [one] do you not believe. 39 You
search the scriptures, because you
suppose in them to be having eternal zoe-life, and these are those witnessing concerning me. 40 And
you do not want to come to me in order that you have zoe-life. 41 I
do not receive glory from men, 42 but
I have known you that you do not have the agape-love of God in yourselves.
43 I
am come in the name of my father, and you do not receive me; if another come in
his own name, that [one] you will receive. 44 How
are you able to believe, receiving glory from each other, and the glory of the
only God you do not seek? 45 Be
not supposing that I will accuse you to the father, the [one] accusing you is
Moses, in whom you have hoped. 46 For if you were believing Moses, you would have
believed me; for concerning me did that [one] write. 47 But if you do not believe the writings of that [one], how will you believe in my words? The Father’s Witness / Jesus the Light of the
World
John 8
12 So, again
Jesus spoke to them saying: I am the light of
the world. The [one] following me shall not
walk in darkness, but will have the light
of zoe-life. 13 So the
Pharisees said to him: You witness concerning yourself, your witness is not
true. 14 Jesus answered and said
to them: And if I witness concerning myself, my witness
is true, because I know from where I came and [to] where I depart. But you
do not know from where I come or [to] where I depart. 15
You judge according to the flesh, but I judge no one. 16
But if I judge, my judgment is true, because I am not alone, but [it is] I and
the father having sent me. 17
And in your law it is written that the witness of two men is true. 18 I am the [one] witnessing concerning myself,
and the father having sent me witnesses
concerning me. 19 So they
were saying to him, Where is your father? Jesus answered: You know neither me nor my
father. If you had known me, you would have also known my father. 20 These words he spoke in the treasury teaching in the temple. And no one arrested him, because his hour was not yet come. Where Jesus Came From and Where He is Going
John 8
21 So he said
to them again: I depart
and you will seek me, and you will die in your sins; where I depart you are not
able to come. 22 So the
Jews were saying: Will he not kill himself, because he says: Where I depart you
also are not able to come? 23 And he was
saying to them: You
are of the below, I am of the above. You are of this world, I am not of this
world. 24 So I said to you that you will die in your sins. For if you
do not believe that I am [he], you will die in your sins. 25 So they
were saying to him, Who are you? Jesus said to them: What
I told you from the beginning. 26 I have many [things] concerning you to be saying and to be
judging. But the [one] having sent me is true, and I, what I heard from him,
these [things] I speak to the world. 27 They did
not know that he was speaking [about] the father. 28 So Jesus
said: When you have lifted up the son of man, then you
will know that I am [he], and [that] from myself I do nothing, but just as the
father taught me, these [things] I speak. 29 And the [one] having sent me is with me. He has not left me alone, because I always do the [things] pleasing to him. Abraham's Children and the Devil's Children
John 8
31 So Jesus
was saying to the Jews having believed in him: If you abide in my
word, you are truly my disciples. 32 And you will know the truth,
and the truth will set you free. 33 They
answered him: We are Abraham's seed, and to no one have we ever been enslaved.
How do you tell us that: You will become free? 34 Jesus
answered them: Truly
truly I say to you that everyone doing sin is [a] slave of sin. 35 Now the slave does not dwell in the house[hold] to eternity, the
son abides to eternity. 36 So if the son set you free, you will be free indeed. 37 I know that you are Abraham's seed, but you seek to kill me,
because my word does not have room in you. 38 What I have seen beside the father I speak, and therefore
what you heard from your father you do. 39 They
answered and said to him: Our father is Abraham. Jesus says to them: If you are children of Abraham, you would have done the works
of Abraham. 40 But now you seek to kill me [a] man who has spoken to you the truth, which I heard from God;
this Abraham did not do. 41 You do the works [of your] father. They said to him:
We were not born out of fornication, We have one father—God. 42 Jesus said
to them: If God were
your father, you would have agape-loved me, for I have gone out from God and
have come. For neither am I come from myself, but that [one] sent me. 43 Why do you not know
my speech? Because you are not able to be hearing my word. 44 You are from your father the devil and you want to be doing the
desires [of your] father. That [one] was murderer from the beginning, and he
has not stood in the truth, because truth is not in him. When he speaks the
"lie", he speaks from his own [self], because he is [a] liar and the
father [of them]. 45 But because I tell you
the truth, you do not believe me. 46 Who among you
convicts me of sin? If I say [the] truth, why do you not believe me? 47 The [one] being from God hears
the words of God; because of this you do not hear [me], because you are not
from God. 48 The Jews
answered and said to him: Did we not well say that you are [a] Samaritan and
you have [a] demon? 49 Jesus
answered: I do not have [a] demon, but [rather] I honor
my father, and you dishonor me. 50 I do not seek my glory; there is the [one] seeking and
judging. 51 Truly truly I say to you, if anyone keep my word, he will not see death to eternity.
