what is truth?
Here is something for you to ponder (I’m already pondering it…).
What is truth? It is a question that has spanned the centuries and circumnavigated the globe. It is a question everyone has asked and many have tried to answer. It has spurred countless expositions and propositions from religious behemoths, philosophers, and psychologists.
A recent Barna Research Group survey on what Americans believe asked the question, “Is there absolute Truth?” Sixty-six percent of adults responded that they believe that “there is no such thing as absolute truth; different people can define truth in conflicting ways and still be correct.” Seventy-two percent of those aged 18 to 25 expressed this belief.
One side argues that there is no such thing as truth and the other side screams, “This is Truth!” This dissonance spurs me to look at Jesus’ words and his reaction to the question, “What is Truth?”
Looking at the Gospels I want focus on Jesus’ interaction with Pilate before the crucifixion (Matthew 27:11-26; Mark 15:1-15; Luke 23:1-40; John 18:28-40). Rewind 2000 years. Jesus has come to the end of his 3-year ministry, He stands before Pilate (a governor, three levels below Caesar of Rome, ruler of the most expansive and powerful empire in the world). We will look at John’s account of the dialogue below, with my paraphrase in italics:
Pilate: Are you the King of the Jews?
Are you asserting yourself as King, in effect challenging the Empire above you?
Jesus: Are you asking of your own accord or did others say it to you about me?
Do you really want to know?
Pilate: Am I a Jew? Your own nation and chief priests has delivered you over to me… What have you done?
You’ve really ticked people off… What exactly have you done?
Jesus: My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not of this world.
Pilate: So you are a King?
Jesus: You say that I am a King. For this purpose I have come into this world - to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.
Pilate: What is truth?
Jesus: [nothing... silence]
The story does not report any further dialogue between Pilate and Jesus, just that Pilate announced that he found no guilt in Jesus, at which point the Jews ask for Barabbas to be released and Jesus to be crucified. This silence made me curious, so I looked at the other Gospels account of this event… and they were silent as well. In fact the other accounts just recorded a small portion of this discussion… mostly that Pilate asked if Jesus was King, and Jesus either responding, “You have said so.” or being silent.
So what does Jesus define as Truth? While he did not answer Pilate’s question directly, we can see in his previous comment a reflection of Truth. Though Jesus’ definition is not what Pilate or most of us Westernized Christians want to hear.
You have probably heard from the pulpit a definition of truth, some of these definitions may have sounded like this:
Truth has set you free! Jesus died on the cross for your sins, and if you believe in Him you will have everlasting life!!
Truth is the word of God, the Gospels and the Epistles, and one must believe in them to have eternal life.
Jesus is the Son of God, and only through accepting Him as your personal Saviour and Lord can you be promised eternal life in Paradise. This is Truth!
While most of these statements are true (pun intended)… they lack integrity.
Pilate was looking for a definition to absolute truth, a truth he could understand and turn to for comfort and peace…. truth as he knew it to be is the unquenchable power of the Roman Empire. His definition of truth is elastic, the authority of truth was given to the man with the most power, the man who could elicit the most fear, and the man who could control his destiny, namely Caesar.
In these two definitions we have identified the inefficiency of the church and the fallacy of Caesar’s “Truth is Power.” mindset. The church and Caesar have used the banner of truth to wage wars, to force doctrines, beliefs and practices on the savages, the natives, the barbarians and the marginalized. This is a truth wrought with fear and delivered in condemnation and judgement.
This is not the Truth of Jesus. His is a more radical definition than the authoritative and power-filled propositions of yesterday and today. His Truth embodies another way that is not of this world. A definition that is much more subversive, counter cultural and permanent. A kingdom of servants who listen to and follow The Way of their King, not because they have to, but because they want to. His Truth is a God who was made man, who loved the marginalized and scattered the rich and the self-righteous. A Truth that made a way for the poor, the prostitute, the widow, the gentile, the jew, the marginalized and the rich.
Truth then died on a cross, Truth was raised from death, Truth bore witness for 40 days, and Truth then ascended into the heavens. Truth left behind a witness, a perpetrator of Truth that resides in the hearts of His followers. Truth lived, lives, and leads. Truth is Jesus. Absolutely.
