“You are a king, then!” said Pilate.
Jesus answered,” You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.”
“What is truth?” Pilate said.
- John 18:37-38a NIV
Pilate asks a great question, THE question, and then he doesn’t wait around for an answer; THE answer that the only One in the world could give. In an age of “reason”, in an advanced civilization, for an intelligent man, the concept of truth was relative. Sound familiar?
In the 21st century, when relativism is so popular, why beg the question? Is it even important that we understand what truth is, let alone spend time trying to convince others? Are we seekers of truth?
It seemed important to Jesus. It is one of the main themes in the Gospel of John. Jesus described himself as “the truth” in 14:6, and John the Baptist declared that The Word was “full of grace and truth” in 1:14. If we are “believers”, then we accept that everything Jesus said and did was true and actually happened. Furthermore, we believe that His promises are true and will come to pass. If we are in tune to the Holy Spirit, we know that He stirs in us when we hear something true, as well as when something is false.
But what about a non-believer like Pilate? What value does truth have for someone like that? Should this particular “pearl of great price” (Matthew 13:46) even be thrown “before swine” (Matthew 7:6), or is it reserved for the faithful few?
Maybe Pilate purposefully asked the wrong question. Do you think he really wanted to know Jesus’ definition of truth? Notice he didn’t ask “What is the truth?” in reference to who Jesus was, or to why his own people wanted him dead. No, he asked a trite, blanket question to avoid the meaningful conversation that Jesus wanted to have with him. The water got a little too deep, so he rushed out and attempted to proclaim Jesus innocent.
Jesus always got to the heart of the matter. He told people what they needed to hear at the moment they needed to hear it. He didn’t banter about tricky theological concepts. He didn’t sit around and philosophize with great thinkers and intellectuals. He cared about what people really needed. He spoke the truth and never apologized for it.
I encourage you to strive after truth in a loving and practical way. The lies of Satan and this world are so loud and attractive and desensitizing, that it is increasingly difficult to find those pearls of great price. Sometimes they are buried deep in the muck and the filth of pain and doubt, sorrow and confusion. We have to get in there, dig deep, get our hands dirty, and pluck them out of the tough oyster shells that people encase them in. Love people and be sensitive to their needs. Be real with them. Be truthful.
And the promise: “But when the Friend comes, the Spirit of the Truth, he will take you by the hand and guide you into all the truth there is. He won't draw attention to himself, but will make sense out of what is about to happen and, indeed, out of all that I have done and said.” (John 16:13) The Message
**Check out Andrew's weekly comic strip Moth & Ethan HERE
**Check out Andrew's weekly comic strip Moth & Ethan HERE