The phrase “trustworthy and true” in Revelation 21:5 leapt out of the lectionary this week at me.
On first glance, I thought the author of Revelation was reemphasizing his point with synonyms. It would make sense. He was exiled. Stranded on an island. Imprisoned. I often repeat myself, and I’m not even under that kind of duress.
But the more I stared at that phrase “trustworthy and true,” the more differentiated the words became. For something to be “true” there is an accuracy, factuality and correctness about it. It is an objective measure. But for something to be “trustworthy” means that it comes from a reliable, dependable source. There is some subjectivity in this one, as well as a relational type of integrity that must be inherent. So having them both side-by-side is powerful.
For instance, building and maintaining relationships requires both trustworthiness and truth. At another point in the passage, we get some beautiful wedding imagery. This caused me to have a flashback to my wedding vows 20 years ago. A large reason these promises are standing the test of time is that they were both trustworthy (meant sincerely) and true (reflecting genuine feelings). Both are needed for a healthy marriage, but also in all relationships. Think about sharing secrets with your friend when you were a child. One of you might have made the other a pinky promise to ensure they would be both trustworthy to hold the confidence and true to their word. Or think about giving and receiving feedback at work. While sometimes it can be difficult to hear, feedback that is both given by a trustworthy colleague and is a true reflection of performance is essential for personal and professional growth.
Being both “trustworthy and true” is needed for healthy relationships on a personal and public level. For instance, not only does a medical practitioner need their diagnoses to be true (based on their educated understanding of the condition), but their instructions must be trustworthy (reliable, clearly communicated, and safe to follow) when they work with individual patients. But think about Doctor Fauci back in 2020. All the official announcements and warnings he made about COVID had to be seen as both trustworthy and true or they were useless.
Perhaps the clearest need for both can best be seen in a courtroom. You could have a true statement from a witness who is not necessarily trustworthy (maybe they have ulterior motives), or you can have a trustworthy witness who might make a mistake (misremember untrue details). So, for a testimony to be truly helpful, it needs to be both trustworthy (believable, given under oath, consistent) and true (factually accurate). If either one of those comes into question, the whole case can fall apart.
This is the fourth week in a row that we find the book of Revelation in our lectionary. First, we read about Christ building and maintaining a relationship with the church: “To him who loves us and freed us” (Revelation 1:5). Second, we saw the cosmic significance and worthiness of Christ to enact God’s plan for the high-stakes recreation of the entire world: “they numbered myriads and myriads and thousands and thousands” (Revelation 5:11). Then we got the legal testimony in the holy courtroom “before the throne of God” (Revelation 7:15).
The author of Revelation has been building towards chapter 21 in the same way that resurrection has been leading us towards “a new heaven and a new earth” (Revelation 21:1) in which God is making “all things new” (Revelation 21:5). The author wants us to understand that these things are both objectively true as well as subjectively trustworthy because of our relationship with the crucified and risen Christ. It is from within this intimately relational, high-stakes, cosmic courtroom on the precipice of the new creation that he encourages us to ask questions about this new resurrected reality.
So, whether you are journaling or preaching on Revelation 21:1-6, I would encourage you to spend some time with these questions and within the larger story being told here. Search for objective truth and relational trust. Be on the lookout for statements, facts, and feelings that are leading you into this new resurrected reality. Then, with whatever you find: “Write this, for these words are trustworthy and true” (Revelation 21:5).
Questions for reflection on Revelation 21:1-6:
- How did this notion of “the first things” (Revelation 21:1-6) passing away intrigue, disturb, challenge, comfort, encourage or inspire you?
- What is true about your understanding of resurrection?
- How do you know if God is trustworthy or not?
View the corresponding Order of Worship for the Fifth Sunday of Easter
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