John 18:38a — What is Truth?

John 18:38-40 — What is Truth? — Aneel Aranha

Hello and welcome to the Bite-Sized Gospel. Today, we will reflect on John 18:38. To get proper context I will read from verse 37. Listen.

Jesus said, “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.” "What is truth?" retorted Pilate.

"What is truth?" These three words, spoken by Pontius Pilate during the trial of Jesus, echo through the corridors of history. It's a question that philosophers, theologians, and ordinary people have grappled with for centuries. What is truth?

In the context of the passage, Pilate asks this question in response to Jesus' statement, "Everyone on the side of truth listens to me." Jesus has just declared that he has come into the world to testify to the truth. Pilate's response seems cynical, even dismissive. It's as if he's saying, "Truth? What is that? Who can know it?"

Pilate's question reflects a skepticism that was common in the Roman world. For many, truth was relative, a matter of perspective or opinion. The idea of absolute, unchanging truth was treated with suspicion.

But Jesus' words challenge this skepticism. He speaks of truth not as a vague, elusive concept, but as something solid, something real. More than that, he identifies himself with the truth. "I am the way, the truth, and the life," he says earlier in John's gospel (14:6).

For Jesus, truth is not just an abstract idea. It's embodied in a person. It's rooted in the very nature and character of God. To know truth is to know God.

This has profound implications. It means that truth is not something we create or determine for ourselves. It's not subject to our opinions or preferences. Rather, it's something we discover, something we submit to.

It also means that truth is not just intellectual, but relational. We don't just know truth; we can have a relationship with Truth himself. We can build our lives on the solid foundation of God's reality.

Jesus' words are a beacon in a world that often echoes Pilate's cynicism. They call us to seek truth, not in our own shifting opinions, but in the unchanging character of God. They invite us into a relationship with the one who is Truth incarnate.

As we reflect on this passage, let's ask ourselves: Where do I look for truth? Do I trust in my own understanding, or do I seek the truth that is found in Christ? Am I willing to submit my life to the reality of who God is and what he has done?

May we be people who are on the side of truth, who listen to the voice of Jesus. May we build our lives on the solid rock of God's unchanging reality.

God bless you.