The truth will set you free. An editorial Op-Ed by Barney Zwartz

 Barney is a Jewish man I first met in Sydney over 15 years ago. I hope you like what he wrote in today's The Age newspaper from Melbourne. 

"“The truth will set you free” is surely one of the most quoted of all Bible verses, often cited by people who have no idea where it comes from. But it is also one of the most misunderstood. It is found in the Gospel of John, chapter eight, where Jesus is speaking to both supporters and opponents. The full verse reads: “To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, ‘If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.’”

“The truth will set you free” is a misunderstood bible verse.CREDIT:AP

The non-believing members of his audience say they have never been slaves; what does Jesus mean by free? They are slaves to sin, he tells them – that is why they are looking to kill him.

Jesus is not endorsing the 21st-century interpretation of freedom, which is understood mostly as personal autonomy. Today freedom is chiefly described as the power to choose, whether between 142 brands of washing powder, to watch Netflix or Amazon, or to do what we want with our own bodies.

In the ancient world, whether Christian or pagan Greek philosophy, what counted was not the freedom of choice itself but the nature of that choice. What was utterly essential was to make the right choice. That is why Socrates said the unexamined life is not worth living.

As American philosopher David Bentley Hart puts it, freedom is the ability to realise one’s essential nature, which is what leads to human flourishing. Hart says we become free in the same way, to use Michelangelo’s metaphor, that the statue is “liberated” from the marble by the sculptor.

“This means we are free not merely because we can choose, but only when we have chosen well. For to choose poorly, through folly or malice, in a way that thwarts our nature … is to enslave ourselves to the transitory,” Hart says.

In other words, all choices are not equal, and neither is all freedom. Freedom itself is not the virtue; the virtue is in its proper exercise.

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This is not to deny that freedom of choice is desirable. Personal autonomy is generally held to be a good thing, but this does not include the unrestrained satisfaction of every appetite, for some are damaging. Think of gambling or other addictions. The essence of Christian freedom is this: the desire and ability to serve God and neighbour, to align our desires and choices with biblical teaching.

Australian church historian John Dickson describes God’s statutes, precepts and commands, especially the Ten Commandments, as “a charter of freedom”, which is how they were read in the Old Testament and through much of Western history.

The law of God, says the Bible, brings joy, blessing and life.

What's missing?

Yesterday I had surgery on a BCC and am fine... the doctors including the anesthetist, as well as the nurses and all the staff at Castlecrag Hospital, made me comfortable and performed with grace and accuracy. I'm grateful. Oh, you might like this photo I took in the car park of the doctor's section. Pretty cute, you know? 

OK< so one of the guys, maybe a lab tech, or an orderly or whatever was very kind and asked me a question and I answered him. It was straightforward. Then he questioned something else and I saw/heard/thought of an answer that was from 'the other side.'  It's what lawyers do. They consider alternative ideas. They look at stories and facts and scenarios from 'the back side.' The orderly laughed as he had not thought of my answer or his own story from 'the back side.'

I think comedians do that as well and storytellers. It's not what you see, it's what you don't see, they say. Detectives solve crimes by looking for the missing pieces and what should be in a certain crime scene that isn't there or something that was there, which when the officers return, is not there. You get it. Look for the 'back side.'

Now another part of this blog of note. You may not know this, but I'm Jewish and love Shabbat. I'm also a keen Bible guy, loving to read the Book as well as books about the Book.  I use a luach every year, a calendar that reminds me of Sabbath readings and holidays and so much more. When I was reading the August events yesterday I was reminded of something I'd seen from 'the back side' one year, some time ago. 

It was the listing of the portions of the Nach (that is, the prophets and/ or writings of the Older Testament) that fall out at this time of the year. It began with the Nachamu (Isaiah 40) and introduced 7 weeks of really great Bible readings from that historic book. Of course, disclosure here, not every Bible section, not every chapter, and not every verse is read publicly. But during Nachamu I was surprised and intrigued and pondered what I was seeing from the back side. 

You see, it became very clear as I looked in the window at our shop yesterday, too. The luach was showing. August. Readings. Here's a photo. You can look for yourself. See if you see what I'm about to tell you. Maybe you will. Maybe you won't. But it's pretty visible, or at least, to me it is. 

