An Inconvenient Truth

In 2006, a controversial movie was released, titled “An Inconvenient Truth” that sought to raise awarness of climate change and its dangers.

This film was quite controversial. Many on the conservative side of politics decried it as scientific gooble-dy guck, yet this film did have a big impact on society.

An incovenient truth for some is that in the 20 years since that film, there do seem to be some changes in climtes.

A probably even MORE inconvenient truth for others, including the makers of this film, is that various scenarios depicted seem hilarious now, such as the idea of Florida sinking beneath rising waters or hurricanes would become more frequent and intense.

Of course, such a film raises all kinds of political issues and ire. By mentioning this film, I am NOT making a political statement.

(pause)

But I am trying to point out the problems we struggle with in society regarding the truth.

(pause)

What is truth?

(pause)

With Photoshop and AI and other technologies… with the idea that this is MY truth and that is YOUR truth… with our suspicion of authority… with the prevalence of hoaxes and more… can we know the truth?

(pause)

And… when we find the truth, do we accept it, even when it may be inconvenient for us?

(pause)

In our scripture today, we find the same challenge: what is truth and, when we know it, do we find it inconvenient?

Would you read our scripture with me?

John 18:28–40 ESV

28 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. 29 So Pilate went outside to them and said, “What accusation do you bring against this man?” 30 They answered him, “If this man were not doing evil, we would not have delivered him over to you.” 31 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.” 32 This was to fulfill the word that Jesus had spoken to show by what kind of death he was going to die. 33 So Pilate entered his headquarters again and called Jesus and said to him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” 34 Jesus answered, “Do you say this of your own accord, or did others say it to you about me?” 35 Pilate answered, “Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered you over to me. What have you done?” 36 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.” 37 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.” 38 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. 39 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?” 40 They cried out again, “Not this man, but Barabbas!” Now Barabbas was a robber.

As we study John’s account of Jesus’ arrest and crucifixion we find that the apostle skipped various details that the Synoptic Gospel’s include.

For example, John gives no details about Jesus' trial before Caiaphas where the Sandhedrin brought multiple false witnesses against Jesus, but could not get two to agree, until two witnesses came forward saying that Jesus said that if they destroyed the Temple, he would rebuild it in 3 days.

Finally, Caiaphas, frustrated, adjured Jesus before almighty God to tell them if he was the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed.

Mark 14:62 ESV

And Jesus said, “I am, and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.”

At this the Sanhedrin erupted, saying Jesus had committed blasphemy and was worthy of death. They spit in Jesus, covered his face, and struck him.

Then, they took Jesus to Pilate's residence. Pilate tried to avoid the whole issue of trying Jesus at first, sending him to Herod, as Jesus was a Galilean and part of Herod’s jurisdiction.

But Jesus would not even answer Herod, so he arrayed Jesus in a beautiful purple robe… and sent him back to Pilate.

Commentators explain that it was the practice of Roman governors to begin the day very early. One such leader conducted all the business of the day before noon.

So… it was probably about 7 or 8 a.m. when Sanhedrin brought Jesus back to Pilate. Pilate, as governor, typically resided in Caesarea, a town built on the seashore.

But, due to festival, apparently had traveled to Jerusalem, probably in part to quell any potential rebellion by this restive nation.

It has been suggested the location of this meeting was

… in Herod’s palace, a magnificent building with three towers located north of Caiaphas’s palace. Another suggestion is the Tower of Antonia at the northwest corner of the temple, a fortress that Herod the Great had used as his headquarters before his own palace was built.

Gangel, K. O. (2000). John (Vol. 4, p. 336). Broadman & Holman Publishers.

With this setting, let us now consider why we often find the truth inconvenient.

(pause)

Why do we often find the truth inconvenient?

1. We live by an invalid standard, John 18:28-29.

John 18:28–29 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?”

In verse 28 is a detail that has resulted in a bit of debate among scholars. According to the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark and Luke), Jesus and the disciples had eaten the Passover meal the night before.

