Dear Fr. John Echert or Priest of Apologetics: I actually have 2 separate questions: 1) When Jesus said, "I am The Way, the Truth and the Life" please tell me what did Jesus mean when He said, "the Truth"? Truth about Him?, about His teachings? I do know He prayed once to His Father, saying, "Father, You and I are one, may they also be one..." I understood this to mean, unity of One Faith/belief (not an X number of faiths that we have out there). 2) I have someone who loves to debate and being a Catholic, likes to debate the Bible. This really irritates the crap out of me, because there IS nothing to debate in the Bible, it is God's Word for us. And the way I understand it is: anyone who has not studied or have knowledge of Aramaic, Greek and Latin (languages the Bible was originally written)as well as understanding of the culture and idioms of the day in whichever part of the Bible it was written (as It encompasses centuries) has no business interpreting it, much less debating it! Even in today's present society, if one knew Spanish as well as English or whatever other language, there are just not phrases or words that are easily interpreted into another language (if at all) plus take into account the culture AND idioms. And it just drives me nuts when this person wants to debate the Bible as if they had All required background information to be able to do such! It serves no purpose! I finally had to say: "I no longer choose to discuss the Bible with you, unless, it was part of a homily or spiritual discussion from a Priest." My question is am I being TOO mean or unreasonable?

{Note: I have 2 outstanding Priests whom I as dozens of questions regarding Spirituality, Doctrine, the Bible, the Fathers of the Church, Saints, etc. but even having the answers to the meaning of such things, still I consider myself NO expert and if I were asked a question that I knew the answer to, I would give the answer, but also Totally make clear a final answer rests with a wise Priest, because I could make a mistake or give a wrong answer.}

When Jesus describes Himself as "The Truth" consider this in light of the fact that He is the Word of God that eternally processes forth from the Father. As such it is not only everything that is an intellectual truth but creation itself, inasmuch as it expresses something of God and what God wills. For instance, creation itself has an order to it which is by divine design, and from nature we can discern the laws that bind us in human moral behavior--e.g., that killing an innocent person is wrong, that stealing from another is wrong, that homosexual activity is wrong, etc. This is called natural revelation and natural law is based upon it. At a higher level is divine revelation, found in the Bible and Sacred Tradition (teachings of the Church). So, Jesus as truth reveals all that God intends to reveal outside of Himself.

One can discuss and have insights into Sacred Scripture without necessarily knowing biblical languages, etc, but these are also helpful tools, in the right hands of someone with faith. I have found, on the other hand, that many so-called scholars who are highly educated lack or have lost the Faith and I have no confidence in their insights.

Thanks, Kelly

Father Echert

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