While Jesus was on trial with Pilate, Pilate asked a question that was rhetorical in nature. John 18:37-38 says “Pilate therefore said to Him, ‘Are You a king then?’ Jesus answered, ‘You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.’ Pilate said to Him, ‘What is truth?’ And when he had said this, he went out again to the Jews, and said to them, ‘I find no fault in Him at all.’”

Pilate’s question was based on political considerations against a backdrop in Judea that was continually changing. Pilate was sent into the region by the Roman Empire to quell the unrest that had impacted the area. In four decades, the temple and the city of Jerusalem would be lain waste by the Roman General Titus and his forces.

People in all ages and various walks of life have played loosely with the truth. Pilate was not the first politician nor would he be the last to twist, bend, brake, and destroy the truth. The truth is valuable to God and those who strive to follow Him. Proverbs 23:23 says, “Buy the truth, and do not sell it, Also wisdom and instruction and understanding.”

One could cite many examples of people who redefine what the truth is. Just recently, Katherine Maher, the new CEO of National Public Radio or NPR, was recently interviewed about her view of the “truth.” For a moment consider a quote from her:

[O]ur most tricky disagreements [regarding religion and politics in the context—JOT], seeking the truth and seeking to convince others of the truth might not be the right place to start. In fact, our reverence for the truth might be a distraction that's getting in the way of finding common ground and getting things done. Now, that is not to say that the truth doesn’t exist, nor is it to say that the truth isn't important…I think if I were to really ask you to think about this, one of the things that we could all acknowledge is that part of the reason we have such glorious chronicles to the human experience in all forms of culture is because we acknowledge there are many different truths…I'm certain that the truth exists for you and probably for the person sitting next to you. But this may not be the same truth. This is because the truth of the matter is very often for many people. What happens when we merge facts about the world with our beliefs about the world, So we all have different truths. They're based on things like where we come from, how we were raised, and how other people perceive us.1

Postmodernists have a truly warped view of what truth is. One commentator called the following discourse “absolute garbage.”2

Regardless of what postmodernists say, one can arrive at the objective, revealed truth. We can understand the truth and apply it to our lives. We can know what we must do to have eternal life. John 8:31-32 says, “Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, ‘If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.’" The promise of the Master is that we can absolutely know the truth from God and that truth will make His people “free.” To say we cannot know the truth, turns God into a liar and makes salvation and morality an unobtainable goal!

God’s word provides the truth for one to examine, study, and confirm the sayings and teachings of others. John 17:17 says, “Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.” If

we revere God, we will have a reverence for the truth and seek it for our lives—unlike what the CEO of NPR said.

The idea of “many different truths” is the problem humankind has wrestled with from the beginning of time. There was God’s truth, Satan’s partial truth, and humanity’s ability to choose (Genesis 3:1-7). Just like Adam and Eve failed by listening to Satan, and we fail by making decisions separate from God’s guidance.

The idea of “many different truths” has created a polytheistic, pagan world. The only God and the only means of being saved is through Jesus Christ. This is an undeniable truth that a postmodern world rejects. I John 2:21-23 says, “I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and that no lie is of the truth. Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son. Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father either; he who acknowledges the Son has the Father also.”

Departures from biblical truth will cause many people to be eternally lost. The inspired writers understood this and warned first century Christians about those who would corrupt sound doctrine. 2 Peter 2:1-3 says, “But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed. By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber.”

The truth matters! Regardless of how people discount it and pervert it. The truth will set people free from the bondage of sin and death. The truth will dispel false teachings and set people on a correct pathway biblically speaking. The truth is important.

1 https://www.iheartradio.com/ podcast/867-verdict-with-ted-cruz-56253661/episode/biden-ignores-antisemitism-npr-ceo-has-171332424/. 2 Ibid.