Paul W. Manuel: "What is truth?" (John 18:33-38)

PILATE'S QUESTIONS
(John 18:33-38)
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Dr. Paul Manuel—2014

What is truth? Does it even matter? Is it only what you think it is, or is there some objective standard?

The first mate on a ship decided to celebrate with a bit of stowed-away rum. He was still a little drunk the next morning when he had to report for duty. Later in the day, when the first mate had sobered up, he looked in the ship's log and read the captain's entry: "The first mate was drunk today." "Captain," the mate pleaded, "please don't leave that in the log. This could add months or years to my becoming a captain myself." "Is it true?" asked the captain, knowing full well it was. "Yes, it's true," admitted the mate. "If it's true, it has to stay in the log. That's the rule. If it's true, it goes in the log. End of discussion!" the captain said sternly. Weeks later, it was the first mate's turn to make the log entry. He wrote: "The ship seems to be in good shape.... The captain is sober today."

What is truth? That was one of Pilate's Questions to Jesus when the rabbi appeared at trial.

After Jesus' arrest in the garden, representatives from the Sanhedrin bring him to Pilate, the Roman prefect or governor of Judea.

John 18:29-30 ...Pilate came out to the [Jewish leaders] and asked, "What charges are you bringing against this man?" 30 "If he were not a criminal," they replied, "we would not have handed him over to you."

That, of course, does not answer the governor's question, so...

John 18:31 Pilate said, "Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law." "But we have no right to execute anyone," the [Jewish leaders] objected.¹

At the governor's insistence, the leaders cite charges against Jesus they think will get Pilate's attention.

Luke 23:2c "He opposes payment of taxes to Caesar and claims to be Christ, a king."

With this in mind, we continue the narrative in....

John 18:33 Pilate then went back inside the palace, summoned Jesus, and asked him, "Are you the king of the Jews?" 34 "Is that your own idea," Jesus asked, "or did others talk to you about me?"

Again, that does not answer the governor's question.

John 18:35 "Am I a Jew?" Pilate replied. "It was your people and your chief priests who handed you over to me. What is it you have done?"

In other words, "This is not about me; this is about you. Just answer the question, Jesus, because you have obviously done something to make them so angry. Is it because you claim to be someone they cannot accept?" This is the crux in...

I. Pilate's question to Jesus about identity (John 18:33)

"Are you the king...?"

The governor's concern is not for whatever disagreement Jewish leaders have with Jesus. What lies behind this question from Pilate, who is a practical politician, is his attempt to determine whether or not the rabbi is a threat to Roman security. Is this teacher the leader of a rebel movement that opposes Rome's presence in the region and that may eventually spark a revolt? Pilate has had to deal with other forms of dissent, and his measures were harsh, even ruthless, but were generally effective.²

When insurgents from Galilee, which is outside the governor's jurisdiction, come to Jerusalem, which is inside the governor's jurisdiction, in order to observe one of the festivals, Pilate sees an opportunity to eliminate a troublesome political faction and has his troops execute them all.

When residents of Jerusalem stage a protest against Pilate's use of temple funds to build an aqueduct in the city, he orders Roman troops to disperse the demonstrators, and several hundred civilians are killed or wounded.

When Jews send a delegation to ask Pilate to reconsider his plan to set up Roman standards in Jerusalem, he again calls in troops and threatens to execute them if they do not withdraw. Only after they bare their necks and say they would rather die than see the holy city defiled, does he back down, probably realizing that making martyrs of them could lead to a full-scale revolt.

Because of such heavy-handed tactics, though, there has not been a significant rebel attack since Pilate took office. He could easily accept the charges against Jesus and order his execution—better safe than sorry—but that decision seems to give him pause.³

Perhaps it is that he knows the charges are false, trumped up by those jealous of Jesus' popularity.

Perhaps it is his wife's foreboding that something bad will happen if he does not dismiss the case.

For whatever reason, Pilate does attempt to examine Jesus, which he begins by questioning the rabbi: "Are you a king?" In other words, "Do you claim a political office?"

