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A Pursuit of Truth Aborted
John 18: 28-40
Are you on a quest for truth?
In a sense every life lived is in pursuit of truth. When a baby reaches
out to touch the object in front of him he is discovering the reality of
what he sees. Teenagers branch out and reach out to see if the things
that they were taught growing up were really true or not. We spend
billions of dollars to go into outer space trying to find out the truth
about what is out there. We want to know what is and what is not.
We are in various ways seeking out truth. But sometimes when people
encounter truth, truth encounters them. Truth confronts us with pure
reality. That’s what happens in our story this morning.
Last week we left Peter with his denial in the Courtyard, and Jesus in
the hands of the High Priest.
Our text today revolves around a legal inquiry into the truth about
Jesus of Nazareth. It occurs at the palace of Pontius Pilate, the Roman
Governor of Judea. Jesus has already been brought before the Jewish
authorities at the house of Annas and then Caiaphas. They have already
decided to have him executed. In fact, all the way back into John 11:50
the high priest, Caiaphas had determined that Jesus must die. But these
Jews have a problem. They do not have the authority to execute anyone
without Roman approval. Their purpose in bringing Jesus to Pilate is to
get him to authorize the execution of Jesus.
Last week we looked at 5 symbols in the Garden, today we will look at
three questions asked by Pilate during this trial:
“What charges are you bringing against this man?” John 18:28-32
That was a perfectly natural thing for Pilate to ask. Just as our legal
system requires an indictment of formal charges specifying exactly what
laws have been broken, the Roman system also required formal charges.
Pilate is following proper legal procedure in asking his question.
But the Jewish leaders do not want to deal in specifics because they
know they have nothing that would stand up in a court of law. Rather
than give Pilate any specifics they answer in generalities.
““If he hadn’t been doing something evil, do you think we’d be here
bothering you?” In other words, “Pilate, don’t concern yourself with
details, take our word for it this guy is a criminal.” The way they
express criminal in this text indicates ongoing evil doing. They may
have even been calling Jesus a “habitual criminal.” They are saying to
Pilate, “You know us, we wouldn’t say he’s a criminal if he weren’t,
take our word for it and pass sentence upon him.”
But Pilate sees these guys for the bums they are and tells them to
handle the matter themselves. He is saying sarcastically. “If you have
already tried the matter and are not willing to give me the specifics of
your accusations, then just handle it without me.”
That forced them to admit the real reason they were there. They wanted
Jesus executed and didn’t have the authority to do it themselves so they
wanted Pilate to do it for them.
In verse 32, John points out that the death sentence had to come from
Rome in order for Jesus’ prophecy concerning the way he would die to be
fulfilled. Turn back to three years earlier to John 3:14 “And as Moses
lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be
lifted up”
This was His prophecy about His death by crucifixion. The Jews executed
people according to the Levitical law by stoning; it was the Roman
Government that used Crucifixion.
With that response Pilate went back inside to question Jesus further.
That is the interaction surrounding Pilate’s question, “What charges are
you bringing against this man?”
But it is a question that might be asked today. What fault do people
find in Jesus that causes them to resist him rather than serve him?
Their accusations are seldom specific. Like these Jewish accusers they
usually talk in generalizations like “Why then does he allow so much
suffering in the world if he is a God of love?” Or “Why would he send
the heathen to hell if they don’t even know about him?” The implication
behind those questions is often that he is really criminal and unjust—he
is guilty of those people’s blood.
But it is a strange way to look at God. It is a strange way to look at
Jesus.
In response to the suffering, God has allowed us to pay the consequences
of our sins and sometimes we are caught in the backwash of someone
else’s sins. But He has also offered His Only Begotten Son into the
world that whoever would believe in him would not perish but have
everlasting life. The Son of God left the glories of heaven to suffer
and die for the salvation of those heathen. If accusation must be made
it should be against us for rebelling against God in the first place. It
should be against the devil for inciting that rebellion and seeking the
destruction of humanity.
Do you know God’s answer to “What about the heathen? His answer to that
question is very clear in scripture. It may not be the kind of answer we
want. It may not even be stated the way we want it to be stated. But
here is God’s answer. The question is “What about the heathen?” God’s
answer is “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every
creature.” Mark 16:15
“You do what I have told you to do” “Take the gospel (which is the power
of God unto salvation) to the heathen you say you are concerned about.”
