(10 minute read)
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Jesus answered, “…the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.”
“What is truth?” replied Pilate.
John 18:37-38, NIV
The study of languages is fascinating. Some languages more than others. The study of the English language, however, leaves one wondering where did we get it wrong?
Jargon, code switching, the inevitable mutation of modern English is most interesting. As professor of psychology and linguist Stephen Pinker noted, language is a tool. We use it to try and perform brain surgery …transferring one thought from our brain into the brain of another. For a variety of reasons it always doesn’t work and our choice of some words is often to blame.
For example, we say that we love to watch the sunset. We love our cat or dog. We love ice cream. We love our closest “loved” ones. Using the same word “love” for all of these things is problematic. As used here we might be unwittingly elevating or diminishing the people, places, or things we hold dear. How can the word “love” be seriously used to convey meaning to ice cream, dogs, and people? We may be limiting ourselves by the words we choose to use.
In the end, what difference does it make? Really, we might be a little picky here. We are identifying all these things as a value, using the same word. We get it. Each are important to the speaker and our hope is that the “hearer” appreciates the sentiment. If they have done so our “brain surgery” has worked and that’s all that matters.
However, this indifference to the importance of words begins to breakdown when heavier matters of importance come into play. Especially with “hearers” that may not know our intentions. This is especially true when it is more difficult for both the speaker and hearer. They cannot settle on what a word actually means. Lately those are words like facts, opinions, biases, and truths.
The Gospel According To John
We won’t go into a detailed history lesson on the construction of the fourth “gospel” (good news). However, there are things worth pointing out for this exercise. The text known as The Gospel According To John is part of a series of gospels. In this case the “good news” is about an itinerant preacher known as Jesus of Nazareth.
There are examples of John’s gospel being used in early Christian churches in the second century. This gospel is estimated to have been written 60-95 years after the death of Jesus, between 90-125 CE (common era). In contrast, the gospels according to Mathew, Mark, and Luke were written between 70-85 CE. Nearly 40-55 years after the events depicted.
As with John, each gospel is clearly written to a very different “audience” than their counterpart. And, yet, they bear similar details. Mark’s gospel is believed to have been written first. Luke and Matthew are considered to have been written nearly at the same time, about 50 years later.
It is believed that Luke’s gospel relied heavily on Mark’s as a resource. Large portions and details of Mark’s account of the works and teachings of Jesus can be found in Luke. Matthew went further, freely borrowing from the other two. “John’s gospel” is a completely different animal.
It is clear that the writer of John was aware of the main themes found in the other three gospels. But the author(s) takes liberties to add details and insert stories and events not found in the other three.
One obvious difference in John’s gospel is the transformation of Jesus of Nazareth to Jesus “The Christ.” Another aspect is the theory of the “eventual return” of Christ. This return is said to occur someday to set up a heavenly kingdom on earth. In the first three gospels the writers expect the immediate return of Jesus to set up God’s kingdom on earth. And they believe it is happening sooner rather than later.
John’s gospel seems to concede that his return is not so immediate. Instead, it holds on to the hope that at some point the kingdom will eventually be established. The author of John’s gospel wrote nearly 100 years after the corporal punishment of Jesus. It was apparent that this event of a new kingdom was going to take a while.
These three gospels and John’s account were merely a few. There were a myriad of other “gospels” written to explain the life of Jesus. They also described the world in which the authors were living. Nearly 100 writings of the early church leaders have survived. But that is a study for another day.
Jesus before Pilate is a common event in the first three gospels. John also includes the event within his telling of the life of Jesus. However, in John’s version the author provides so much intimate details that one wonders whether Pilate himself wrote the account. The details are amazing if not telling.
And it is only in John’s version that Pilate utters the phrase, “What is truth?” The three words are simple enough. But the way in which they were delivered is left to our imaginations. Was it delivered rhetorically or did he confront Jesus directly with the question only to be met with silence? Or was it an aside comment, one mumbled under his own breath?
Pilate said, retorted, and asked are the only clues we are given on how the line might have been delivered. With little hint of inflection, tone, or description we are left with those stark, naked, three little words. What is truth?
Scholars interpretations vary on how Pilate may have delivered the line. Some suggest a hint of sarcasm. Others believe it was delivered with a sense of wonder …and everything in between. What we do know is that for this writer of John’s gospel, the question …what is truth, is a subject of great interest. He used the word truth over 20 different times throughout his gospel and used it in a variety of ways.
What Is Truth?
“Look at me. You put it very well. I’m a 30-year-old kid and pretty soon I’m going to be a 50-year-old kid. I don’t know what to believe in. What’s the good of living if you’ve got nothing to believe in. There’s gotta be some purpose in life, some meaning.”
BRICK POLLITT, CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF, TENNESSEE WILLIAMS, 1955
As outlined in a previous post, the search for truth has been a personal quest for decades. Pilate asking ‘what is truth’ is a biblical event. It aligns with my personal uncertainty. It also reflects my search for an answer.
It is probably worth noting that my search for truth was done with two intentions. First, I wanted to find out what is true and what isn’t in the Christian faith. My immediate thoughts were to start from the beginning. I decided to study the early Christian church. It must have been in its purest form.
(Note, reading my previous post linked above will provide much detail here. Suffice it to say that I was brought up Christian. It was the only lens provided to me for viewing the world. I recognize that if I had been born under different circumstances my experiences and search might have been different.)