Pilate must determine if the rabbi is truly a threat and if punishing him will provoke a greater reaction than ignoring him. The governor does not ask Jesus if he opposes Roman occupation. That general sentiment is both wide-spread and well-known. Pilate assumes Jesus is not a fan of the occupation. Rather, he wants to determine if Jesus commands a militant following. It is a good question, because there have been no Jewish kings in Israel since the Romans took over. So the advent of a claimant to the throne, combined with the fact that such individuals in Israel's past were often military leaders, would constitute an act of rebellion against Rome. Therefore, it is probably with some relief when...

John 18:36 Jesus said, "My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jew[ish leader]s. But now my kingdom is from another place." 37a-b "You are a king, then!" said Pilate. Jesus answered, "You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born...

Jesus' response to the question does not portray him as an insurrectionist. Quite the contrary, he seems to have instructed his disciples not to resist his arrest, which would have been an opportune time to increase the visibility of his cause and attract more followers.⁴ As far as Pilate is concerned, though, Jesus and his disciples pose no threat to Rome. Whatever kingdom Jesus claims to rule, it is not of this world and, therefore, not of concern to Pilate. Luke records the governor's response to Jesus' accusers...

Luke 23:14 ...You brought me this man as one who was inciting the people to rebellion. I have examined him in your presence and have found no basis for your charges against him.... 15b he has done nothing to deserve death.

Earlier in his ministry, Jesus warned the disciples about what they would likely face.

John 15:20b If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also.

John 16:33b In this world you will have trouble.

The New Testament describes some of their experiences.⁵ After Jesus himself was crucified...

Peter and John were imprisoned, as was Timothy.
Stephen was murdered.
James was executed.
Paul was beaten several times.

You will probably not have to face persecution of this magnitude. Yet far less severe experiences can still challenge your faith, if you are...

Ridiculed by friends or family for your beliefs
Passed over for a promotion because you are different
Excluded from activities at school or work because they occur on Saturday

How you deal with such difficulties is a test of your commitment to God, but it is also a test of your confidence in God, that He is able to turn adversity to your advantage. As Paul writes...

Rom 8:28 [NAS] ...God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to [His] purpose.

You may still be ridiculed or passed over or excluded, but none of that needs to prevent you from reaching the goal God has for you.

Pilate, of course, has no commitment to God and no sense that God might have an interest in these proceedings. The governor's only concern is how to keep this troublesome event from escalating, so he tries to settle the matter quickly. The Jewish leaders, though, want more than a quick settlement. For them, Jesus is a problem that requires a permanent solution, and they are pressuring Pilate toward that end. Jesus is not helping matters, offering no objection to the charges of his critics. Instead, he changes the subject to something that is irrelevant to his case

John 18:37c ...for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me." 38 "What is truth?" Pilate asked. With this he went out again to the Jew[ish leader]s and said, "I find no basis for a charge against him.

Jesus' assertion about the nature of truth, while it may be philosophically interesting, is practically irrelevant. The governor has learned enough to dismiss the case, which he moves to do, even as he dismisses Jesus' comment with...

II. Pilate's question to Jesus about veracity (John 18:38)

"What is truth?"⁶

We know nothing about Pilate's religious background, but we get a glimpse here of his philosophical bent. He is a relativist and a pragmatist, not an absolutist. For him, there are no clear and consistent values, nothing that is incontrovertible and unalterable. Everything, both reality and morality, is in a state of flux, constantly changing, and the challenge for someone like Pilate is to determine what course of action is in his best interest at any given moment, which is why he must be ready to change his perception of reality as well as his view of morality. That is how Pilate has managed to survive politically, by adapting to the shifting alliances of power and to the sundry annoyances of local politics. That is how he will get through this crisis with Jesus.

Although Pilate finds nothing wrong with Jesus, he lets the crowd push him to do what he knows is wrong.⁷ While Pilate claims to know the difference—and makes a show of it by washing his hands—it is evident that he is quite willing to adjust his personal ethics for political expediency.⁸ After all, what is truth really?

