Truth Came Through the Lord Jesus Christ
Luke 1:4 and the Truth Revealed in Jesus Christ
The Gospel of Luke begins with a clear purpose: that the reader may know the truth concerning the things in which he has been instructed.
Luke writes:
“That thou mayest know the verity of those words in which thou hast been instructed.”
— Luke 1:4, Douay-Rheims
The word “verity” means truth.
Luke is therefore presenting his Gospel so that Theophilus may know the truth concerning the Christian message.
But where does this Truth come from?
The Gospel of John gives us a profound answer:
“For the law was given by Moses, grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.”
— John 1:17, Douay-Rheims
This gives us a central Christian proclamation:
Truth came through Jesus Christ.
Truth Is Revealed Through the Lord Jesus Christ
Luke speaks about knowing the truth.
John tells us that grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
And Jesus Himself declares:
“I am the way, and the truth, and the life.”
— John 14:6, Douay-Rheims
Jesus does not merely say:
“I teach the truth.”
He says:
“I am the truth.”
This is a much deeper statement.
Truth is not merely information.
Truth is not merely an idea.
Truth is not merely human knowledge.
In Christian faith, ultimate Truth is revealed personally in Jesus Christ.
The Truth Came Into the World
The Gospel of John begins by identifying Christ as the eternal Word:
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
— John 1:1, Douay-Rheims
Then John declares:
“And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us.”
— John 1:14, Douay-Rheims
This is the mystery of the Incarnation.
The eternal Word entered human history.
The invisible God was revealed through the incarnate Son.
The eternal entered the temporal.
The divine entered human existence.
Therefore, when we speak about Truth coming through Jesus Christ, we are speaking about something much greater than a human teacher bringing new information.
We are speaking about divine Truth revealed in the person of Jesus Christ.
Luke 1:4: Knowing the Truth
Luke's purpose is that Theophilus may know the verity of what he has been taught.
This means Christianity is not presented merely as an abstract philosophy.
Luke is presenting an account concerning Jesus Christ so that the reader may have certainty concerning the Christian message.
The Gospel is therefore concerned with Truth.
The Christian faith does not ask us to abandon Truth.
It calls us to seek Truth in God and to receive the revelation of God through Christ.
Truth and Created Reality
This also connects with an important distinction between created reality and illusion.
Creation is real.
The world is real.
The human body is real.
Human life is real.
But created things are temporary.
They change.
They pass away.
They cannot be the ultimate Truth.
The human mind can also create illusions.
Greed can create the illusion that possessions will provide permanent satisfaction.
Lust can create the illusion that temporary pleasure will provide eternal fulfillment.
Beauty can create the illusion of permanence.
The mortal body can create the illusion that physical existence is permanent.
Human power can create the illusion of control.
But Christ reveals a reality greater than all temporary things.
The temporary is not the Eternal.
The created is not the Creator.
The passing is not the everlasting.
Jesus Christ and Eternal Truth
Jesus stands in complete contrast to the temporary things of the world.
Human thoughts change.
Christ remains.
Human kingdoms rise and fall.
Christ remains.
Human bodies become old and die.
Christ remains.
Physical beauty fades.
Christ remains.
Possessions are gained and lost.
Christ remains.
Human history changes from generation to generation.
Christ remains.
The author of Hebrews declares:
“Jesus Christ, yesterday, and to day, and the same for ever.”
— Hebrews 13:8, Douay-Rheims
This is the Christian understanding of Christ's eternal significance.
Truth Is Greater Than Human Thought
Human beings naturally live through their thoughts and perceptions.
But the human mind is limited.
A person can believe something that is false.
A person can desire something that cannot satisfy.
A person can mistake temporary things for permanent things.
A person can make the created world into an idol.
Therefore, human thought cannot be the ultimate measure of Truth.
The mind needs Truth greater than itself.
Christianity points to Christ.
Jesus says:
“I am the way, and the truth, and the life.”
The Christian does not ultimately say:
“My mind determines Truth.”
The Christian says:
“Truth is revealed by God, and Jesus Christ is the Truth.”
Grace and Truth Came Through Jesus Christ
John 1:17 brings two words together:
Grace and Truth.
“Grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.”
This is significant.
Truth without grace can become merely condemnation.
Grace without Truth can become merely sentiment.
In Christ, Christianity sees both:
Truth and grace.
Christ reveals what is true while extending God's grace to humanity.
He reveals God.
He reveals the seriousness of sin.
He reveals the way of salvation.
He reveals eternal life.
He reveals the Father.
And He calls humanity to follow Him.
Jesus Christ Reveals the Father
Jesus does not merely reveal abstract Truth.
He reveals the Father.
Jesus says:
“He that seeth me, seeth the Father also.”
— John 14:9, Douay-Rheims
The Son reveals the Father because the Son comes from the Father and shares the divine nature.
This leads directly into the Christian understanding of the Holy Trinity:
Father.
Son.
Holy Spirit.
The Truth revealed through Christ is therefore ultimately the Truth about God Himself.
The Holy Trinity and Truth
Christianity confesses one God in three divine Persons:
The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
The Father is God.
The Son is God.
The Holy Spirit is God.
Yet there is one God.
Jesus commands His disciples:
“Going therefore, teach ye all nations; baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.”
— Matthew 28:19, Douay-Rheims
The eternal Truth revealed through Jesus Christ therefore leads us into the mystery of the Holy Trinity.
From Luke 1:4 to John 1:17 to John 14:6
These passages can be read together as a powerful theological progression:
Luke 1:4
Know the truth.
John 1:17
Grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
John 1:14
The Word became flesh.
John 14:6
Jesus says, “I am … the truth.”
The progression is profound:
Truth is to be known.
Truth came through Jesus Christ.
The eternal Word became flesh.
Jesus Christ identifies Himself as the Truth.
Truth Is Not an Illusion
The human mind can create illusions about reality.
But Christ does not belong to the world of human illusion.
He reveals what is eternal.
The world passes.
Christ remains.
The body passes.
Christ remains.
Beauty passes.
Christ remains.
Possessions pass.
Christ remains.
Human thoughts pass.
Christ remains.
Therefore, the Christian search for ultimate Truth cannot end in temporary created things.
It must lead to God.
And Christianity proclaims that God has revealed Himself uniquely through Jesus Christ.
Conclusion: Know the Truth
Luke's purpose was that Theophilus might know the verity—the truth—of the things he had been taught.
John tells us:
“Grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.”
And Jesus declares:
“I am the way, and the truth, and the life.”
Therefore, the Christian proclamation is not merely:
“Jesus taught truth.”
It is deeper:
Jesus Christ is the Truth revealed by God.
The world is created.
The world is real.
But the world is temporary.
Human thoughts are real experiences, but they are not automatically Truth.
Greed, lust, pride, attachment, and the pursuit of temporary things can create illusions in the human mind.
Christ calls humanity beyond these illusions.
He calls us toward the Eternal.
The created is not the Creator.
The temporary is not the Eternal.
Human thought is not the ultimate Truth.
Jesus Christ is the Truth.
And through Jesus Christ, the eternal God is revealed as:
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
“For the law was given by Moses, grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.”
— John 1:17, Douay-Rheims
Truth came through the Lord Jesus Christ.
Truth is revealed in Jesus Christ.
And Jesus Christ is the Truth.
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