The Sheep Hear His Voice, Not A Stranger’s Voice
John 10
1 Truly
truly I say to you, the [one] not coming in through the gate into the sheep-pen
but coming up from elsewhere, that [one] is [a] thief and [a] robber. 2 But
the [one] coming in through the gate is [the] shepherd of the sheep. 3 The
gatekeeper opens [the gate] to this [one], and the sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name, and
he leads them out. 4 When
he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, because
they know his voice. 5 They will not follow [the voice
belonging] to [a] stranger, but will flee from him, because they do not know
the voice of strangers. 6 Jesus told them this
parable; but these [ones] did not know what it was that he was speaking to
them. 7 So Jesus said again, Truly truly I say to you that I am the gate of the sheep.
8 All who came before me are thieves and robbers.
But the sheep have not heard them. 9 I
am the gate. If anyone enter through me, he will be saved, and he will come in
and will go out and will find pasture. 10 The
thief does not come except in order that he steal and slaughter and destroy; I came in order that they have zoe-life
and have [it] exceedingly. 11 I
am the good shepherd. The good shepherd appoints his psyche-life in behalf of
the sheep. 12 But
the hired-hand also not being shepherd, of whom the
sheep are not his own, he sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and
flees—and the wolf seizes them and scatters [them]— 13 [he
flees] because he is [a] hired-hand and the sheep are not [a] concern to him. 14 I
am the good shepherd, and I know mine and mine know me, 15 just
as the father knows me, and I know the father, and I lay down my psyche-life in
behalf of the sheep. 16 And
I have other sheep that are not of this sheep-pen, and I must lead [these], and
they will hear my voice, and they
will become one flock, one shepherd. 17 Because
of this the father agape-loves me, because I lay down my psyche-life, in order
that I again receive it. 18 No
one takes it from me, but I dedicate it myself. I have authority to dedicate
it, and I have authority to again receive it; this commandment I received from
my father. 19 [A] division again came
to pass among the Jews because of these words. 20 And many among them were
saying, He has [a] demon and is insane; why do you hear him? 21 Others were saying, These words are not [those] of [one] demon-possessed. Is [a] demon able to open [the] eyes of [the] blind? The Works of Jesus Do Witness
John 10
22 The Festival of
Dedication then came to pass in 23 and Jesus was walking in
the temple in the porch of Solomon. 24 So the Jews encircled him
and were saying to him, How long do you hold our psyche-lives [in suspense]? If
you are the Christ, tell us openly. 25 Jesus answered them, I told you and you did not believe. The works that I do in the name of my father, these witness concerning me, 26 but
you do not believe, because you are not
of my sheep. 27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they
follow me, 28 and
I give them zoe-life eternal, and
they will not perish to eternity, and no one will seize them from my
hand. 29 My
father who has given [them] to me is greater than all, and no one is able to be
seizing [them] from the hand of my father. 30 I
and my father are one [thing]. 31 The Jews again took up
stones in order that they stone him. 32 Jesus answered them, Many good works I showed you from my father; for what sort of
work among them do you stone me? 33 The Jews answered him,
Concerning [a] good work we do not stone you but concerning [God] slander, and
because you being [a] man make yourself God. 34 Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law that “I said, You are gods?” 35 If
he called them "gods", to whom the word of God came, and the
scripture cannot be loosed, 36 Do
you say of him, whom the father made holy and sent into the world, that: You
are slandering [God], because I said: I am [the] son of God? 37 If
I am not doing the works of my father, be not believing in me. 38 But if I do [them], and if you are not believing in me, [then] be believing in the works, in order that you know and be knowing that the father [is] in me and I in the father.
Jesus' Parting Words to His Disciples
John 14
1 Let not your heart be being troubled. Be believing in God and be
believing in me. 2 In my father's house[hold] are many dwelling-places. If [it
were] not [so], I would have told you, 3 because I go to prepare [a]
place for you. And if I go and prepare [a] place for you, again do I come and
will take you to myself, in order that where I am you may be also. 4 And where I go you know the way. 5 Thomas says
to him: Lord, we do not know where you are going. How do we know the way? 6 Jesus says
to him: I am the
way, the truth and the zoe-life; no one comes to the father except through me. 7 If you have known me, you will also know my father. And from
now [on] you know him and have seen him. 8 Phillip says
to him: Lord, show us the father, and it suffices us. 9 Jesus says
to him: So much time I am with you and you have not
known me, Phillip? The [one] having seen me has seen the father. How do you
say: Show us the father? 10 Do you not believe that I [am] in the father and the father
is in me? The words that I say to you [all] I did not speak from myself, but
the father dwelling in me does his works. 11 Be believing me that I [am] in the father and the father [is] in me. But if
not, be believing on account of the
works themselves. 12 Truly
truly I say to you, the [one] believing in me, the works that I do, that [one]
also will do, and greater than these will do, because I go to the father.
