Many questions we wrestle with today aren’t asked in the Bible. Situations and events in the Bible bring about questions, or stir them up inside of us. Questions in themselves, however, may seem fewer. If a question is asked, like for example by the disciples, oftentimes Jesus answers. His answer may not be what they want to hear, or He may answer with a parable, but He does lead, guide, and direct them often. There was one person who asked one of the most important questions in the Bible, though, and then turned around and walked away.

³⁷ 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.” ³⁸ Pilate *said to Him, “What is truth?” And when he had said this, he went out again… -John 18, 37-38, NASB

The scene occurs right before the crowed yells to crucify Jesus over Barabbas. Many people miss this exchange, but it is of incredible importance. Pilate asks the Truth Himself, “What is truth?”, and then turns around and walks out. He didn’t pause for the answer from the giver of truth.

One of the most prominent phrases we hear in society today is “Live your truth”. Or, “well, that’s my truth”. There is a problem with those phrases and what they mean. They assume that truth is subjective. There is no such thing as “your truth”, but instead there is “the truth”. We go back to logic and loopholes. If someone’s truth is to harm someone else and they claim it is “their truth” to do so, we know there is a problem. If “your truth” goes against God’s Word as a professing Christian, that’s a problem. Where do we draw the line? We draw the line at truth itself.

Pilate thought he was living “his truth”, while ignoring the way, the truth, and the life Himself. He ignored what was true, and traded it for what he wanted or thought to be true. Please know that there is a difference.

Truth is offensive. It doesn’t take sides. We often have an issue with truth because it sets us straight and corrects our course. There are heavy burdens blinding us from the truth. Maybe that is an event in our past, a bad relationship, preconceived thoughts/bias we live by, or something else. Those are all powerful holds on our life that can blind us from the truth. Also, since truth is a good thing and we know good things come from God, truth is offensive to evil. I think that is why so many people have a problem with it. People also have a problem with truth because they have a problem with Jesus. He claims to be the truth in John 14:6. “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me”. Wow! That is offensive to a natural world that is against Him. This verse will come up in other posts, eventually.

I think the takeaway is that there is objective truth. Truth comes from God, because He “is the God of truth” (Isaiah 65:16). But, people have a problem with truth because they ultimately have a problem with Christ Himself. Let’s remember to hold fast to our “belt of truth” (Ephesians 6) as a part of the armor of God that holds us all together- no matter how offensive or uncomfortable it can be. Remember, we are in a spiritual battle.