What is missing? Haftorahs to read in synagogues worldwide this month:

5 August (Ekev) Isaiah 49b, 50, 51a.
12 August (Re'eh) Isaiah 54b-55.
19 August (Shoftim). Isaiah 51b-52.12.
26 August (Ki Teze). Isaiah 54a.

Let's review.
What is read: Isaiah 49b, 50, 51, 52.1-12,       , 54, 55.
What is missing? Isaiah 52.13-all of 53. Someone's hiding something, you know? Want to know? Read Isaiah 53 for yourself. I'll post it below this blog. Start at 52.13 and read in context. Ask yourself... of whom is the prophet Isaiah speaking? Be honest.

I remember my mother went to hear me at a church where I spoke in Overland Park, Kansas. It was Christ Church on Nall, and she and my dad lived only blocks from the building. It was gutsy for them to attend. My sister also joined them that morning. I spoke on Older Testament verses that I had discovered that were like a jigsaw puzzle to help people who opened their eyes to see that Yeshua was and is our messiah.  After the service, Dad approached me to shake my hand. He said, "Good talk; you didn't convince me, but that was well done."

The next day or week (I don't remember), my mother and I were sitting at her breakfast table and she said that my talk was very good. "Did you have any other verses that you use?" I showed her and read her Isaiah 53. She said, "Now that's a very good one." 

After a few minutes of re-reading it for herself, she said, "You know what I'd like. I want you and Rabbi Mandl (the main rabbi of KC at the time, and the rabbi at our shule specifically) to have a debate and discuss this one and other passages. Then at the end, we will know what to do."

I asked her, "Who will decide who wins?"

She didn't have an answer.

Here's the thing. Each of us has to listen to the Words of the Lord and decide for ourselves. No rabbi, no priest, no shaman, no guru will stand between you and the Almighty on that day when we all stand before Him. We each have to give an account of what we did with regard to the One spoken of in Isaiah 53. Each of us will answer the question, "What did you do with Yeshua?" 

What do you say? Someone left him out in the Haftorah readings this August.  Don't let Him be missing in your life. Say 'yes' to Yeshua today. Invite Him to be Lord of your life, to forgive you your sins and like the chapter says, "The Lord has laid on Him the iniquity (sin) of us all."  Say 'yes' to that reality and be forgiven. Don't wait until Yom Kippur. Receive His love and care today. 

Then let me know, won't you? 

Here's the text that is omitted:

Chapter 52:13.  Behold, my servant shall act wisely;
    he shall be high and lifted up,
    and shall be exalted.
14 As many were astonished at you—
    his appearance was so marred, beyond human semblance,
    and his form beyond that of the children of mankind—
15 so shall he sprinkle many nations.
    Kings shall shut their mouths because of him,
for that which has not been told them they see,
    and that which they have not heard they understand.
53 Who has believed our report?
    And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?
2 For he grew up before him like a young plant,
    and like a root out of dry ground;
he had no form or majesty that we should look at him,
    and no beauty that we should desire him.
3 He was despised and rejected by men,
    a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief;
and as one from whom men hide their faces
    he was despised, and we did not esteem him.

4 Surely he has borne our griefs
    and carried our sorrows;
yet we esteemed him stricken,
    smitten by God, and afflicted.
5 But he was pierced for our transgressions;
    he was crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,
    and with his wounds, we are healed.
6 All we like sheep have gone astray;
    we have turned, everyone, to his own way;
and the Lord has laid on him
    the iniquity of us all.

7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted,
    yet he did not open his mouth;
like a lamb that is led to the slaughter,
    and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent,
    so he did not open his mouth.
8 By oppression and judgment he was taken away;
    and as for his generation, who considered
that he was cut off from the land of the living,
    stricken for the transgression of my people?
9 And they made his grave with the wicked
    and with a rich man in his death,
although he had done no violence,
    and there was no deceit in his mouth.

10 Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him;
    he has put him to grief;
when his soul makes an offering for guilt,
    he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days;
the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.
11 Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied;
by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant,
    make many to be accounted righteous,
    and he shall bear their iniquities.
12 Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many,
    and he shall divide the spoil with the strong,
because he poured out his soul to death
    and was numbered with the transgressors;
yet he bore the sin of many,
    and makes intercession for the transgressors.