13 And
whatever you ask in my name, this will I do, in order that the father be
glorified in the son. 14 If you ask anything [of] me in my name, I will do [it].
Teaching on the Holy Spirit
John 14
15 If you agape-love me, you will keep my commandments. 16 And I will ask the father and he will give you another
advocate, in order that he be with you to eternity— 17 the spirit of
truth, whom the world is not able to receive, because it does not behold him
nor know [him]. You know him, because he dwells with you and will be in you. 18 I will not leave you orphans, I come to you. 19 Yet
[a] little [while] and the world no longer beholds me, but you behold me,
because I zoe-live and you will zoe-live. 20 In
that day you will know that I [am] in my father and you in me and I in you. 21 The [one] having my commandments and keeping
them, that is the [one] agape-loving me; and
the [one] agape-loving me will be agape-loved by my father, and I will agape-love him and reveal myself to him. 22 Judas says to him: not
the Iscariot, Lord, and what has happened that you are [about] to reveal
yourself to us and not to the world? 23 Jesus answered and said
to him: If
anyone agape-loves
me, he will keep my word, and my father will agape-love him, and we will come to him, and we will make our dwelling-place with him. 24 The [one] not agape-loving me does not keep to
my words. And the word that you hear is not
mine but of the father having sent me. 25 These
[things] have I spoken while dwelling with you. 26 But
the advocate, the Holy Spirit, which the father will send in my name, that
[one] will teach you everything and will remind you of everything which I spoke
to you. 27 Peace
I leave you, my peace I give you, not just as the world gives do I give to you.
Let your heart not be being troubled, neither let it be being cowardly. 28 You
heard what I said to you:I go, and come [back] to you.If you were agape-loving
me, you would have rejoiced that I go to the father, because the father is
greater than I. 29 And
now have I told you before it comes to pass, in order that when it comes to
pass, you believe. 30 No
longer will I speak many [things] with you, for the ruler of the world comes
and he has nothing in me, 31 but in order that the world know that I agape-love the father, and just as the father commanded me, thus I do. Be arising, let us be going from here.
Jesus Is Truth
John 18
33 Pilate therefore went in
again into the Praetorium and called Jesus and said to him: Are you the king of
the Jews? 34 Jesus answered: Do you say this from yourself or did others tell you
concerning me? 35 Pilate answered: Am I [a]
Jew? Your nation and chief-priests have delivered you up to me. What did you
do? 36 Jesus answered: My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this
world, my officers would have fought in order that I not be delivered up to the
Jews; but now my kingdom is not from here. 37 Pilate therefore said to
him: So are you [a] king? Jesus answered: You say that
I am king. I am born for this and am come into the world for this, in order
that I witness to the truth. All those
being from the truth hear my voice. 38 Pilate says to him: What
is truth? And having said this he again went out to the Jews, and says to them:
I find nothing blameworthy in him. 39 But it [is] custom for
you that I release to you one [man] on the Passover. Do you wish therefore that
I release to you the king of the Jews? 40 They therefore cried out
again saying: Not this one, but Barrabas. Now Barrabas was [a] revolutionary. So, in summary, did Jesus answer the questions proposed at the beginning of this paper? We suggest that he did. Yet, you must decide. There are
so many voices out there in the world today. Which is the right voice to
follow? Jesus says, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and
they follow
me.” Jesus says, “The sheep follow him, because they know his
voice.” Jesus says, “All those being from the truth hear my voice.” Jesus says, “The spirit of truth…You know him, because he
dwells with you and will be in you.” How do we
know not to follow strange voices that are not of the Truth? Jesus says, “They will not follow [the voice belonging]
to [a] stranger, but will flee from him, because they do not know the voice of
strangers.” Jesus says, “All who came before
me are thieves and robbers. But the sheep have not heard them.” Who do we
believe? Jesus says, “Let not your heart be being troubled. Be believing in God and be
believing in me.” Jesus says, “Be believing me that I [am] in the father and the father [is]
in me. But if not, be believing on account of the works themselves.” Jesus says, “Be believing in
the works, in order that you know and be knowing that the father [is] in me
and I in the father.”
