“‘You are a king, then!’ said Pilate. Jesus answered, ‘You say that I am a king. In fact, 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?’ retorted Pilate.” – John 18:37–38
Pilate, the Roman governor, finds himself face-to-face with Jesus, who has been accused, beaten, and handed over by His own people. In a moment of history that echoes across centuries, Pilate asks a question that every human heart eventually wrestles with: “What is truth?”
This wasn’t just a question of philosophy-it was a question of eternity. Standing before Pilate was not merely a man, but the embodiment of truth itself (John 14:6). Yet Pilate, blinded by politics, pressure, and his own pragmatism, could not see it.
The irony in this moment is striking. Truth is not abstract. Truth is not a set of shifting opinions. Truth was standing there, bound in chains, appearing powerless yet carrying ultimate authority. Pilate thought he was the judge, but in reality, he was the one being judged by his response to Jesus. That same tension remains for us today. Truth often looks weak in a world that prizes power. Truth seems small in a culture drowning in competing narratives. Yet truth is not up for a vote. It is a person. And His name is Jesus.
Pilate walked away from the question without waiting for the answer. How often do we do the same? We’re too busy, too distracted, or too afraid of the cost of truth. But Jesus’ invitation still stands: “Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.” The question isn’t whether truth exists-it does. The question is whether we will recognize it and align our lives with it. Will we stand on the side of truth, even when it costs us something?
Let’s pray:
Lord Jesus, You are the way, the truth, and the life. Forgive me for the times I have walked away from Your voice. Help me to not only hear Your truth but to live it out courageously, even when it costs me. May I be found on the side of truth, with You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
