It is an outrageous thing to be a teacher. It assumes that someone knows something others don’t know. That is not so difficult to conceive when someone knows how to read or do math, but once we advance past the fundamentals it isn’t so clear-cut. History especially is and should be regarded with care. Just because it is in a book or a newspaper doesn’t mean it really happened and if it did everything has nuances that appeal only to some. The writers of textbooks, just like the rest of us, have agendas colored by their personal experiences and opinions. I have to laugh at people who claim to “tell it like it is.” All they can really do is tell what they think they know and what they think they saw or heard. Everyone thinks they know the truth and yet few of us can stand in mental lockstep with another. In many ways truth is but an agreed upon set of assumptions.
When I say Jesus died and rose again I am speaking out of my hopes, aspirations and biases resulting from where I was born, who my parents are, where I went to school and what books I have read, which were written by others like me. I wasn’t there. I didn’t see it happen. Yet I believe from the depths of my heart that it is true because it makes good sense. It doesn’t seem like a cunningly devised tale. (See II Peter 1) All of the disciples but John suffered a horrible death. They would not have done so if it was a contrived tale. Jesus said, “Thomas, because you have seen me, you have believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.” That’s us.
Written by Roger Bothwell on February 23, 2012
Spring of Life Ministry, PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574
Rogerbothwell.org