The Trial- "What is Truth?"

John 18:28-40.

Today we will be looking into the trial of Jesus before Pilate, the Roman Governor of the area at the time.

We know quite a bit about Pontius Pilate, thanks to excellent historical records that have survived from the time of the Roman Empire and its conquests.

He had at his disposal, a Roman guard to protect him and other Roman interests in the general area.

While it was the practice of the Romans to allow the people groups of their occupied territories to continue with whatever religious practices the local populace had, Pilate was known for being excessively brutal at times with his court rulings and his atrocities perpetrated on the Jews were well known, and documented at the time.

His compassion for Jesus is in stark contrast to what we know of him from history.

As it was then, we also see today, that life is filled with often conflicting and competing version and opinions of what truth really is.

As Jesus proved then, we can remain firm in our faith that Jesus is the One True source of Truth.

It has been a mark of human history to question and cast doubt of what Truth really is, Is there real Truth and can it really be obtained, held on to and examined by mankind.

We talked last week of the tensions between the Jewish religious leaders and the Romans, and that theme continues and will expand even further as John’s Gospel draws to a close in the coming chapters.

This compelling study should cause the Christian believer to realize that the world, as a whole, has not changed all that much in the last two thousand years.

The world of the First Century was full of conflict between political expediency real truth.

The blurring of the lines between long held standards and moral ambiguity has continued to this day.

So let’s begin with where we left off last week. The High priest has Jesus in custody and has already presented Him to Annas. And so we pick up the story there...

1-STILL STANDING STRONG

John 18:28–32 ESV

Then they led Jesus from the house of Caiaphas to the governor’s headquarters. It was early morning. They themselves did not enter the governor’s headquarters, so that they would not be defiled, but could eat the Passover. So Pilate went outside to them and said, “What accusation do you bring against this man?” They answered him, “If this man were not doing evil, we would not have delivered him over to you.” Pilate said to them, “Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law.” The Jews said to him, “It is not lawful for us to put anyone to death.” This was to fulfill the word that Jesus had spoken to show by what kind of death he was going to die.

We ended last weeks episode with a bit of a cliff-hanger.

Peter’s triple denial and Jesus being interrogated by Annas and Caiaphas.

The entire entourage of the High Priest, the members of the Sanhedrin and the temple guards then move to the headquarters of Pontius Pilate.

As this was all taking place during Passover- The Jews could not enter any place that had not been cleansed- And the headquarters of the occupying forces of the Roman government certainly qualified as “unclean”

It is key to remember that, although the Sanhedrin was the highest court of Justice in Israel, it could not impose a sentence of Capital Punishment on just anyone.

The only exception to this rule was anyone who violated the sanctity of the temple could be put to death- Even if that person were a Roman citizen.

As a historical note, in 70 AD, when the Roman general Titus laid siege to the Jerusalem and the temple, he hesitated to enter the temple grounds himself.

Pilate, for his own reasons, choose to meet with the Priests outside as opposed to insisting on them entering his headquarters office.

This first section shows the quandary the Sanhedrin is faced with.

Pilate clearly sees, that whatever charges they have against Jesus do not rise to the level of Roman concern.

John 18:28–32 ESV

Pilate said to them, “Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law.”

At this point no one is asking Jesus anything. Yet He doesnt voice any complaint.

He doesnt resist any of the rough treatment or verbal abuse hurled at Him.

Jesus stands firm in His identity and firm in His mission.

Showing us the utmost of Divine trust and humility in the face of total human injustice.

How would we respond in the same situation?

What practical steps can we take to seek out and hold onto the truth presented by Jesus?

So, after examining the charade of a trial and Jesus rising above it all:

we must consider:

What does it mean for us to follow Jesus as the One True source of Truth in our daily lives?

We look next at, 2- This world is not my home...

2- THIS WORLD IS NOT MY HOME

John 18:33–36 ESV

So Pilate entered his headquarters again and called Jesus and said to him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” Jesus answered, “Do you say this of your own accord, or did others say it to you about me?” Pilate answered, “Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered you over to me. What have you done?” Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.”

