Reading the Word

John 18:33–38 (ESV)

33 So Pilate entered his headquarters again and called Jesus and said to him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” 34 Jesus answered, “Do you say this of your own accord, or did others say it to you about me?” 35 Pilate answered, “Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered you over to me. What have you done?” 36 Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.” 37 Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.” 38 Pilate said to him, “What is truth?”

Understanding and Applying the Word

We live in a world where truth is relative. Everyone decides for themselves what is right and true. If you say your truth is better than someone else’s, you are seen as intolerant. We all know this cannot really be so, but the world insists that we play along. It’s really a strange thing to insist that truth is relative on one hand, but hold tightly to the scientific method in the other. Yet that is the word we live in.

Jesus will not allow us to play such a game with truth. When he came into the world, he taught the people authoritatively. He revealed to them and us the truth. He claimed to be the way, the truth, and the life. We might like to pretend that there is no absolute truth or that such truth is unknowable, but Jesus insists that we believe his words because he speaks as the Son of God, the King of kings.

The world cannot deny truth because Jesus came into the world and revealed the truth. Now we have the options of living according to Jesus’ teaching or denying him and going our own way. In your search for truth, be sure to open your Bible and read the words of Jesus.

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