What is Truth?
John 18:37 – 40
Pilate said to Jesus, “So you are a King? Jesus answered, “You say correctly that I am a king. For this I have been born and for this I have come into the world to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears my voice.”
38 Pilate said to him, “What is truth?” There was no answer to the question.
A modern-day view of truth
Noted Bible scholar and pastor, John Mac Arthur, defines truth very well from an aligned Biblical perspective. “Truth is that which is consistent with the mind, will, character, glory and being of God.
Even more to the point, truth is the self-expression of God. Truth is theological.”
We find ourselves today in an era that has more information than any other time in human history. We have endless information and misinformation available to us at our finger tips. We have media that extend to all hours of the day and night. There is no end to the experts that are telling us their own version of truth. And yet, do we have more answers? How are we sure that we can trust what is being presented as the truth?
Well, I went directly to the source of truth. The internet. When I typed in the words, “finding truth,”
many answers were immediately brought to me. In fact, 11,200,000 answers. We won’t have time to discuss each one of those today.
These last two years have been very difficult under the cloud of COVID. I don’t remember a time in my life that the truth has been so hard to find. My wife who is in the medical community has seen a wide swing in medical information on this novel disease. As an example, there is now a fairly widespread belief that some have embraced that there is a cure for COVID and that cure is drinking one’s own urine.
There are even some suggestions that school-aged children can be fed this by making their own lemon-
flavored, urine supplemented popsicles. Is that the truth? Is our search for truth something that is truly new?
Biblical Examples of Truth
Actually, the search for truth extends back in written history from at least 900 years before the appearance of Christ. A wise leader, Solomon was greatly praised for his many contributions to his society. He was recognized most of all for his wisdom during his 40-year reign. The Old Testament tells of God’s invitation for Solomon to make a request. Instead of riches, Solomon asked for wisdom and knowledge to judge the people fairly and wisely. In I Kings 3:11, God said to him, “Because you have asked this thing and have not asked for yourself a long life, nor have asked riches for yourself, nor have you asked for the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself discernment to understand justice, behold, I have done according to your words.” Jehovah God was pleased and gave Solomon a wise and understanding heart. Solomon became famous for his wise judgements. His search for truth was well illustrated in the story of the two women, both arguing that they were the mother of a baby boy. The Scriptures told in I Kings, that Solomon sought the truth by ordering that the boy be cut into two and that half be given to each woman. The first woman agreed, but the real mother at once pleaded for the child to be spared and given to the other woman. Solomon saw clearly the truth, by seeing the
compassion of the birth mother and gave the boy to her. Soon all Israel heard about his decision and recognized that the wisdom of God was within Solomon.
Nearly a thousand years have passed and we come to this dialog between Jesus and Pilate. The chief Jewish priests have delivered Jesus to Pilate, the Roman governor of Jerusalem. The Jews had no charge that would stand up in a Roman court of Law against Jesus. Pilate realized this as a reason to turn Jesus back to the Roman government to make a case against Him. It was the Roman government that made
the decision to crucify Jesus. This actually was a belief by Pilate that he would not get blamed for the death and by doing so, not assume a lifetime curse.
