What Is Truth?

 Temple Baptist Church - 10-9-2024

John 18:33-38

Introduction:

 

A. While our Lord Jesus Christ, The Truth-John 14:6) stood in Pontius Pilate’s presence, Pilate asked the age old question: “What is truth?”

 

B. An interesting question! For millenniums, men have searched for truth of one kind or another. There are many kinds of truth in this world that men claim to have found but, just because you believe something to be truth, it may or may not be true.

 

C. The question in our text is, did Pilate actually want to know the truth or did he mean that truth in this instance was not knowable.

 

D. Those in charge the night that Jesus was bound captive and interrogated, played a game of “Hot Potato” with our Lord as none of then wanted to be hung with the job of satisfying both Rome and the Jews.

 

1. The Mob brought Jesus bound to Annas, so Annas passed Him along to Caiaphas.

 

John 18:24 Now Annas had sent him bound unto Caiaphas the high priest.

 

2. Then Caiaphas passed Him along to Pontius Pilate in the Judgment Hall.

 

John 18:28-29 Then led they Jesus from Caiaphas unto the hall of judgment: and it was early; and they themselves went not into the judgment hall, lest they should be defiled; but that they might eat the passover. (29) Pilate then went out unto them, and said, What accusation bring ye against this man?

 

3. At this point, Pontius Pilate became the “proxy” who stood between Rome and the Jews.

 

E. Pontius Pilate was Procurator of Judea and Governor of the East. By Procurator, it is meant a “proxy” or to stand in the place of someone else, that person was Tiberius Caesar! Pontius Pilate tried to be just but was placed into a “no win” position, so he—being a skilled politician—tried to settle a “could not be settled” thing.

 

F. Later, Pontius Pilate wrote this letter to Tiberius Caesar describing the situation through his eyes:

 

Pontius Pilate to Tiberius Cæsar the emperor, greeting.

 

Upon Jesus Christ, whose case I had clearly set forth to thee in my last, at length by the will of the people a bitter punishment has been inflicted, myself being in a sort unwilling and rather afraid.  A man, by Hercules, so pious and strict, no age has ever had nor will have.  But wonderful were the efforts of the people themselves, and the unanimity of all the scribes and chief men and elders, to crucify this ambassador of truth, notwithstanding that their own prophets, and after our manner the sibyls, warned them against it:  and supernatural signs appeared while he was hanging, and, in the opinion of philosophers, threatened destruction to the whole world.  His disciples are flourishing, in their work and the regulation of their lives not belying their master; yea, in his name most beneficent.  Had I not been afraid of the rising of a sedition among the people, who were just on the point of breaking out, perhaps this man would still have been alive to us; although, urged more by fidelity to thy dignity than induced by my own wishes, I did not according to my strength resist that innocent blood free from the whole charge brought against it, but unjustly, through the malignity of men, should be sold and suffer, yet, as the Scriptures signify, to their own destruction.  Farewell.  28th March.

 

G. When Pilate asked the question: “What is Truth?’, I believe that he though that truth at this point was unknowable. One side, the Jewish accusers of Christ making unproven allegations and on the other side, Christ Jesus who said that they knew the truth and refused to answer Pilate’s questions.

 

H. I just wanted to set this backdrop so as to give the proper interpretation of what transpired the night before Christ died.

 

J. Winston Churchill once said: “Occasionally men stumble over the truth. Most pick themselves up and go, as if nothing happened.” Thus, it was with Pontius Pilate who eventually washed his hands and turned Jesus Christ over to the Roman soldiers for crucifixion.

 

K. A Man in whom Pontius Pilate “found no fault at all” would shortly turn Jesus Christ over to be crucified!

 

1.     Faced with the Truth, Pilate found that the cost of Truth, with the mob of Jews on one side and Tiberius Caesar on the other, was too much of a price to pay.

 

2.     Thus, Pilate became the epitome a compromiser. Someone once said that Pilate has been trying to get the blood of Christ off his hands for 2,000 years in hell.

 

L. Now to the question, “What is Truth?”

 

1. Truth will always be Absolute. If it is Truth, it is right. Otherwise, Truth becomes untruth. The world struggles with the matter of Truth because they, as Churchill said, “Stumble over the truth … pick themselves up and go, as if nothing happened.”

 

a. Pilate was standing right face to face with TRUTH and yet he walked away! You can turn away from Truth because you do not want it to be truth, but if it is truth, you cannot change it!

 

b. Modern philosophy, the Love of Knowledge, sums it up this way:

 

1) There are no absolutes except the absolute that that there are no absolutes." This statement is a conflicting one because it states that there are no absolutes and says that there is an absolute truth that there are no absolutes!

 

2) There must be absolutes, otherwise there would be no Truths!

 

c. Truth has been silenced by intolerance. As one preacher put it, “America has undergone a moral lobotomy, and principled conviction has been replaced by political correctness.” This is simply a cloak under which hypocrisy hides!”

 

d. Many so-called “Christians” believe that truth is relative or what you think it to be or not to be. Thus, the end of such thinking is humanism: the worship of self. If you think it is right, it is right; if you think it is wrong, it is wrong.

 

2. Truth today has been Abandoned.

 

a. We find that mankind, those who reject the knowledge of God, must become willfully ignorant of the Truth.

 

1) By the Intellect. 2 Timothy 3:7 Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.

2) By the Evolutionist. 1 Timothy 6:20 O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called:

 

b. There is Perfect Truth. If it is perfectly true, it will remain true.

 

Romans 1:18-22 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; (19) Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. (20) For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: (21) Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. (22) Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,

 

c. Absolute Truth will never be obsolete nor diminished.

 

Isaiah 59:14-15 And judgment is turned away backward, and justice standeth afar off: for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter. (15) Yea, truth faileth; and he that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey: and the LORD saw it, and it displeased him that there was no judgment.

 

Psalms 100:5 For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.

 

3. Truth will always be Accessible.

 

a. The Heavens and the Earth declare Truth.

 

Psalms 14:1-2 To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good. (2) The LORD looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God.

 

b. The Word of God is Truth. We have the God given right to accept or reject it. Either our accepting or rejecting does not do away with the Truth of God’s Word. It remains Truth to all generations.

 

Psalms 12:6-7 The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. (7) Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever.

 

c. The Son of God embodies Truth. Truth was available for Pontius Pilate but, because of his circumstances, he chose to walk away.

 

4. Truth is Available.

 

a. The Inscribed Word of God is Truth.

 

John 17:17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

 

b. The Incarnate Word of God is Truth.

 

John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

 

5. Truth is Liberating.

 

John 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

 

Conclusion: Pilate, faced with Truth, rejected truth.