But in our text John gave the reason why the religious leaders didn’t want to enter Pilate’s quarters the reason that they might become unclean and not be able to eat the Passover that night.

In regard to this discrepancy, there are a number of solutions. Jesus and his disciples may have eaten the Passover early. Furthermore, probably John and maybe even the gospel writers were making the symbolic point that Jesus is the Passover Lamb.

John may also have been using the term “Passover” loosely to refer to the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which immediately followed Passover. The point is… this detail is not a dealbreaker. This is NOT an error in the Bible.

(pause)

Yet, the reason for emphasizing that the Passover was near is this: the religious leaders were very afraid of becoming ceremonially clean as they plotted the murder of an innocent man!

(pause)

Think about it!

(pause)

It is almost like a group of robbers very carefully wiping any mud off their feet on the entrance mat before they go on to rob the bank.

It’s like the student obsessing over their signature after they cheat on a test.

(pause)

This story highlights the hyprocrisy and moral bankruptcy that plagued the Jewish religious elite of Jesus’ day. Like Jesus said…

Matthew 23:23–25 ESV

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others. You blind guides, straining out a gnat and swallowing a camel! “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence.

The religious establishment of that day found the truth of God’s Word in its laws and precepts about how to worship and serve God to be incredibly inconvenient. So, they chose instead to live by an invalid standard.

The traditions and rules that they developed to interpret and apply God’s Law became more important to them than what God had actually said and prescribed in His Word.

(pause)

We should note that this inconvenient truth can still exist today, even in Christianity. Often in an admirable attempt to live holy… but sometimes as a result of people trying to toe the line between right and wrong… various standards, traditions, and rules have been developed.

(pause)

Over time, people become more concerned about these manmade rules than they do about displaying godliness in their attitude, speech, and actions!

(pause)

Why do we often find the truth inconvenient?

2. We have determined an illegal sentence, John 18:30-32.

John 18:30–32 ESV

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.

John’s account of Jesus before the high priest is of Jesus before Annas, who was a former high priest, but the real power behind the priesthood.

According to Jewish Law, it was illegal to ask questions of an accused in order to incriminate them. Annas tried his best to get Jesus to say something by which he could be pronounced a false prophet or a revolutionary.

Jesus insisted that they should produce witnesses and conduct a real trial.

(pause)

But when the Sanhedrin convened, the people who came forward were all false witnesses. And, even among these liars they could not find two whose testimony agreed.

(pause)

Finally, they did find the two who testified that Jesus said he could destroy the temple of God and rebuild it in three days. This testimony was demonstrably false.

Jesus had actually said, “(You) destroy this temple, and I will raise it up in three days.” And Jesus was talking figuratively about his body, not the physical temple located in Jerusalem.

Even so, this claim of Jesus was not that he would destroy the Temple of God or even that he wanted to. Jesus had done and had said nothing wrong.

Finally, when the high priest adjured him to say whether he was the Messiah, the Son of God, Jesus answered in the affirmative.

(pause)

The Sanhedrin took this to be blasphemy. But the inconvenient truth was that they did not produce any evidence to prove Jesus was NOT the Messiah. Meanwhile, Jesus had provided sign after sign after sin to prove that he WAS!

(pause)

This did not stop this rabid, hatefilled group of leaders. They declared Jesus to have committed blasphemy. And as such, they determined an illegal sentence: Jesus must die!

(pause)

More often than we want to admit, this scenario plays itself out in our lives today. Sometimes, it happens publicly in the justice system, just like then, as the accused is judged guilty without proper evidence.

(pause)

Sometimes, it happens privately in our hearts as we come across people who look a certain way, maybe act a certain way, or or maybe hold different beliefs than us - and our prejudices determine they are “guilty”, they are “wrong”, they are the “enemy”.

