WHAT IS TRUTH?

The Lenten season is upon us: Holy Week begins March 28^th (Palm Sunday), which includes Good Friday, and followed by Easter Sunday which commemorates the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.

But it is Good Friday which has always been an important day to me because of its stark reminder of the reality of the Passion of Jesus Christ. I recall from my youth, when my brother and sister and I, at our father’s direction, would pause on this day between noon and three o’clock and read aloud from our Catholic Bible History book and quietly reflect upon those solemn events.

In the years since, I have studied these events in more detail. I am intrigued at the number of trials that Jesus had to endure, especially the one with the Roman Procurator, Pontius Pilate. Jesus having been brought before Pilate was charged with proclaiming to be the Christ and a king (Luke 23:2). His accusers intentions were to characterize Jesus as a threat against Rome.

In the Gospel of John chapter 18, we observe Pilate questioning Jesus concerning this charge against Him. In verse 33, Pilate asked Jesus, “Are you the King of the Jews?” While Jesus avoided answering yes or no, He assured Pilate that His kingdom was not of this world. Pilate answered as if annoyed, “So you are a King?” Jesus replied, “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.” In apparent frustration, Pilate asked, “What is truth?” Nevertheless, even though he found no guilt in Jesus but because of political expediency, Pilate sent Him to be scourged and crucified.

This question of Pilate’s has reverberated throughout the ages: What is truth? Theologians have suggested various ideas of what Pilate meant by his question, although the context shows that Pilate was certainly perplexed by the situation that confronted him. As he saw it, there was the truth of Jesus’ testimony, the ‘truth’ statement of His accusers, and there was also that which he thought to be ‘truth’ - that none of this mattered to him outside of how this unpleasant incident could effect his political standing with Rome. And while Jesus spoke the truth to him, Pilate was confused and would not believe what he heard from Jesus.

So, what is truth? Even today it is very difficult to separate fact from fiction. We have trouble differentiating what is truth within every segment of society: in the workplace, our government, the media, entertainment, and even within the Church. How are we to know what is truth? Are we even able to know what is truth?  Happily we can. For there is a standard which God has provided man – His Word – to enable him to determine fact from fiction and therefore to discern what is truth.

John wrote with reference to Jesus Christ in the opening verses of his Gospel account: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God…And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1:1&14). Standing before Pilate was the embodiment of truth in the person of the Son of God. Jesus himself testified to this fact in John 14:6: “I am the way, the truth and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.” And He declared as He prayed to the Father: “Your word is truth” (John 17:17).  Pilate literally had a close encounter with the “Truth” and turned instead to his own wisdom.

The rejection of the truth of God, revealed in His Son, Jesus Christ, and explained by His written Word, is what we see in our own culture. His truth is meant to give meaning and purpose for all mankind, and to answer the questions that men have concerning God’s creation. We Christians should endeavor to make known His truth, not by providing a close encounter, but by permeating His truth into every area of our present culture. We should aspire to ensure that no one ever asks: “What is truth?”