Plato and The Good

It was one of Plato's ideas that really pointed out to me how close some ancient Greek philosophers came to a real concept of God. This idea is what I've heard defined as "The Good."

My understanding of this is that Plato had developed a concept in his system of thinking of something that was the source of all that is beautiful and all that is right. This makes sense in his system of thought; he believed that there was a supreme idea of everything in a non-physical world from which we get our ideas. From what it sounds like, he pretty much had a non-physical source for everything (like the definition of "chair," for example). So it makes sense that he would posit a source of all beauty and goodness and truth.

So, does that sound familiar to you?

Goodness

"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change." (James 1:17)

"If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!" (Matthew 7:11)

Beauty

"Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and beauty are in his sanctuary." (Psalm 96:6)

"Your eyes will behold the king in his beauty." (Isaiah 33:17)

"And your renown went forth among the nations because of your beauty, for it was perfect through the splendor that I had bestowed on you, declares the Lord GOD" (Ezekiel 16:14). This verse, while talking about the beauty of Israel, states that her beauty came from God.

Truth

"The sum of your word is truth." (Psalm 119:160)

The Psalms call it God's truth (Ps. 25:5, 43:3, 86:11).

Isaiah 65:16 calls God the "God of truth."

God is "full of grace and truth" (John 1:14).

"Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, and the truth, and the life.'" (John 14:6)

The Holy Spirit is known as the "Spirit of truth" (John 14:17, 15:26, 16:13).

God's "word is truth" (John 17:17).

"In [God] there is no falsehood." (John 7:18).

Clearly, Plato was right about one thing. There is a source of all goodness, truth, and beauty. I don't know that he got the source right (he probably believed the source wasn't a person), but he was certainly close to some extent, wasn't he?