June 12 Jesus is Truth

John 18:38-40 “What is truth?” Pilate asked. With this he went out again to the Jews and said, “I find no basis for a charge against him. 39 But it is your custom for me to release to you one prisoner at the time of the Passover. Do you want me to release ‘the king of the Jews’?” 40 They shouted back, “No, not him! Give us Barabbas!” Now Barabbas had taken part in a rebellion.
 
WHAT is at the center of the Jews’ charges, Jesus’ few responses, Pilate’s actions and the crowd’s reaction?
   It is truth, isn’t it? John’s gospel is about defining Jesus as truth: John 1:17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. The Pharisees accused Jesus of blasphemous teaching, untrue to God’s law.  The crowd thinks the truth is in some lawless tradition. And even though Pilate asked, “What is truth?” he’s really not interested in the answer. His truth is defined by protecting his position.
   Pilate, it seems, took a moment to consider Jesus’ words. He had just told Pilate that when people wanted to know the truth he was the One to seek.         But Pilate only thought about it for a brief moment it seems. We can easily assume he had asked the question many times of himself, but he found no answer.
   What kept Pilate from taking Jesus inside his house, inviting him to lunch and asking him, “What do you mean, ‘Whoever listens to the truth belongs to you?’” Perhaps he knew if he took time with Jesus to learn the truth, his life would dramatically change. He might be confronted with his past sins – some very evil sins – against political opponents and the Jews. The truth of his weaknesses might cause him to lose his power as a Roman governor. Each aspect of his life that defined who he was would disappear as God revealed the truth to him. Pilate would no longer see truth as what was right for him in changing circumstances of his life. His new view of truth would open his eyes to the true God. A new foundation of faith and understanding would rule his heart. No longer would he base truth on protecting his position, but truth would define his faith and eternal relationship with Jesus. Pilate’s life would be made new in Jesus.
   But this was not to happen on this day. Without hope of a true answer, void of any desire to really know truth, Pilate washed his hands of Jesus, and Jesus was gone. Pilate washed his hands of truth, and he remained in the filthy hands of his own desires.
   Have you been close to getting to know Jesus better but then stepped back? Were you afraid of what would change in your life, what you might have to stop and what you might begin doing? I often meet people on the verge of stepping into a new experience with God. They claim they want change. But then they see what the Lord requires, and they back away. Trusting God’s truth for their lives, remains covered in their own desires above God’s will.
   What is truth? Hear the Father’s answer: Luke 9:35 A voice came from the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him.”
 
Prayer: I pray for your truth in my life, Lord God. Amen.