“What is truth?” - Pontius Pilate (John 18:38)
There is a popular illustration today that explains every person as a spiritual journeyman, trekking the side of a mountain, headed to the same camp at the summit. Each of us chooses to scale the mountain our own way, some choosing the more weathered paths (well-known religions) and others taking the proverbial “road less traveled” (shout out Robert Frost). Some of our trails are wide, some narrow. Others are more direct while the next might be a little windier and circuitous. No matter the path you choose, the illustration goes, you have chosen the right truth for you and we will all meet at the top. All paths lead to the same conclusion. Each route has value that fits the individual, but leads to the same God, no matter what we call Him (or her for that matter). The road doesn’t matter, as long as you are choosing to take the one that is most authentically yours. While the hiking example may apply to your vacation in the Rockies, the Good Lord does not allow this to be a realistic visual aid for following Him.
-At this point in time, it is paramount for us to establish that all people are equal, but not all ideas are equal.-
There are a few themes in John that are supremely important for us to observe that help to understand and interpret the intentions of the author. One of these details is the 8 times that Jesus says “I am...” and the claim that follows. I will cheat your study and tell you that each of these statements is a claim of deity; an assertion that Jesus is the thing/person/path that either is God or leads any and everyone to God. In the thick weeds of a confused culture that believes there is truth for you and truth for me and it does not matter if they are diametrically opposed, John pokes his head in to explain what Jesus said and meant: “there is no path, but Mine.”
Herein lies one of the most commonly ignored, and most central aspects of Christianity: if Jesus is right, every other option is wrong. It is misconstrued as arrogant and hostile to suggest to another person that their path is not leading to the same end. If you fall into that camp, I dare you to picture God Himself, in the god-man Christ Jesus hanging on a cross, beaten to a pulp on false accusations by the people that He came to serve, in order for them to not have to endure their own earned punishment. That God, through jeers, tears, sweat and blood looks at the people who chanted “crucify Him” and tries to explain, “you are misinformed, learn the truth and it will save you from yourself and the punishment you deserve.” We have no category for this kind of love. Perhaps that is what offends us the most.
Prior to Jesus being crucified, He is dropped in front of the Roman ruler, Pontius Pilate. While He is being questioned by this man, Jesus makes a very audacious claim: “Everyone on the side of truth listens to Me.” (John 18:37). Jesus separates the world in two: there are those that submit to His truth, and those that subvert to their own truth, deciding what is right for them (think about how this reflects Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden - Genesis 3). At this point, Pilate makes the decision that most people do when encountering Jesus’ polarizing claims. He does not call Him a fool or kick Him to the ground, instead Pilate retorts “What is truth?” He deconstructs the very claim of Jesus into another idea; just another first-century philosopher with another view of a good path to the top of the mountain.
He takes the one option that Jesus did not allow for. Are you guilty of the same thing?