“Then Pilate said to him, ‘So you are a king?’ Jesus answered, ‘You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.’ Pilate said to him, ‘What is truth?’” – John 18:37-38
It turns out that post-modern questions about the nature and existence of truth aren’t new! 2000 years ago, Pontius Pilate sought to escape an uncomfortable conversation with Jesus by asking “What is truth?”
The answer is Jesus Himself, but He acknowledges that that answer won’t appeal to everyone. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life, but not everyone really wants to encounter and embrace truth, preferring endless debate instead. Jesus speaks to the truth of God, His holiness, His justice, His judgment, His love, His mercy and His grace. Jesus speaks the truth that sets us free from sin and death.
There will always be those more interested in arguments than answers, and more excited about rhetorical tricks than actual truths. Jesus tells us this. We grieve for them, we seek to persuade them, but until they’re ready to seriously engage with truth, there’s only so much we can say or do.
We must be careful ourselves. The reality of our truth-starved/denying culture can easily distract and discourage us from listening to the truth of Jesus. We must remain focused on His truth rather than the diversions and distractions of a world desperate to avoid confronting the truth of sin, judgment, and salvation by God’s grace through faith in Christ alone.