This strategy achieved the desired outcome. Eventually, it led me to some conclusions. I intend to share these conclusions at a later date. By searching for “what is true and what isn’t,” I formed my second intention. What truth could I personally experience? In other words, the first intention was to search for an objective truth. This truth is independent of opinion and based on facts.
The second intention was a subjective truth. It was a personal truth based on facts. These facts eventually provided me an opinion. This opinion helped me live a more informed and fulfilling life. Or, better yet, to provide a personal answer to the question, what is truth? and find meaning and purpose for my life.
Is Everyone Else Searching Too?
Today it is estimated that there are over 4,000 different religions in existence. And that’s not counting the ones that have become obsolete. Some died off with their people. Others are no longer in practice.
It is possible that throughout history, tens of thousands of religions once existed. At one time or another, these religions made their way into people’s lives. They “informed” for them a way of thinking and living. Many faiths developed by borrowing from each other. It stands to reason that some of these “truths” stayed while most of them died off.
Humans, as truth seekers, have longed for an answer to Pilate’s question, “what is truth.”
In fact, according to a Pew Research Center poll nearly eight-in-ten people of the world consider themselves to be religious. In the U.S. it is six-in-ten. In contrast to religion, Wikipedia lists over 200 types of philosophies.
It is difficult to determine how many schools of philosophy exist. The discipline is very fluent and has “fuzzy” borders. And one could argue that there are many types of philosophies as there are authors of them. Like religion, philosophy attempts to answer what a purposeful and meaningful life looks like or what is truth?
But philosophical tenets are different from religious tenets in that they generally 1. do not figure a higher power in their equation and 2. generally do not give in to the same common religious hard worldview of being “the only right one.”
That There Are So Many Is Telling
A friend phoned me after the holidays this year to catch up on the events of our lives. One of the topics of our conversation was the writings of a world renowned philosopher. This philosopher has long since passed away. He had recently come across these writings.
The philosopher’s writings empowered my friend. He was absolutely appalled that, at his age, he was only now coming across these writings. I absolutely understood where he was coming from. He surmised that if he had read them when he was younger, it might have prevented a lot of heartache. It could also have avoided disappointments. Of course I had a similar experience years earlier. Except the conclusion I reached was far more settling.
While studying theology and philosophy in my early years I came to a very definitive decision. I did not want to be a theologian nor a philosopher. The mental hoops and gymnastics needed to accept, predict, and use these schools of thought are incredibly mind-numbing. There has always been one question that has always nagged me.
Why are there so many schools of philosophy and religions? The human race began using language long ago. Since then, we have tried to define the world in which we are living. How did we get here? Why are we here? What does it all mean?
To further my argument a quick question. How long has mankind been on earth?
Our ancestors, the modern homo sapiens, evolved around 300,000 years ago.
The earliest known writings of ancient civilizations were created in 3,400 BCE from people in the Persian Gulf. For over 5,400 years, each generation, each culture, has sought answers to how we got here. Why are we here? What does it all mean? What is truth?
That there isn’t one definitive answer tells me a couple of things. One, no one has truly figured out the answers. Two, there isn’t one definitive answer to the question. That’s why we are all not living under the same creed, philosophy, or religion. Because there isn’t one.
Over 5,400 years and we are still searching. I don’t see that as a bleak and defeatist conclusion. Why? Because until the definitive answer can be found I get to spend more of my time on more important matters.
You may think we have all been preordained to an existence by a higher power. Alternatively, you might believe we are here through a random set of freakish circumstances and climbed out of the slime. Nonetheless, we are here.
Whether you think the reading of Pilate’s question is a cynical reading, “Truth. What is it? Pffffttt. Whatever.” or a more sincere contemplative, “What is IT?” matters very little.
What matters is how YOU might ask what is truth and how YOU might define it.
Because as you define it will determine what kind of life you’ll live.
Reality vs. Your Reality
“What is truth?” is not only a question of subjectivity. There are universal objective truths that sensible people would agree to. Like, the sun always “rises” in the east and “sets” in the west. The moon revolves around the earth. The earth circles the sun. This means both the earth and moon are circling the sun. Reject one or all of those truths and it will be hard to live in the real world.
(I’m thinking of you my dear flat earthers)
How one answers universal objective truths will determine how one answers subjective truths. This approach helps one to make sense of the world in which we live on a daily basis. Accepting basic objective scientific truths will keep you from coming up with any conclusion contrary to those principles.
Pilate wasn’t interested in how the earth relates to the cosmos. The the author of John saw this account of Jesus standing in front of Pilate as an opportunity. The author declared what he thought was important (most scholars believe that this account found in John is not historical).
The author uses the recurrent “truth” theme over 20 times creating opportunities to deliver his central message. “Jesus of Nazareth modeled a way to live. He was authentic and truthful. We should do the same.”
Today I would answer Pilate’s question very differently than I might have ten years ago. I would like to think I’m closer to the truth now than I was then. And ten years before that. And even ten years before that.
I’d like to think that because I wake up every morning knowing more than I did yesterday. However, I do not know enough yet to say I’ve found THE definitive answers. I don’t pretend to know how Pilate asked the question. I also have no insight into how the line was delivered.
It’s enough for me to internalize his question and validate my own search for truth.
Objective truth will live on long after you and I are gone. Subjective truth, however, is buried with us in the grave.
That’s enough truth for me to begin and end any day.