Sir Winston Churchill (1874 - 1965) said,

Men occasionally stumble over the truth, but most of them pick themselves up and hurry off as if nothing ever happened.

That is Pilate's response. This is not a discussion he cares to have, so he hurries on.

What is truth? Some people think truth is like beauty: It exists only in the eyes of the beholder. It is individualized, so that what is true for one person is not necessarily true for another. Some people have a similar view of the Sabbath: "Your Sabbath is on Saturday; my Sabbath is on Sunday." But there is no "your Sabbath" and "my Sabbath"; there is only God's Sabbath. You either take it or leave it; you do not get to adjust it to your preferences. Likewise, there is no "your truth" and "my truth;" there is only God's truth. You can take it or leave it; but you do not get to adjust it to your preferences.⁹ Paul, for example, speaks about "the truth of God" (Rom 1:25) and "God's truth" (Rom 15:8)¹⁰ but never refers to 'the truth of man' or 'man's truth.' In fact, nowhere does scripture even hint that truth is somehow contingent on human preference or perspective.

If you are looking for the truth, you must look to God,¹¹ the author of truth,¹² to what He has said,¹³ to the words of God in scripture.¹⁴ That is how the Bible describes itself. It is "the word of truth" (Ps 119:43; Eph 1:13; Col 1:5; 2 Tim 215; Jms 1:18).¹⁵ Once you find the truth,¹⁶ you must do something with it, otherwise truth is of no value to you—like a skill never used or a gift never opened. "Truth is a quality of action, and not simply an abstract concept" (Morris 1971:296). Here as well, scripture offers some guidance.

Of the various ways you should use the truth, several of them come with a stated advantage. These are the three most common ways...¹⁷

First, you are to speak the truth,¹⁸ for then you will enjoy the presence of God. David said...

Ps 15:1a LORD, who may dwell in your sanctuary? ...2c [He] who speaks the truth from his heart

Truth places you in the company of God.¹⁹ As Solomon stated...

Prov 12:22b ...he delights in men who are truthful.

You are to speak the truth.

Second, you are to obey the truth,²⁰ for then you will enjoy the purity of God. Peter said...

1 Pet 1:22a ...you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth....

Truth conforms you to the character of God.²¹ As Paul stated...

Titus 1:1b ...knowledge of the truth...leads to godliness

You are to obey the truth.

Third, you are to learn the truth,²² for then you will enjoy the power of God. Jesus said...

John 8:32 ...you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.

Truth puts you under the control (command) of God.²³ As David stated...

Ps 40:11 b ...your truth [will] always protect me.

You are to learn the truth.

It is not enough to find the truth; you must then do something with it. These three admonitions are all the more compelling because they come with three advantages, ways that applying the truth works to your benefit.

Truth is there for you to take or leave, to apply or ignore, but in order for truth to be effective, it must compel action, which it does not do with Pilate. While he uses the excuse that truth is unknowable—"What is truth?"—he renders his judgment as if it was, stating that he finds no fault in the rabbi, certainly not enough to convict him of sedition. Yet Pilate ignores the truth of his convictions and approves the lies of his constituents²⁴ The same challenge exists for you.

When you must make a decision in which the proper response is clear, will what you know to be true determine your actions or will you look for an excuse to do something else?

In his meeting with Jesus, Pilate asks two questions, one about identity and another about veracity.

The governor has a single concern—to determine Jesus' guilt.

The rabbi has something more in mind—to challenge Pilate's thinking.

You are probably confident of your answer to the question about identity. You know who Jesus is. Are you as confident of your answer to the question about veracity? Do you know what truth is, not just intellectually but practically? Does the truth of God's word affect what you say, what you do, and what you are striving to learn?

This Easter, like every other Easter, offers an opportunity to recognize and celebrate the truth of who Jesus is. Jesus' appearance before Pilate is not his last appearance, there is another three days hence, before the gospels of Jesus move into the Acts of the Apostles. That next appearance is most important, because it has eternal ramifications for us...