By
Shelby G. Floyd
WHAT IS TRUTH?—PILATE
The central issue in every court trial is, “what is truth?” Jesus faced such a crisis when he was brought before the judgment hall of Pontius Pilate. Pilate asked him if he was a king, since the Jews had charged that Jesus claimed to be a king, and, rival of Caesar. Pilate asked in these words, “Are You a king then?” Jesus answered,
“You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.”
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 fault in Him at all” (John 18:37-38). Pilate made a true judgment in regard to the accusations brought against Christ, when he stated to the Jews, that he found no fault at all in Jesus Christ. But Pilate would not stay around long enough for Christ to tell him about the truth of God which everyone must hear to be of the truth.
TRUTH IS WHAT IS, HAS BEEN, OR MUST BE!
The question asked by Pilate is still a good question. “What is truth?” Today, there are some who deny that we can know what the truth is. Others believe that truth is relative, that circumstances alter each case, and therefore, truth is not absolute. Others believe that various situations determine what the truth is. This has led to a state of confusion. Still, people are sincerely searching for the truth.
GOD’S INSPIRED WORD IS TRUTH
Truth involves the quality or state of being true; therefore, it involves such ideas as constancy, veracity, sincerity and genuineness; it is that which is represented and corresponds to reality; it is that which conforms to an absolute rule of exactness and correctness; it is that which conforms to fact and reality. Truth must conform to what is, has been or must be. The answer to what is truth is best understood by a realization that God is the very essence and nature of truth. God cannot lie, and he has confirmed his word by an oath, and is therefore spoken of in the Bible as the God of truth (Psalms 31:5; Isaiah 65:16).
The Father is the originator and giver of all truth. In the fullness of time, the Father sent his Son, Jesus Christ, into the world. The Son has personalized the truth of God. Jesus Christ is full of grace and truth (John 1:14). The grace and truth of God came by Jesus Christ (John 1:17). Jesus Christ then is the very embodiment of God’s truth, for he himself said,
“I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6).
Jesus Christ always told the truth, and as the time came near for him to leave the earth, he promised that he would send back to the apostles the Spirit of truth, who would guide the apostles into all truth (John 16:13). The Holy Spirit who is truth (1 John 5:6), superintended and guided the minds of the apostles so that they spoke the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. Even the very words which they used were taught by the Holy Spirit. They were inspired, and therefore, we may be assured that God’s word is the truth. Since the teaching of the apostles was recorded and has been faithfully preserved and handed down to us today, we may be sure that we have the truth.
Shelby G. Floyd
Heartland Church of Christ
1693 West Main Street
Greenwood, Indiana 46142
Copyright © 2011 2017 Shelby G. Floyd, All Rights Reserved