What is “TRUTH”?
That was a question that Pilate asked Jesus before he found no fault in Him. Who was Pilate and why did he ask that question? Thats one question which we would do well to ask again today.
Who was Pontius Pilate?
Pontius Pilate was the Roman governor of Judea around A.D. 26-37 and was presiding over the trial of Jesus, as described in John 18:28-19:16. Why do we care about what a Roman governor in that period thinks about truth? Because he was speaking to the one person in all of history who knew and had told him about truth – Jesus. So we are really interested in what Jesus said to him, which was: “You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.” Conversely, Jesus in another passage in John 8:44 Jesus says that the devil was a murderer from the beginning and and that there is no truth in him and that he is the father of lies.
Jesus is the Way, The Truth and the Life
John 14:6 is very clear that everything that Jesus says, is TRUTH, and we can bank on it. So still puzzled about truth? that’s ok as we have more to say but first a look at what the world thinks truth is.
The nature of Truth
The dictionary definition of truth is an undeniable fact or reality. This does not stop anyone from denying it but most accept the thing or fact to be true. E.g. The earth is not flat but spherical in nature. Flat Earthers do exist and try to deny this “truth” but the truth remains and is observable from space.
Are there grey areas with truth?
Does truth ever change? is it relative? Well in our world I can think of some examples e.g I’m alive today but if I die then its not true to say I am alive anymore. Something could be illegal today and not tomorrow because the law changes. However God’s truth as revealed in the Bible does not change because God is not a man to change His mind.
knowledge can increase knowledge of the truth but the real truth never changed. – The atom was thought to be made up of neutrons, protons and electrons now its quarks etc. The first was an approximation to the truth, additional scientific discoveries (more knowledge) made the truth clearer. Paul said now we see dimly as through a dark glass then we will see clearly. That is when we are in heaven.
Relative truth?
Some would argue that truth can be relative to ones perspective but that is just another way to say belief so why mix the metaphors? If some thing or fact is true its true for everybody. For example if I measure the distance between the Earth and the moon accurately with a laser beam then that is true for you, me or anyone. Its a fact. Are there relative facts? I cant think of any. I think the reason someone would talk about relative truth is when they are talking about relative understanding or belief about some thing which is not a plain fact but merely an observation. Let me try to give you an example.
Suppose you ask of people the question what happens to someone when they die? At a purely factual level they would all have to accept that the person has ceased their existence on earth in the physical form. At the factual level they would mostly agree if not all agree with that. Then comes the question about belief. What happened to that person now they are not here. Its plain there are many theories or beliefs but to say we are now in the realm of relative truth is to ignore the fact that we are actually talking about beliefs, which do vary. The statement relative truth can’t be correct as a truth does not change. What changes is merely our understanding of it. Take the example earlier of the atom. The Higgs Boson (or God particle) was finally discovered to the relief of many scientists but the search goes on for more revelation of the truth about the make up of matter. Matter hasn’t changed but our understanding of it has got us closer to the truth.
Jesus is the truth
So what did Jesus say to Pilot is truth? See John 18:37 Jesus made it clear that he came into the world to testify to the truth. All who love the truth recognize that what He says is true. In Colossians 1:16 It says that by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him. One can choose not to believe the Bible but Jesus raised the dead healed the sick made the blind to see and the deaf to hear because He is our creator and knows the TRUTH.