(pause)

The inconvenient truth is that we have not truly and fairly listened to their side, considered their feelings, understood their context. It’s easier to label, categorize, and to justify our actions as necessary, legal, and right.

(pause)

Why do we often find the truth inconvenient?

3. We are paralyzed by an indecisive stance, John 18:33-40

Pontius Pilate is a fascinating character in this story. Our scripture doesn’t tell us much about his backstory, even though it hints there is more to the story.

When Herod the Great died, his three sons became Tetrarchs, ruling over Israel. So lousy a ruler was Herod Archelaus, however, that the Jews appealed to Rome to send someone else to reign in his place. Rome answered with Pontius Pilate—a former slave who, through marriage and political maneuvering, became a Procurator, or overseer.

Courson, J. (2003). Jon Courson’s Application Commentary (p. 585). Thomas Nelson.

Pilate was appointed governor in A.D. 26 due to Sejanus’ influence, who was the commander of the Praetorian Guard in Rome. Pilate ruled over Judea for 10 years.

(Source: previous sermon, source then?)

Concering that incident with the busts of the emperor… you may recall that the Law of God forbade any statues or pictures in Jewish homes. It was considered a violation of the 2nd commandment forbidding idolatry.

So, on that occasion when Pilate entered Jerusalem he had Roman soldiers bring their ensigns with them in the secrecy of night.

The Jews quickly discovered what he had done and a huge crowd went to Caesarea to petition the removal of the ensigns. Pilate refused to listen to them for five days.

Then, he had the soldiers surround the people and threatened to kill them all if they would not stop bothering him about it. At this the Jews threw themselves to the ground and bared their necks, telling Pilate to kill them. Pilate relented, unwilling to kill so many.

On another occasion, Pilate took the sacred treasure of the Temple to pay for bringing water into Jerusalem by aqueduct. When the Jews had assembled against him, Pilate sent soldiers dressed as civilians in among the people. The soldiers beat the people so severely with staves that the riot was quelled.

On another occasion Pilate donated some gilt shields for the palace of Herod to honor the emperor. These shields did not have a forbidden image but did carry the name of the donor.

When Pilate would not listen to the Jews, they appealed to Tiberius (the Roman emperor) who had Pilate take the shields back to Caesarea.

Edersheim tells us that earlier governors had been guilty of “grievous fiscal oppressions,” but in general they respected the religious surroundings of Jerusalem. As Edersheim puts it:

The exactions, and the reckless disregard of all Jewish feelings and interests, might have been characterised as reaching the extreme limit, if worse had not followed when Pontius Pilate succeeded the procuratorship. Venality, violence, robbery, persecutions, wanton malicious insults, judicial murders without even the formality of a legal process, and cruelty—such are the charges brought against his administration. If former governors had, to some extent, respected the religious scruples of the Jews, Pilate set them purposely at defiance; and this not only once, but again and again, in Jerusalem, in Galilee, and even in Samaria, until the Emperor himself interposed

(Edersheim, I, p. 262). Gangel, K. O. (2000). John (Vol. 4, p. 340). Broadman & Holman Publishers.

On five occasions Pilate slaughtered Jews, earning such a violent reputation in Jerusalem that the emperor Tiberias finally yanked him back to Rome.

Gangel, K. O. (2000). John (Vol. 4, p. 335). Broadman & Holman Publishers.

Pilate was dismissed from his governorship in A.D. 35 or 36.

(pause)

We should remember the wealth and power of Annas, the former high priest, and his family. Surely, their religious power was threatening to Pilate politically.

Is it no wonder that Pilate answered the Sanhedrin a bit dismissively? Is it too much to suggest he was suspicious of their motives? Were they trying to trap him, as well as Jesus, in their devious schemes?

(pause)

But consider this also.

Earlier we noted that Pilate was made governor due to the influence of a man named Sejanus, who was commander of the Praetorian Guard. At one point it was said, “the closer a man’s intimacy with Sejanus, the stronger his claim to the emperor’s friendship” (p. 171).

