“What is Truth?”

On the morning of his crucifixion, Jesus was taken by the Jews to be tried before Pontius Pilate, the Roman Governor of Judea. The Jews didn’t have the authority to execute Jesus, so they presented Jesus to Pilate as a “criminal” deserving of crucifixion.

During his interrogation of Jesus, Pilate asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?”

Instead of answering directly, Jesus challenged Pilate to think beyond this world and explained, “My kingdom is not of this world.”

“You are a king, then!” said Pilate.

Jesus answered, “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. (For the full interaction, see John 18:28-40)

More frequently than ever before in my lifetime, that question is being seriously pondered: “What is truth?” Truths about family, morality, ethics, sexuality, and more that had been considered self-evident until recently are now being questioned--or even rejected--every day.

Pilate didn’t wait for Jesus to give him the answer to his question. Perhaps, like with many today, his guilty conscience didn’t really want to know the absolute truth. Fortunately for us, Jesus taught on this issue several times during his ministry.

What is truth? In the New Testament, the Greek word for “truth” is aletheia. It refers to divine revelation, that which has been shown to us by God and can’t be hidden. It communicates the idea that truth is always there, always available, always open for all to see. It can’t be hidden or obscured.

Keep that definition in mind when you think of Jesus’ teaching on “truth.” In his intercessory prayer on the night before his trial before Pilate, Jesus prayed for his followers: “They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth” (John 17:16-17). To be sanctified means to be set apart from this world and to be set apart for God. How is this sanctification brought about? By knowing and growing in the Word of God, the Bible.

Earlier, Jesus told his disciples that he himself is the embodiment of God’s truth: “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). If you know Jesus, you know the truth.

My friends, now you understand why Wellspring focuses on the preaching and teaching of the Word of God. We live in a world that has seemingly gone crazy. What is happening? The Apostle Paul wrote about the same downward spiral of society as he served in the first century Roman Empire: “The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them” (Romans 1:18-19).

God is in control! If you’re feeling confused, insecure, uncertain, or downright scared by what you see happening around you, open your Bible, dig into the Word and discover what He is doing. Invite Him to sanctify you to be a part of His amazing work in this world.

For the glory of Jesus! AMEN