October 26, 2023
Differing Views of Truth
“Pilate said to Him, ‘What is truth?’ And when he had said this, he went out again to the Jews and said to them, ‘I find no guilt in Him.’” John 18:38 (NASB)
Often, I have conversations with young people who have grown into a different generation and belief system than I do. When I ask questions about their belief systems, I find that most have very different thoughts. As we talk, I understand we are on two differing thought patterns. Because of this, I often ask for what I call their standard of truth. I ask, “What standard do you determine what is good or bad.” Most cannot produce an answer. The normal answers I hear are based on how they feel at the time or what season of life they are in. To this I respond, “I know when I was 20 years old, I thought very different than I do now.” “The older I get, the more I think differently than I did at 20.” Then I share what my standard of truth is, the Word of God. His Word has never changed. He is the eternal truth. His wisdom exceeds all.
“Pilate said to Him, ‘What is truth?’ The word truth is the Greek word aletheia. This word “... historians use it to denote real events as distinct from myths, and philosophers to indicate real being in the absolute sense.”[1] This is when something shows what it is or represented. This is truth in its most pure form. Truth is pure, unchanged, and untainted. Because Pilate saw no guilt in Jesus, he said, “I find no guilt in Him.” Brown says there was, “No crime. This so exasperated ‘the chief priests and elders’ that, afraid of losing their prey, they poured forth a volley of charges against Him, as appears from Luke 23:4, 5: on Pilate’s affirming His innocence, ‘they were the more fierce, saying, He stirreth up the people, teaching throughout all Jewry, beginning from Galilee to this place...’ ‘And the chief priests accused Him of many things,’ but He answered nothing (Mark 15:3). Then said Pilate unto Him, ‘Hearest Thou not how many things they witness against Thee? And He answered him to never a word, insomuch that the governor marvelled greatly’ (Matt. 27:13, 14).”[2] Calvin says, “Some think that Pilate puts this question through curiosity, as irreligious men are sometimes accustomed to being eagerly desirous of learning something that is new to them, and yet do not know why they wish it; for they intend nothing more than to gratify their ears. For my own part, I rather think that it is an expression of disdain; for Pilate thought himself highly insulted when Christ represented him as destitute of all knowledge of the truth. Here we see in Pilate a disease which is customary among men. Though we are all aware of our ignorance, yet there are few who are willing to confess it; and the consequence is, that the greater part of men reject the true doctrine.”[3]
As I get older, I realize when I depend upon the Word of God to guide my life, it is so much easier and less stressful. I don’t have to worry about what season of life I am going through at the time as to how I respond. It also allows me to speak into the lives of others who seemed to be wandering, and provide them with a permanent hope they can trust in the future. Truth stirs the hearts of men and yet draws them to Jesus and God’s Word.
[1] Quell, G., Kittel, G., & Bultmann, R. (1964–). G. Kittel, G. W. Bromiley, & G. Friedrich (Eds.), Theological dictionary of the New Testament (electronic ed., Vol. 1, p. 238). Eerdmans.
[2] Jamieson, R., Fausset, A. R., & Brown, D. (1997). (Vol. 2, p. 164). Logos Research Systems, Inc.
[3] Calvin, J., & Pringle, W. (2010). (Vol. 2, p. 212). Logos Bible Software.