There are no valid accusations against Christ. He is full of grace and
truth. He is righteous in everyway. We may not understand all his ways.
But his ways are higher than our ways not lower. He has come that we
might have life and have it abundantly.
There are no impure motives in him toward us. There are no unwise or
inappropriate actions. An honest examination of the Lamb of God will
always conclude with the words of Pilate, “I find no fault in him.”
When Pilate went back inside he asked Jesus this question,
Are you the King of the Jews? John 18:33-36
Why did Pilate ask Jesus that question?
Luke 23:2 gives us a little more detail of what the Jews had said to him
concerning Jesus, “And they began to accuse Him, saying, "We found this
fellow perverting the nation, and forbidding to pay taxes to Caesar,
saying that He Himself is Christ, a King."
The Jewish leaders had concluded that Jesus should be executed because
of blasphemy—saying that he was equal with God and that he came from God
as His Son. But they knew that Pilate could care less about those kinds
of allegations and would never sentence someone to death for blaspheming
the Jewish God.
So they trumped up this charge that Jesus was somehow leading a
rebellion against Rome. The accusation had two elements to it.
One was that Jesus claimed to be a king. This accusation Jesus will
answer.
The second was that as a king Jesus was telling people to not pay their
tribute taxes to Caesar. In reality, Jesus had done just the opposite of
that. When the Pharisees had tried to trick Jesus into saying something
like their accusation, Jesus took a coin and said to them, “Therefore
render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things
that are God’s.” Matthew 22:21
Pilate’s question to Jesus, “Are you the king of the Jews?” Jesus’
answer was not what Pilate expected. Jesus asked him a question, “Is
that your own idea or did others talk to you about me?” I see in Jesus’
response a probing of Pilate’s conscience, a calling to think this
through for himself. “Are you just parroting what others have said or
are you sincerely asking the question?”
Pilate is perturbed and answers curtly and rudely. “Do you think I am a
Jew? It was your people and your chief priests who have handed you over
to me.” Here is Pilate’s pride manifesting itself. Here is his disdain
for the conquered and subservient Jews.
But Jesus has also asked his question to clarify Pilate’s question. If
this question is coming from Pilate then he most certainly is asking it
from a political perspective. If he is asking it in behalf of the Jewish
rulers then it must be answered in that context as the Messiah.
Pilate reinforces his question with another question at the end of verse
35, “What have you done?” He wants to get to the bottom of this and get
it over with quickly. “So tell me what you did to get your own rulers so
mad at you.”
Here is the heart of Jesus’ answer to his question, “My kingdom is not
of this world.”
He gives proof of that by the fact that his followers did not rise up in
arms to prevent his arrest. Peter had lashed out but Jesus corrected
that. Any political king has to fight for his domain. But Jesus kingdom
did not originate in this world. It originates in heaven and is very
different from the political kingdoms Pilate is thinking about. John
18:36 “But now my kingdom is from another place.”
I don’t think Pilate is grasping all that Jesus is saying. He summarizes
Jesus answer this way, “You are a king, then!” But the answer still
depends upon what he means by king—what kind of kingdom is he talking
about. Jesus is giving him the only answer that is true and complete.
“Jesus answered, ‘you are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this
reason I was born, and for this reason I came into the world...” Now
listen closely to the rest of that sentence “to testify to the truth.”
Here is Pilate’s moment of opportunity. Jesus has come to testify of
truth. His kingdom is not of this world. It is of a higher order. It is
not established by military might. It is established by the testimony of
truth.
How is the kingdom of our Lord advanced on the earth? “Go into all the
world and preach the gospel.” What is the ultimate answer in the war on
terror? “Go into all the world and preach the gospel.” The kingdom of
God advances one soul at a time. It turns a terrorizing devil into a
disciple of Jesus Christ regardless of nationality.
Jesus affirms to Pilate that he is a king. He has qualified his
statement enough that Pilate should not misunderstand. In the process he
has brought Pilate face to face with the truth. Now the conversation has
come down to a personal decision for Pilate to make.
“Everyone on the side of truth listens to me,” Jesus said. “Pilate, are
you listening? Pilate, I am testifying of the truth to you. What are you
going to do with it?” The man’s eternal destiny hangs in the balance.
