"In all these ways Christ is the Truth, for He is the fulfillment of all types and the true and firm salvation and faithful good, neither lying nor vain. (4) Truth, in a way that I think fits better to the theme, is called the faithful setting forth of what was promised over against reduction and omission of what was promised. Thus Christ is the Truth, because He showed forth the promise made to the fathers concerning Him, so that God might be true in His promises, since the salvation which He promised has been given. Hence Lyra well explains it when he says, “ ‘Mercy and truth have met each other,’ that is, they have come together in one Person. For by the mercy of God the Word took on flesh for the purpose of fulfilling the truth of the promise made to the fathers of the Old Testament concerning the incarnation of the Son of God.” For the fact that He promised us the Son was the sheer mercy of God. And so He Himself, in His coming, is Mercy, that is, the result of God’s mercy which He promised. But the fact that God sent Him was the truth and faithfulness of God. And so He is Himself the Truth, that is, the realization of the truth of God offering the promise. Therefore what God the Father promised was Mercy; and what He sent was Truth. And so they are wonderfully mingled and brought together. The fact that God is true in the things promised is His mercy, not our merit. But the fact that He has mercy is His truth. And so, when He has mercy, He becomes true [that is, He keeps faith and promise], and when He keeps faith or remains true, He has mercy. And both are in Christ. If He had given not freely but on the basis of merit, then righteousness and truth would have met each other, and it would not have been either mercy or grace, but a debt. But now He has freely given, so that He might be Mercy and Grace, and true nevertheless, because He had made Himself a debtor by promising and not by receiving. But of what did He make Himself a debtor by promise but sheer grace and mercy? Thus mercy and truth have met each other, namely, as set forth in one deed and work. But if they have met, have they then come together into one as from separate parts? Whence, then, comes mercy? And whence truth? Is mercy from the earth and truth from heaven? It is not the places that should be distinguished in this way, but the inclinations and indeed the results of God’s goodness. For the divine goodness is merciful in one mood and true in another; merciful for our sake, but true for His own sake. And thus in a certain manner they have met each other from different parts when, mindful of us, He wished to have mercy, and, having thought of Himself, He wished to be true. Or perhaps someone could find something else that is better. How have justice and peace now kissed? As Christ is God’s Mercy and Truth for us, so also righteousness and peace are ours from God. Lyra says, “Christ provided righteousness for us and thus gave us peace, appeasing the things that are in heaven and the things that are on earth. For by His suffering He made satisfaction for us according to the way of righteousness, etc.” A good gloss! For as God, angry because of our unrighteousness, did not have peace with us, so, having been turned, He sent this righteousness for us by which He also sent peace at the same time."
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