"Brief Devotions For Busy Lives" By the late Rev. Dr. Mary B. Johnson: John 18:37-38

November 17 

"Then Pilate said, “So you are a king!” Jesus replied, “You say that I am a king. For this reason I was born, and for this reason I came into the world - to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.” Pilate asked, “What is truth?” When he had said this he went back outside to the Jewish leaders and announced, “I find no basis for an accusation against him." -John 18:37-38 (NET)

​Pilate asked Jesus a straightforward question as to what his purpose was, and Jesus answered clearly at his trial. Jesus said his purpose is bringing Truth. While a king, Christ's kingdom is not in this world. There seems to have been no question in Pilate's mind that Jesus spoke truth and was innocent of any crime. It also seems apparent that while recognizing the truth, Pilate callously rejected it. It is a tragedy when any of us fail to recognize the truth. It is a greater tragedy when we recognize truth but fail to follow it as Pilate did when he released the murderer Barabbas rather than Jesus whom he knew was innocent. Yet Pilate chose popularity and political power rather than truth and justice. Barabbas was a guilty revolutionary against Rome but a hero to some Jews because they hated being governed by Rome and paying taxes to the Emperor

With Pilate's words “What is truth?” he condemned Jesus to death. It isn't clear what Pilate fully meant. He may have been sarcastic, or even reflective about truth. John hasn't given enough information to say. Yet Pilate's question makes us all reflect on what truth really is? However, Jesus already answered this question earlier in John when he said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."(Jn.14:6) Yet Pilate was cynical. He thought all truth was relative. For many politicians "truth" still is whatever the majority believes or whatever may advance their own personal power and political goals. When there is no standard or acknowledgement of truth, we have no basis for morality, right, or wrong. Justice becomes whatever works or whatever helps politicians stay in power. Thank God we have Jesus and the Bible for our infallible standard of truth and morality!

​Prayer: God, May the truth of Jesus shine in darkness. Amen.

​Meditation For The Day: Truth is God's light in our fight for right!

Brief Devotions For Busy Lives: Daily Fall Renewal (Volume 3) Paperback – August 23, 2017 by Rev. Dr. Mary B. Johnson (Author)