Pilate thought he held Jesus’ destiny in his hands. But in reality it is
Pilate’s destiny that’s at stake here. That destiny depends upon how
Pilate responds to truth. “Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.”
Pilate’s next question is his response, verse 38
What is truth? John 18:37-40
This is a sad response on Pilate’s part. How do we know this is not a
sincere inquiry? We know because Pilate does not even wait for Jesus to
answer. “With this he went out again to the Jews...” Jesus speaks of a
kingdom established on truth not tyranny.
Pilate’s response is cynical and fatalistic, “What is truth?” He gets in
the last word. He is saying, “Nobody really knows what truth is. Truth
for you may not be the same as truth for me. I have heard the Greek
philosophers wrestle with that issue to no avail. You will never find
this thing called truth in the messed up world we live in.”
But the question touches upon one of the greatest issues of our day:
“What is truth?” Can anybody really know truth? Is there one truth for
me and a different truth for you? Is Pilate’s concept of truth just as
good as Jesus’ concept of truth? What is truth?
1st Truth is something that can be known.
Jesus said (John 8:32) “And you shall know the truth, and the truth
shall make you free."
How can we know the truth? Just before making that statement Jesus said,
“"If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed.” The truth is
found in the word of the Lord. Jesus came to testify to the truth. The
word of the Lord is true. It is reliable. It comes to us as a revelation
of truth.
That’s why we invest time looking into the Gospel of John. We believe
this word is inspired by the Spirit of Truth. We are bombarded daily
with messages from the world that are not rooted in reality and
sometimes are simply false. Sometimes the deceptions of Satan have a
grain of truth in them to make them more believable. But the word of the
Lord is true through and through.
2 Timothy 3:16 “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is
profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in
righteousness.”
Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to lead us into truth. He has inspired the
word of God to reveal to us truth. If we want the truth we can have it.
2. Truth is as eternal as God Himself.
Truth is as absolute as God Himself. Truth does not originate in man. It
originates in God. He is the God of Truth. In fact, a description of God
must include the concept of truth. God does not just tell us truth or
reveal truth but God is truth. God is love. God is holy. God is
righteous. An understanding of all these things comes with an
understanding of God.
When people say that truth is relative and not absolute they are
misunderstanding the origin of truth. The origin of truth is in God. And
God is eternal. He does not change.
Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” He is not just
saying I have some ideas about those things to share with you. He is
saying that the very definition of those things is found in Me.
In contrast, the devil is the father of lies. All truth originates in
God. All falsehood originates in the devil. People are embracing one or
another.
They do not originate truth. They either accept it or reject it.
The difference between right and wrong is not found in what I think. It
is found in Who God is.
We have to be well grounded in this. Otherwise we will be tossed to and
fro by every wind of doctrine that comes along. Winds of doctrine come
from all kinds of places. They are propagated in the lunchroom at work.
When you watch Oprah Winfrey you are hearing winds of doctrine.
Can you discern truth from error when it is clothed in a secular dress?
3. Truth is transforming if obeyed.
1 Peter 1:22 “Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth
so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another
deeply, from the heart.”
The results don’t just come from hearing truth. Pilate was hearing truth
from Jesus. He was in fact standing face to face with Truth incarnate.
Yet he is making the wrong decision.
“Now that you have purified yourselves...” how? “by obeying the truth.”
Truth is an essential element in the solution to the problems we face in
life. When we have a problem we want God to fix it for us. But the way
He normally does that is through a process that involves truth. He
brings truth to bear on the problem and as we walk in that truth we
enter into liberty and victory in that area of our lives. God operates
in the realm of truth and teaches us to operate in that realm.
Have you wrestled with that question, “What is truth?” The answer that a
person accepts will determine eternal destiny. I don’t want to be like
Pilate. I don’t want to ask the question, “What is truth?” and then walk
away from Jesus before he can give me the answer.
Winston Churchill said, “Men occasionally stumble over the truth, but
most of them pick themselves up and hurry off as if nothing happened.”
I want to encounter the truth. I want the truth to encounter me. And I
want to be changed in the process. Jesus came to testify to the truth.
He sent the Holy Spirit to lead us into truth. Truth is available to you
and me. Jesus has made it available because he is available. If I
sincerely want it and open my heart to his voice I will know the truth
and the truth will make me free.
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