Do they have a witness?
Jesus says, “But I have [a] witness
greater than John; for the works that the father has given me in order that I
complete them, these works themselves which I do witness concerning me that the father
has sent me. And the
father having sent me, that [one]
has witnessed concerning me.” Jesus says, “The works that I do in the name of my father, these witness concerning me.” Jesus says, “You search the scriptures, because you suppose
in them to be having eternal zoe-life, and these are those witnessing concerning me.” Jesus says, “For if you were
believing Moses, you would have believed me; for concerning me did that
[one] write.” Jesus says, “If I witness concerning myself, my
witness is true, because I know from where I came and [to] where I depart.”
Who is the Way, the Truth, the Light, and the Life? Jesus says, “I am the way, the truth and the zoe-life; no one comes to the
father except through me.” Jesus says, “I give them zoe-life eternal, and they will not perish
to eternity, and no one will seize them from my hand.” Jesus says, “I am the light of the world. The [one] following me shall not walk
in darkness, but will have the light of zoe-life.” Jesus says, “But now you seek to kill me [a] man who has spoken to you the truth, which I heard from God.” Jesus says, “I came in order that they have zoe-life.” Why do so
many not hear the Truth or believe? Jesus says, “Why do you not know my speech? Because you are not able to be hearing my
word. You are from your father the devil and you want to be doing the
desires [of your] father. That [one] was murderer from the beginning, and he
has not stood in the truth, because truth is not in him. When he speaks the
"lie", he speaks from his own [self], because he is [a] liar and the
father [of them]. But because I tell you the truth, you do not believe me. Who
among you convicts me of sin? If I say [the] truth, why do you not believe me?
The
[one] being from God hears the words of God; because of this you
do not hear [me], because you are not from God.” Jesus says, “How are you able to believe, receiving glory from each other,
and the
glory of the only God you do not seek?” Jesus says, “You do not believe, because you are not of my sheep.” Jesus says, “You are of the below, I am of the above. You are of this world, I am not of this world.” Jesus says, “The spirit of truth, whom the
world is not able to receive, because it does not behold him nor
know [him].” Jesus says, “The [one] not agape-loving me does not keep to my words.” And
finally, how can we really know that we have found the Truth? Jesus says, “If
anyone wills to be doing his will, he shall know concerning the teaching, whether it is from God or [if] I speak from
myself.” Jesus says, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples and you
will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” Jesus says, “The [one] having my commandments and keeping them, that
is the [one] agape-loving me; and the [one] agape-loving me will be
agape-loved by my father, and I will agape-love him and reveal
myself to him.” Jesus says, “If anyone agape-loves me, he will keep my word, and my
father will agape-love him, and we will come to him, and we
will make our dwelling-place with him.” So can we really know the Truth? Jesus says we can! There are numerous other verses found in the Four Canonical Gospels that record Jesus' answers to the above questions.
We invite you to continue your search in the Word for further answers. The Parable of the Sower is an excellent place to begin. We refer you to Matthew 13:1-9, Mark 4:1-9, and Luke 8:4-8 to read what Jesus says about those who do and do not cling to the Truth of His Word. He explains his answer even more thoroughly in Matthew 13:18-23, Mark 4:13-20, and Luke 8:11-15 as he interprets his own parable for you. If you have come
to the Words of Jesus in search of the Truth, we have faith in you because you
are looking. Very few ever truly look for the Truth. It is when we
stand apart from the world and start searching for answers of "why"
that the Father hears you and brings you to his Son to learn the Truth.
You have stepped aside, you have asked, you are seeking, you have knocked on
the door. The Father has heard you and has brought you to His Son.
Now it is up to you whether to listen to his Son, and to believe his Son, or
not. We do not judge you for whatever decision you make. We are only
here to witness to you that we do believe Jesus was sent here to us from the
Father, our creator, to inform us of the "why" as well as what we are
to do to receive eternal life. |
THE GREAT PRINCIPLE |
Matthew 16:25 For whoever wishes to save his psyche- |
Mark 8:35 For whoever would save his psyche-life will lose it, but whoever
loses his psyche-life because of me and the gospel will save it. |
Luke 9:24 For whoever wishes to save his psyche-life will lose it, but
whoever loses his psyche-life because of me will save it. |
John 12:25 The [one] philia-loving his psyche-life will lose it, and the
[one] hating his psyche-life in this world will guard it to zoe-life eternal |
His Peace
to You!!!
We utilize the FNT
translation for all verses. Please visit www.faithfulbible.com
for further interest on this translation.
The Faithful New
Testament
Copyright © 2004, William Zeitler.
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