But something changed. Somehow Sejanus incurred the wrath of the Roman emperor. He was executed on October 18, A.D. 31.

We’re jumping a bit ahead in this story, but can you see how threatening was the Jewish religious leader’s ultimatum in John 19:12?

John 19:12 ESV

From then on Pilate sought to release him, but the Jews cried out, “If you release this man, you are not Caesar’s friend. Everyone who makes himself a king opposes Caesar.”

(pause)

With this contorted context, is it no wonder that Pilate vacillated back and forth as the problem of Jesus stood before him? He didn’t even want to be involved!

The Sanhedrin did not have a real case against Jesus. But they demanded his death. Pilate was not in good favor with the people already, nor was he in good favor with Rome.

If Jesus would admit to being a wannabe king, it would have made things much easier. But Jesus’ answer - that he was the king of the spiritual domain - revealed he was no threat to Rome.

(pause)

John 18:38 ESV

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.

In Pilate’s response we see sarcasm and disbelief, but we also find despair and confusion.

(pause)

The truly inconvenient truth for both the Jewish religious leaders and for Pilate - for Jews and Gentiles - for all those who refuse to believe in Jesus even today - is this:

Big Idea: In Jesus we find real Truth for life.

From the very beginning of John’s gospel we find this truth:

John 1:1 ESV

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

John 1:14 ESV

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

To Nicodemus…

John 3:11–12 ESV

Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen, but you do not receive our testimony. If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things?

To the Samaritan woman at the well Jesus said…

John 4:22–23 ESV

You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him.

John 4:25–26 ESV

The woman said to him, “I know that Messiah is coming (he who is called Christ). When he comes, he will tell us all things.” Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am he.”

To the crowd after the feeding of the five thousand…

John 6:32–35 ESV

Jesus then said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” They said to him, “Sir, give us this bread always.” Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.

The people did not like this; many disciples turned away. Jesus asked the Twelve if they would go also.

John 6:68 ESV

Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life,

We could go on and on, but cannot for sake of time. But in John 14 as Jesus prepared his disciples for this moment - his arrest, death, and resurrection, Jesus said:

John 14:3–6 ESV

And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. And you know the way to where I am going.” Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

Jesus is our Message from God. Jesus is the Way to God. If we would know the Truth, we must know Jesus. If we would live by Truth, we must imitate Jesus.

For those who have trusted in Jesus as Lord and Savior, this is the glorious truth! But for all those who have rejected him or find themselves unwilling to completely commit to Christ, this is an inconvenient truth.

(PAUSE)

Pilate finally had a “great” idea. There was a custom of releasing a prisoner at Passover. He would offer the Jews Jesus Barabbas, whose name meant “son of a father” - a terrorist who had taken part in a insurrection attempt, or Jesus the Christ, Son of the Father - God the Father.

(pause)

Pilate badly underestimated the influence of the Sanhedrin on the crowd. Whipped into a frenzy…

John 18:40 ESV

They cried out again, “Not this man, but Barabbas!” Now Barabbas was a robber.

(pause)

It was easier - for both the Jew and Roman - to live with an inconvenient truth than to accept Jesus Christ as the Truth.

(pause)

As we hear Pilate’s agonized cry, “What is Truth?” today, we should pause. Are there some inconvenient truths we are holding on to today?

(pause)

Are there some lies or half-truths in our life that we are holding onto because we feel it is more convenient than dealing with reality?

(pause)

Are there some attitudes, even unfounded conclusions, we hold for certain people because it is more convenient that to engage people unlike us in dialogue?

(pause)

Does our life demonstrate a decisive commitment for God, or do we sometimes vacillate between desires for the world and desire for Jesus?

(pause)

Are we living fully in the Light of God’s love, or would the spotlight of the Holy Spirit reveal some inconvenient realities?

(pause)

May God show us any lack of integrity in our lives. May we confess that sin to him. May we then recommit ourselves fully to Jesus, who is the Truth of life!