Articles
Dismissing Truth
“‘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 truths hears My voice’”
(John 18:37).
“Pilate said to Him, ‘What is truth?’” (John 18:38). It seems like Pilate is the consummate skeptic. He is a man who refuses to play games with the religious fanatics of his day, and is left dismayed and awe struck by the boldness of Jesus Christ. Rather than confront the logic of Christ’s assertions, as well as His boldness and sincerity of faith, Pilate simply dismisses the whole matter, arguing that truth is relative and it is pointless to assert one’s own view of truth onto another.
The Bible, however, commands us to put our feet down on matters of truth. First, truth is a tangible thing – not anything like what Pilate asserts. “And you shall know the truth…” (John 8:32). Rather than truth being some amorphous concept that we all determine on our own, it is a firm idea that is determined by God (1 John 5:7, John 17:17). Truth is found in the word of God (2 Corinthians 6:7, John 16:13, Ephesians 1:13) and scripture is not just a matter of our own personal interpretations (2 Peter 1:20).
Getting back to story of Pilate and Jesus, there is an important point that must be pointed out: the question of who Jesus is cannot be ignored. Of course it is easy for people to dismiss it (“I’m not a Jew, am I? I’m not religious. I’m doing just fine without Jesus. I have my job, my life, my hobbies. Why does it matter who Jesus is?”). Like Pilate, we can just walk away from the problem if we really want to. But Jesus doesn’t let that happen without first making the question a universal one. The issue is not just for religious people, or one tribe or nation, or only people who care. No, it is a matter of TRUTH. Jesus’ kingdom is a universal one, with eternal implications for all people for all time. It is essential, foundational, elemental. Pilate, like so many others, cannot contend with it – not because it’s too hard to understand, but because he knows exactly what is stake. So instead of confronting it (which would require more effort and possibly a major life change for the pragmatic, if not a little agnostic, Roman governor), he dismisses the entire conversation. -RG
“‘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 truths hears My voice’”
(John 18:37).
“Pilate said to Him, ‘What is truth?’” (John 18:38). It seems like Pilate is the consummate skeptic. He is a man who refuses to play games with the religious fanatics of his day, and is left dismayed and awe struck by the boldness of Jesus Christ. Rather than confront the logic of Christ’s assertions, as well as His boldness and sincerity of faith, Pilate simply dismisses the whole matter, arguing that truth is relative and it is pointless to assert one’s own view of truth onto another.
The Bible, however, commands us to put our feet down on matters of truth. First, truth is a tangible thing – not anything like what Pilate asserts. “And you shall know the truth…” (John 8:32). Rather than truth being some amorphous concept that we all determine on our own, it is a firm idea that is determined by God (1 John 5:7, John 17:17). Truth is found in the word of God (2 Corinthians 6:7, John 16:13, Ephesians 1:13) and scripture is not just a matter of our own personal interpretations (2 Peter 1:20).
Getting back to story of Pilate and Jesus, there is an important point that must be pointed out: the question of who Jesus is cannot be ignored. Of course it is easy for people to dismiss it (“I’m not a Jew, am I? I’m not religious. I’m doing just fine without Jesus. I have my job, my life, my hobbies. Why does it matter who Jesus is?”). Like Pilate, we can just walk away from the problem if we really want to. But Jesus doesn’t let that happen without first making the question a universal one. The issue is not just for religious people, or one tribe or nation, or only people who care. No, it is a matter of TRUTH. Jesus’ kingdom is a universal one, with eternal implications for all people for all time. It is essential, foundational, elemental. Pilate, like so many others, cannot contend with it – not because it’s too hard to understand, but because he knows exactly what is stake. So instead of confronting it (which would require more effort and possibly a major life change for the pragmatic, if not a little agnostic, Roman governor), he dismisses the entire conversation. -RG
“‘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 truths hears My voice’”
(John 18:37).
“Pilate said to Him, ‘What is truth?’” (John 18:38). It seems like Pilate is the consummate skeptic. He is a man who refuses to play games with the religious fanatics of his day, and is left dismayed and awe struck by the boldness of Jesus Christ. Rather than confront the logic of Christ’s assertions, as well as His boldness and sincerity of faith, Pilate simply dismisses the whole matter, arguing that truth is relative and it is pointless to assert one’s own view of truth onto another.
The Bible, however, commands us to put our feet down on matters of truth. First, truth is a tangible thing – not anything like what Pilate asserts. “And you shall know the truth…” (John 8:32). Rather than truth being some amorphous concept that we all determine on our own, it is a firm idea that is determined by God (1 John 5:7, John 17:17). Truth is found in the word of God (2 Corinthians 6:7, John 16:13, Ephesians 1:13) and scripture is not just a matter of our own personal interpretations (2 Peter 1:20).
Getting back to story of Pilate and Jesus, there is an important point that must be pointed out: the question of who Jesus is cannot be ignored. Of course it is easy for people to dismiss it (“I’m not a Jew, am I? I’m not religious. I’m doing just fine without Jesus. I have my job, my life, my hobbies. Why does it matter who Jesus is?”). Like Pilate, we can just walk away from the problem if we really want to. But Jesus doesn’t let that happen without first making the question a universal one. The issue is not just for religious people, or one tribe or nation, or only people who care. No, it is a matter of TRUTH. Jesus’ kingdom is a universal one, with eternal implications for all people for all time. It is essential, foundational, elemental. Pilate, like so many others, cannot contend with it – not because it’s too hard to understand, but because he knows exactly what is stake. So instead of confronting it (which would require more effort and possibly a major life change for the pragmatic, if not a little agnostic, Roman governor), he dismisses the entire conversation.