Pilate opens by asking Jesus if He is a king. In his mind, he was refuting the statements of Jesus that He had a physical kingdom. In the previous verse, 36, we see that Jesus said, “my kingdom is not of this realm. By this phrase, Jesus meant that His kingdom is not connected to early political and national entities, nor does it have its origin in the evil world system that is in rebellion with God. If His kingdom was of this world, He would have fought. The governments of this would protect their interest by fighting with force. That is still very much true today, isn’t it? Our Messiah’s kingdom does not originate in the efforts of man but with the Son of Man forcefully conquering sin in the lives of His people and someday conquering the evil world system at His second coming. Jesus’ kingdom was no threat to the national identify of Israel or the political and military identity of Rome. It existed in the spiritual dimension until the end of the age as written in the book of Revelation (11:15)
Jesus, answering Pilate, affirms that He was a king. “For this I have been born,” meaning He knew his commission at this point in His life. His commission was to “testify to the truth.” He furthered in verse 37, “everyone who is of the truth hears My voice,” acknowledging His growing band of believers in His lordship. There were only three words written of Pilate’s response to this charged, but humble servant of God. Despite his lengthy rule in Judea, which was estimated at 10 years, Pilate was quick to diffuse the tension that was presented once again between the governor and the governed. He was used to having friction with his Jewish subjects, often breaking out in brief incidents. This was another example of that. As he looked to the man who stood before him, Pilate says to Jesus, “What is truth,” in verse 38 believing there was no truth. The Bible refutes this in several different scriptures.
In John 1:14, it was written that “Jesus was full of grace and truth.”
In John 4:24, the scripture reads “we worship in spirit and in truth.”
Further in John, chapter 8:32, “the truth will make you free.”
In John 14:6, Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.”
Romans 1:25, “They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, served and worshipped the creature rather than the creator, who is blessed forever.”
2 Tim 2:15 reads, “Be diligent to present yourself if approved to God as a workman accurately handles the word of truth.”
Repeatedly, Christ’s kingdom is eternal, spiritual and heavenly. It represented truth.
The truth is what we all should seek through Jesus Christ. How do we do this? We use the model of Jesus. He sought truth in prayer, seeking God continually, and asking questions. This was not a new model. Even in our first book of the Bible in Genesis 22, Abraham sought the will of God and listened for God’s direction as he was sent to offer up Isaac as a sacrifice. As you remember, through obedience, prayer, and revelation, God spared Isaac and provided the sacrifice at the mountain top.
As you may recall, Pilate did none of these. He knew immediately that he could find no guilt in Jesus.
The scriptures speak a lot about truth. You shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free. Truth is something you must seek, ask questions, listen to others, read and critically analyze. The reality is that many don’t want the truth. Pilate was one of these people. He feared making the wrong decision, and in doing so, make himself less popular. Popularity was essential in keeping his role as governor. He was really a prototype of our modern-day politician, wasn’t he? As we saw in our scripture reading, Pilate just wanted to get rid of a problem, not do the hard work of seeking truth about Jesus. He could have done more investigative work. When he asked Jesus to explain himself, Jesus supported his mission by answering in verse 37, “everyone who is of the truth hears my voice.” So, what did Jesus mean by that?
He likely meant that believers who would follow Him would hear through Him the voice of God. After
hearing this, they would absorb and follow the path of righteousness through Christ. Pilate did not want to follow this very profound mission that was stated so straight-forwardly by Jesus. Fearing the sway of onlookers, he begins to review his options. He knew that Jesus had been turned over to him for a final decision. So, he begins to defer and asks, almost cynically, “What is truth?” He was posturing for the listening crowd. He likely didn’t want another incident that would threaten his position. He didn’t expect an answer, because he believed that there was no such state of absolute truth. But Jesus was in full belief that he came to the world to testify to the truth. His truth was that he was God presented as man in human form and came to redeem the world.
Now Pilate had a problem. Actually, he had two problems. It was both a personal problem in his own knowledge of the law, as he quickly realized that Jesus did not have a defined guilt under the law. But the second problem for Pilate, was a larger one. It dealt with his political profile as a leader. So, he did what our modern-day politicians would do. He went back to his political instincts. In this case, it was the Jewish leaders who held a dim view of Jesus and His mission. He said to them, in verse 38, “I find no guilt in Him.” Maybe Pilate thought that his position would be firm enough to release Jesus and allow him to continue in his ministry, which was gaining recognition with common citizens. As we recall, it had been only a week that Jesus had entered in triumph with a palm branch parade. He was well liked by commoners. But Pilate may have feared the Jewish leaders. He wanted to appease them.
