During Jesus’ time, Rome was a super-power. Its empire conquered and controlled vast areas of Europe, Asia, and Africa. That control included Israel. The Gospels record the various trials of Jesus, but the one that mattered most was before the representative of Rome’s power, Pilate.
John’s Gospel reports that after Jesus’ interview with Annas, He was taken to Caiaphas, the High Priest, and then to Pilate. The Jews refused to enter the Governor’s official residence due to the coming Passover. Doing so would have made them ceremonially unclean and unable to participate in Passover. Oddly enough, causing an innocent man to be executed didn’t defile them; strange how religious law works sometimes.
Pilate asks a simple question, “what is the charge?” (John 18:29). “He does evil,” they replied. Like many in today’s world, they couldn’t say the real accusation – He’s eroding our power and challenging our beliefs (John 18:30). Pilate, being a political animal himself, saw through their ploy, “this isn’t a Roman matter, go deal with Him yourself.” (John 18:31) The Jewish leaders then declared their desire was execution and by implication crucifixion.
Pilate then brought Jesus inside the official residence for interrogation. Their conversation illumines much. “Therefore Pilate entered again into the Praetorium, and summoned Jesus and said to Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?” Jesus answered, “Are you saying this on your own initiative, or did others tell you about Me?” Pilate answered, “I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests delivered You to me; what have You done?” Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, then My servants would be fighting so that I would not be handed over to the Jews; but as it is, My kingdom is not of this realm.” Therefore Pilate said to Him, “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.” Pilate said to Him, “What is truth?” (John 18:33–38a, NASB95)
First of all, Pilate is no one’s fool. He knows about Jesus and perhaps heard of His entry into Jerusalem riding a donkey to shouts of hosanna. But Pilate is a political animal watching for anything that may disrupt the Roman Empire. “Are you the King of the Jews?” Jesus essentially answers that He is a king but of a kingdom that is not of this world. Jesus then steers Pilate to a more personal question. “Therefore Pilate said to Him, “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.” Leading Pilate to ask the most pressing question of all – what is truth?
During this whole exchange, several “truths” fought for supremacy. The Jewish leader’s truth of religious power led to their denunciation of Jesus as evil. Pilate’s political truth of safeguarding the peace of Rome, the Pax Romana. Jesus’ truth concerning the nature of His kingdom and His kingship. But Pilate doesn’t ask, “what is the truth?” He’s not thinking like a judge weighing testimony to find the truth of a matter. He asked a far more profound question – what is truth?
Philosophers and thinkers have eternally debated that question. The modern answer to Pilate’s question provides a highly subjective solution which can be summarized as “my truth.” In the current view, objective, always true, truth doesn’t exist. Not a new thought, by the way. Consider, “In those days there was no king in Israel; every man did what was right in his own eyes.” (Judges 17:6, NASB95) If there is no truth, then the only truth left is whatever I think it is. The modern answer is shifting sand.
And now that we have been swept out to deep water. Let’s return to some solid footing. Pilates’ question concerning truth began with a declaration by Jesus – I am a king but of a kingdom that is from a different place. That is the fundamental truth of following Christ, Jesus is our king, and we are sons and daughters of His kingdom. Our “truth” isn’t “my truth” but that of Jesus Christ. He is our king; we don’t do what is right in our own eyes but follow the reign and rule of our king.
This has Grand Canyon-sized implications. A friend, relative, or co-worker may be a real thorn in our life. We may even see them as evil. But our king sees them as broken yet redeemable folk created in the image of God. Neither do we fight in the same way that worldly kingdoms do. Rome conquered their territory through bloody warfare; the kingdom of Jesus expands through the love and forgiveness bought by the blood of Christ.
Pilate’s question remains for all to consider – What is truth?
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