By laying the claim of Jesus calling Himself the King of the Jews, The Priests have now made the accusation that cannot be ignored by Pilate.

The Jews had no king in place at the time. And the only god the Romans recognized was the current Emperor of Rome.

The Synoptic gospels clarify Pilates first question to Jesus.

Luke records in Luke 23:2, With the Pharisees speaking:

Luke 23:2 ESV

“We found this man misleading our nation and forbidding us to give tribute to Caesar, and saying that he himself is Christ, a king.”

The last Jew to hold the title of “king” was Herod, during the time of the Birth of Christ.

Since then Rome had only assigned Governors such as Pilate to oversee the interests of Rome in the region.

The Sanhedrin hinting that Jesus was a self-proclaimed King and potentially leading a rebellion was THE one thing that would get the attention of Pilate.

While the question is a political one- and a highly charged one at that-

Jesus’ response is a Spiritual one. Rich in solid theology.

John 18:33–36 ESV

Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.”

For us today, we should be standing on the unfailing understanding of the Power and Authority we possess- Through the Truth of Jesus’ teachings- Especially with the ever-increasing societal pressure and challenges of the definition of man’s concept of truth vs Biblical truth.

During the Renaissance, a period of enlightenment, many embraced the idea of humanism, yet amidst this surge of thought, the Bible’s truth stood firm. Martin Luther, fueled by his convictions, challenged the established church’s teachings, igniting the Reformation.

His courageous stand reminds us that even in a world filled with counterfeits and confusion, the eternal truth of God's Word can cut through the lies, guiding us back to righteousness and faith.

We must determine for ourselves, the real impact of the Leadership and Sovereignty of Jesus.

That determination must be reflected in our own personal allegiance to the Spiritual Kingdom of God over any and all worldly systems in place.

So...

What does the trial of Jesus before Pilate reveal about the nature of truth in a secular world?

And this leads us to a most profound question- What is Truth?

3- TRUTH OR SKEPTICISM

John 18:37–40 ESV

Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.” Pilate said to him, “What is truth?” After he had said this, he went back outside to the Jews and told them, “I find no guilt in him. But you have a custom that I should release one man for you at the Passover. So do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?” They cried out again, “Not this man, but Barabbas!” Now Barabbas was a robber.

In 1 Kings 18, (One of my personal favorite stories of the OT) we read about Elijah’s bold confrontation with the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel. When faced with overwhelming odds and lies, he stood firm in God’s truth and witnessed a magnificent display of God's power.

This moment illustrates that while the lies may be loud and numerous, God’s truth is undeniably more powerful, always capable of igniting faith in the hearts of the faithful.

Jesus does the same thing in His time.

Jesus declares that His entire mission on earth is to bear witness to the Truth.

Leaving no doubt that anyone who lives in truth, hears God’s voice.

The cutting cynicism in Pilates question reflects mankind’s perpetual struggle with relativism and lies.

Consider the early Christians under the Roman Empire. They were surrounded by a culture of lies, worshiping numerous false gods and deifying emperors.

Yet, men like Apostles Peter and Paul boldly declared Jesus as the way, the truth, and the life.

This historical example of standing firm in faith against overwhelming opposition inspires us to embrace and uphold the truth, even when it feels like lies are triumphing.

As Christ followers, we are called to exercise discernment and wisdom as we work to uphold the absolute truth’s of God.

in a world that is bent on having things it’s own way and a society buried in its own skepticism and doubt.

We should all look inward and consider our own role in being witnesses to the living truth revealed to each of us through our Lord and Saviour- Jesus Christ.

So, today we have looked at Jesus in the middle of this sham mock trial and exhibiting these strong traits in the face of all the chaos and turmoil:

1- Standing Tall and remaining true to who He is.

2- Declaring boldly that His kingdom is not of this world

3- Proclaiming to Pilate and everyone else that He is the Voice of Truth.

Closing questions:

What role does God's sovereignty play in the events leading up to the crucifixion of Jesus?

How can we address the culture of skepticism towards truth that exists today?

How can we address the culture of skepticism towards truth that exists today?