Truth

Then their whole assembly rose up and brought him before Pilate. They began to accuse him, saying, “We found this man misleading our nation, opposing payment of taxes to Caesar, and saying that he himself is the Messiah, a king.”

So Pilate asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?”

He answered him, “You say so.”

Pilate then told the chief priests and the crowds, “I find no grounds for charging this man.”

But they kept insisting, “He stirs up the people, teaching throughout all Judea, from Galilee where he started even to here.”

When Pilate heard this, he asked if the man was a Galilean. Finding that he was under Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who was also in Jerusalem during those days. Herod was very glad to see Jesus; for a long time he had wanted to see him because he had heard about him and was hoping to see some miracle performed by him. So he kept asking him questions, but Jesus did not answer him. The chief priests and the scribes stood by, vehemently accusing him. Then Herod, with his soldiers, treated him with contempt, mocked him, dressed him in bright clothing, and sent him back to Pilate. That very day Herod and Pilate became friends. Previously, they had been enemies. — Luke 23:1-12 (CSB)

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“What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.”

Ecclesiastes 1:9 (CSB)

That’s what I think when I read this text. People have not changed at all, and our response to people we disagree with continues to be similar. How easily are you able to scroll past that baiting Facebook post? How easily can you listen to someone with differing political views talk about them without cringing? What about systems or countries? How do we feel about Communism? Capitalism? China? Russia? In a way, the world is a war of ideas … empires of truth. When our truth is challenged, especially that which is close to us, and impacts us dearly, we fight to maintain control. These all might be theories to you, but when they affect your pocketbook, or your family, or your life they matter. Some ideas we are willing to fight for. Die for.  

And we see Jesus is bringing a different kind of truth than those already waging war within the world. Full truth — the very essence of Creation made incarnate. As he stands before Pilate in John’s Gospel, the Gospel author is trying to highlight the reality of this. In that text, Jesus’ response is somewhat different. Rather than the curt response, he suggests: 

“You say that I’m a king,” Jesus replied. “I was born for this, and I have come into the world for this: to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.”

“What is truth?” said Pilate. John 18:37-38 (CSB)

This truth was a threat to the system as he called into question the very ideas that held it together. The response? Stop him! Of course, the two vassal powers cared little about him since it had no impact on them. Rome allowed the Jewish people to largely govern themselves. Herod found neither threat nor entertainment out of this Jesus fellow, so both were uninterested. That’s not to say that either was guiltless. After not finding Jesus amusing, Herod makes his own amusement of him, entertaining him with mockery and derision. It shows the nature of Herod’s heart that he was willing to belittle another for his own pleasure. Pilate refuses to stop what he sincerely knows is a farce. Several times he neglects his duty and abuses his authority by not shutting it down. 

These three caricatures continue to display themselves within the hearts of men. 

The desire to use threat or violence to control another, being entertained by the humiliation of another, and not using authority to help someone are all grave sins.

But those who are deeply rooted in the truth of their worldviews that they sought his death, that’s where scripture says the full blame lay (Matthew 27:24-25). Those who benefited from it were ironically the ones who were assigned to watch out for God. They were to show the world God. This brings us back to several of Jesus’ parables, particularly the Parable of the Vineyard Owner (Matthew 21:33-46) Scripture is also clear that we belong in that crowd. It is not Pilate or Herod, but those who would crucify God to avoid responsibility and change. All of us.

Jesus’ response to the violence opposing him is of course telling. This is a different type of truth than one the world is used to dealing with. It’s not retributive. It’s not punishing. It’s not angry. It doesn’t use power, but it faces all the opposition of the world head on. The result of what this truth comes to bear up and tear down will be visible in the coming days. 

Tellingly, we see that Jesus’ never responds to Pilate’s question, “What is Truth?” with words. He shows him with the actions of His Passion, where ultimately, upon the cross, he will look evil in the eye and declares, “I Am”.