So, Pilate also had a Plan B. We all know what a Plan B is, don’t we? It is an alternative course of action, if the original one does not execute as hoped. In verse 39, Pilate suggested his alternative. Pilate knew there was a customary release of a wrongdoer during the Passover. For the Jewish people, the Passover period was a time of both a celebration and a renewal. Part of their tradition was to free a prisoner and turn them back into their society as a forgiven citizen. So, Pilate, politically calculating, asks those holding the guilty, “do you wish then that I release for you the King of the Jews?” He may have actually hoped that they would answer yes. But they did not. Instead we see in verse 40, they cried out again,
saying, “Not this Man, but Barabbas.” The scripture identifies Barabbas only as a robber. From this single mention, we know that Barabbas was spared. Jesus was sent to his death by a mob of voices crying out in support of a robber.
This week’s scripture is anchored by Jesus saying that “everyone who is of the truth hears my voice.” I want to illustrate this by telling you about someone who heard a similar call to the truth. Three months ago, a man attended a Bible study that I lead at Tallgrass Creek, which is a retirement community in Overland Park. He walked in, sat down and said he never had read the Bible or been to church. That was a surprise to me and everyone else that was in that room. How could an 87-year-old man never have had an occasion to pursue any belief? This was also surprising because his wife was in regular
attendance and a strong Christian. They had been married for 62 years and had not shared faith or a life united by Christ. What I didn’t realize was something that everyone else had already heard. His wife had died just hours before and he was now alone to navigate his life without her. He boldly had walked into our weekly study to learn about eternal life. He hoped to seek if there was any way that he would ever see her again. He sought heaven, knowing that as believers she would be there and he may not be reunited. He came specifically because he felt the call of God and the urge to seek the truth. So, what did he do next?
The following week, he returned. He had bought a book by Josh McDowell and Sean McDowell, “77 FAQs about God and the Bible, Your Toughest Questions Answered.” He had read and absorbed the writings in just a few days. He evaluated them against his beliefs. He embraced what he read. He showed me the book and what he had underlined. He offered me the book and thought it would be good to incorporate some of the answers to questions with his new-found group.
Four weeks later, he got up before the group. I was surprised when he addressed the group again. He gave his testimony about how he had found Christ and received Him through our Bible study group. His
testimony was moving to all who listened. This was a changed man in a very short period of time. He has returned each week and shares his new faith with whomever he sees. He was always very social and successful in all aspects of his professional life. He is now a success in the Kingdom.
What do these scriptures tell us about how we should live? Do we realize that there are numerous times during each day that we need to seek the truth? Do we start each day, appealing in our quiet moments to be guided by the truth? Or do we just drag ourselves out of bed, stumble to our routine, and somehow navigate through the day without a care or alignment to the truth of what Christ calls us to seek?
Here are some very practical ways that we can seek God’s truths.
1) Pray for guidance daily – Psalm 25:5 “Lead me in Your truth and teach me, For You are the God of my salvation; For You I wait all the day.
2) Confess our sin and shortcomings – I John 1:8-10 “If we say that we have no sin, we are
deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar and His word is not in us.”
3) Aspire to live our truth daily – I John 3:18-19, “Little children, let us know love not with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth. We will know by this that we are of the truth and will assure our heart before Him. In whatever our heart condemns us; for God is greater than our heart and knows all things.”
4) Stand firm and model truth – Ephesians 6:14-16, “Stand firm, therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness and having shod your feet with the preparation of the Gospel of peace: in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.”
5) Love others – I Corinthians 13:4-6, “Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous: love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly: it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth.” Love others.
Just as Solomon sought truth in dealing with His kingdom, we seek truth in dealing with our own kingdom. Will we have the wisdom and discernment to act justly and fairly? Will we act each day, aligned with the truth of God’s eternal kingdom as promised by Jesus? Will we stand firm and model truth? Let us start afresh today. Let us pray.
