Like St. Stephen, the first Christian martyr, the children under 2 murdered by Herod the Great in Bethlehem are considered by the Church to be martyrs. They died in Jesus' stead. The Catholic Church celebrates the feast of the Holy Innocents today to remember these powerless martyrs who did not even have the chance to open their mouths to proclaim Jesus!
BBC has produced a 9-part TV series "Mysteries of the Bible". One episode poses to defend Herod the Great. The narrator says, quite correctly, that there is only one single verse in the Gospel of Matthew (Matthew 2:16) which incriminates Herod but no extra-biblical record whatsoever. However, in the end, BBC does not have the guts to deny the probability of such a massacre! The episode only manages to show that Herod the Great was a master builder for security reasons and himself a victim of paranoia. From the article "Holy Innocents" by Holweck (1910) found in the Catholic Encyclopaedia, one can find most of the figures and reasoning employed by BBC.
BBC has produced a 9-part TV series "Mysteries of the Bible". One episode poses to defend Herod the Great. The narrator says, quite correctly, that there is only one single verse in the Gospel of Matthew (Matthew 2:16) which incriminates Herod but no extra-biblical record whatsoever. However, in the end, BBC does not have the guts to deny the probability of such a massacre! The episode only manages to show that Herod the Great was a master builder for security reasons and himself a victim of paranoia. From the article "Holy Innocents" by Holweck (1910) found in the Catholic Encyclopaedia, one can find most of the figures and reasoning employed by BBC.
Today and the next couple of days, we will be reading the First Epistle of John. Scholars agree that it was penned, if not by John the Apostle himself, by one member of the John community. This epistle shares a lot of vocabulary with the Gospel. One particular verse puzzles me deeply. It reads
If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us (1 John 1:10).
This verse is the last of 5 consecutive verses beginning with "if" and a parallel of verse 8 which reads
If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us (1 John 1:8).
Verse 8 is easily understood. We are sinners because we miss the target set by God. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves. But why do we make God a liar if we claim we have not missed the mark? Wouldn't it make more sense if we say we have not sinned, we make ourselves liars? Herod the Great killed the innocent children. If Herod said he had not sinned, wouldn't Herod make himself a liar, rather than God a liar? I am confused.
In the Gospel of John, the word "liar" appears twice in chapter 8. The first one refers to Satan.
You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and has nothing to do with the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks according to his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies (John 8:44).
The Devil is a liar because it is in its nature to tell lies.
But you have not known him; I know him. If I said, I do not know him, I should be a liar like you; but I do know him and I keep his word (John 8:55).
If Jesus lies, Jesus will be a liar like the Jews he was speaking to.
So, liars tell lies. Telling lies makes a person a liar, not others liars. When we, for whatever reason, tell lies, the truth is not in us, but still in others. We become liars, not others. To make God a liar, God must have said something not true. What possibly has God said that is not true? Impossible! It is because God is the Truth. God cannot deny Himself. God does not tell lies. He can never be a liar. So how is it that when we lie, we make God a liar? I am more confused.
If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us (1 John 1:10).
This verse is the last of 5 consecutive verses beginning with "if" and a parallel of verse 8 which reads
If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us (1 John 1:8).
Verse 8 is easily understood. We are sinners because we miss the target set by God. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves. But why do we make God a liar if we claim we have not missed the mark? Wouldn't it make more sense if we say we have not sinned, we make ourselves liars? Herod the Great killed the innocent children. If Herod said he had not sinned, wouldn't Herod make himself a liar, rather than God a liar? I am confused.
In the Gospel of John, the word "liar" appears twice in chapter 8. The first one refers to Satan.
You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and has nothing to do with the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks according to his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies (John 8:44).
The Devil is a liar because it is in its nature to tell lies.
But you have not known him; I know him. If I said, I do not know him, I should be a liar like you; but I do know him and I keep his word (John 8:55).
If Jesus lies, Jesus will be a liar like the Jews he was speaking to.
So, liars tell lies. Telling lies makes a person a liar, not others liars. When we, for whatever reason, tell lies, the truth is not in us, but still in others. We become liars, not others. To make God a liar, God must have said something not true. What possibly has God said that is not true? Impossible! It is because God is the Truth. God cannot deny Himself. God does not tell lies. He can never be a liar. So how is it that when we lie, we make God a liar? I am more confused.
Is it a particular lie, viz. that we have not sinned, that makes God a liar? Let us reason.
Suppose it is true that we have not sinned. Then we are telling the truth when we say we have not sinned. Telling the truth can make God a liar if God lies when He says we have sinned. God, through Paul, does say that all have sinned (Romans 3:23). Does God lie when He says all have sinned?
Negative. Our present situation bears witness to the reality that we have sinned. Then God is a liar only if He says we have not sinned. Throughout the Bible, we cannot find a verse saying that we have not sinned. Instead we find many verses saying that God has forgiven our sins. Once again, we cannot make God a liar. Would somebody explain to me the meaning of 1 John 1:10? I wish I were like one of the Holy Innocents.
Suppose it is true that we have not sinned. Then we are telling the truth when we say we have not sinned. Telling the truth can make God a liar if God lies when He says we have sinned. God, through Paul, does say that all have sinned (Romans 3:23). Does God lie when He says all have sinned?
Negative. Our present situation bears witness to the reality that we have sinned. Then God is a liar only if He says we have not sinned. Throughout the Bible, we cannot find a verse saying that we have not sinned. Instead we find many verses saying that God has forgiven our sins. Once again, we cannot make God a liar. Would somebody explain to me the meaning of 1 John 1:10? I wish I were like one of the Holy Innocents.
Dear Lord, my reasoning has come to a dead end. Open my heart, Lord. Show me the proper way to meet You in the Scripture. Amen.
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