What is truth?
Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
~John 14:6
“What is truth?” This is a timeless question that has impacted individuals and societies for millennia. Our various quests for truth have led us down innumerable paths. Some of their paths lead to addiction and heartbreak. Some lead to spirituality and religion. And still others have led to extremism of all types as people seek to defend their truth.
This question also serves as an umbrella for other questions. Why do people suffer? Why do bad things happen to good people? Why did he cheat? Why did she die? Why did he get cancer? Why was she not happy? I'm sure you have your own questions to add to the list. I consider these questions, and others like them, to be sub-questions of the overarching "what is truth?" because, in one way or another, they all make us reconsider our reality.
The underlying answers we seek to these questions are fundamental. What is true? What is real? What is good?
In the book of John, we see Pilate concerned with the same question. Jesus said, “‘…I have come into the world for this: to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice’” (19:37b). In the final line of their dialogue, Pilate responds, “‘What is truth?’” (19:38). Like countless others before and after him, Pilate questioned what was real and true.
Jesus provides the answer for us. If we back up a couple of chapters, we see Jesus praying to the Father and talking about this very thing. John 17 is a beautiful chapter that gives us an inside look at the intimate prayer of the Son to the Father. He prays for Himself, for His disciples, and for all believers to come. Early in the prayer, Jesus says, "'I have given them the words you gave me'" (17:8a). Pay attention to His use of the word "words;" it becomes important for us later. Also, note that all of Jesus' words came from the Father. He reiterates this a few verses later when he says, "'I have given them your word…'" (17:14a).
In the next few verses, Jesus makes a connection for us between “words” and “truth.” Jesus says, “‘Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth’” (17:17 NLT). Jesus clearly states that God's word is truth. Jesus then deepens then the connection between Himself, God's words, and truth. He says, “‘And I give myself as a holy sacrifice for them so they can be made holy by your truth’” (17:19 NLT). I love the NLT translation for these verses. We are made holy by God's truth. Jesus died as a holy sacrifice, so we could be made holy by God's truth.
We need to take this connection between Jesus, God's word, and truth just a little further. Back up to John 14, where Jesus declares Himself the way, the truth, and the life (14:6), thereby solidifying the connection between Jesus and truth. Jesus comes from God; He is truth; and therefore, we can be made holy by Him. John 1 finalizes this point for us. John 1:1 states, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." So now, not only is Jesus the truth, but He is also God's Word. God gave us Himself so that we might have life through the truth of who He is.
Let’s bring this full circle now. Pilate asked, “‘What is truth?’” (John 19:38). Jesus is the Word of God and also God Himself. He gave Himself – His life and truth – to us so that we might be made holy and have eternal life.
At their most basic, fundamental level, all of our questions are us asking for what is real and true. The answer to every single one is Jesus, God Incarnate, who loved us too much to leave us in our brokenness. God put on human form, named Himself Immanuel – leaving no doubt that God indeed is with us. He died, the perfect, sinless sacrifice, paying the price for our sin and granting us the right to be called children of God.
*CSB translation used unless otherwise noted.
