March 26, 2024

ABSOLUTE TRUTH

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE

Then Pilate went back into his headquarters and called for Jesus to be brought to him. “Are you the king of the Jews?” he asked him. Jesus replied, “Is this your own question, or did others tell you about me?” “Am I a Jew?” Pilate retorted. “Your own people and their leading priests brought you to me for trial. Why? What have you done?” Jesus answered, “My Kingdom is not an earthly kingdom. If it were, my followers would fight to keep me from being handed over to the Jewish leaders. But my Kingdom is not of this world.” Pilate said, “So you are a king?” Jesus responded, “You say I am a king. Actually, I was born and came into the world to testify to the truth. All who love the truth recognize that what I say is true.” “What is truth?” Pilate asked. Then he went out again to the people and told them, “He is not guilty of any crime.”

John 18:33-38 NLT

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TODAY’S THOUGHT

Pilate is the Roman governor. There is a lot of tension in the air between Rome and Israel. The Jews are ready to fight to get Rome out of their nation. Pilate recognizes the Jewish religious leaders have arrested Jesus out of jealously. He tries to offer a compromise of just having Jesus beaten and released but the Jewish religious leaders don’t want that—they want Jesus to be crucified.

Pilate goes back to interview Jesus to try and figure out what is the big deal. The religious leaders were jealous because Jesus claimed to be the Son of God—thus He would threaten their role as spiritual leaders of the nation. Pilate was interested in knowing if Jesus was claiming to be a king—thus threatening His role. 

Pilate was confused with Jesus’ response. He did not understand the concept of spiritual kingdoms verses earthy kingdoms. Jesus makes a declaration about truth that catches Pilate’s attention, “All who love the truth recognize that what I say is true.”

This statement lead Pilate to ask a profound question, “What is truth?” This question has been asked by mankind for thousands of years. Many in our present culture would like to make us think each person has the right to establish their own truth. 

Some want to allow five- and six-year-old children to determine whether they are male, female, or prefer to be a cat or dog. Others believe everyone should be able to choose their own truth as far as any moral choice or activity. 

Without an absolute truth, society falls into chaos. Only when a society establishes a code of acceptable and unacceptable behavior can there be organization and harmony. If everyone is left to determine their own truth society will self-destruct.

I believe this is why Jesus came to earth. He came to give us a picture of what truth looks like wrapped in flesh and blood. He was the truth (John 14:5).  Jesus was not “a” truth, He was “the” truth. There is no absolute truth without Jesus.

It is unfortunate that Pilate did not wait for Jesus to answer the question, “What is truth?” The only person that has ever lived on planet earth could have answered that question correctly and given Pilate great revelation. 

But, like many people in our world, Pilate wasn’t interested in someone else defining truth for him. He wanted to define that on his own terms. 

If you want to know truth, you must be willing to study Jesus. In the written Word of the Bible, we discover the living truth of God. 

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TODAY’S PRAYER

Holy Spirit please help me to discover Your truth daily. Help me to lean into the truth of Your Word. 

“Scroll down to share what you feel God is saying based on today’s reading.”