Read: 2 Samuel 4:1 – 6:23, John 13:31 – 14:14, Psalm 119:17-32, Proverbs 15:31-32
Relate: Breakfast had been ruined. True, it was not the most lavish of meals but I enjoyed eating a bit of emmer and honey along with some figs and wine in the cool of the day before the world interrupts. Today the world interrupted too early. These pesky religious leaders led a band of rioters to my doorstep so that I might pronounce judgment on some criminal they managed to catch. These so called priests are quite fine with criminals running around causing trouble, just as long as they are their criminals. Apparently this guy got on their wrong side. So much for breakfast.
Two guards escorted in a man who looked already a bit beaten and disheveled. By appearances he hadn’t slept and his Jewish captors already have had a bit of sport with him. Even without this, he wouldn’t have been all that impressive. Average height, typical Jewish look. A bit on the strong side and a bit on the skinny side. He had a weather beaten look that spoke of years living rough but not impossibly so. Despite all that there was something about him. There was something in his bearing commanded attention.
“So” I said, “Are you supposed to be the king of the Jews?”
He looked straight at me. No servility. This was not the look of a beaten man. Neither was it a look of aggression or defiance. Here was a man as completely in control of himself as the most rigid of the stoics. Unlike them, there was a compassion in his eyes instead of a stoic’s severity. He answered me.
“Are you asking this for yourself, or are you just repeating the question of others?”
“Am I a Jew?” I responded. “It’s your own religious leaders who brought you to me. They’re the ones who want this trial. Why? What did you do?”
“My kingdom doesn’t originate here on earth. If it did, my followers would have fought to keep me from those leaders. But my kingdom is not of this earth.”
Not the answer I was expecting. So he wasn’t just a revolutionary. He was one of those religious types. What was the word they used… Meshyak? Stupid Jewish Hebrew language. Why couldn’t they speak Latin or Greek like the rest of the civilized world? I’d better stick with what I know.
“So you are a king?”
My question hung in the air as the silence thickened around it. Although they weren’t being particularly rowdy, you could hear that the numbers outside were rising with the dawn. Down there that crowd was a deadly powder-keg just waiting to blow. Not on my watch. Not again. Inside this Jesus just looked at me. His gaze demanded me to answer my own question. Who is this man? Could he really be some otherworldly king? Yes. Almost, I could believe it.
As soon as I acknowledged that in my mind, he spoke aloud. “You say that I am a king. Actually, I have come to testify to this truth. Those who love truth will recognize it in what I say.”
“What is truth?”
Again, silence. The way he stood. The way he looked at me. It was as if he was presenting himself as answer to my question. No other words were needed. Nothing else needed to be said. He was all the answer I needed. Leaving him there, I walked out to address the crowd.
React: What is truth? That question rings very real and very true to this day. Beginning with Rene Descartes famous conclusion “Cogito ergo sum”, “I think, therefore I am” the human mind has been top of the food chain. Reason was king. Legitimacy was dependent upon a logical explanation and truth was what the greatest of thinkers determined it was. In reaction to this a movement in our postmodern era has decided that truth is whatever you or I think it is. There are no absolutes and all of us can see very different, completely legitimate, possibly contradictory truths depending on our own worldviews and perspectives. But truth doesn’t start with a vantage point. Neither does it start with a logic system or an ability to reason. Truth starts with a man. His name is Jesus.
Respond:
Jesus, You are my way. You are my truth. You are my very life. But more than just mine. You are the only way, truth, and life. There is no other way for us, for man, to get to God. You are both the bridge and the destination. You are a truth that is so much deeper than logic, reasoning or perspective. You are everything. You are the only thing. I surrender my way, I surrender my life to You, the only Truth.
THE RIVER WALK 
Great post, Beejai.
Like Pilate, the modern world can not see that truth stands before them in the divine person of Christ.
As you rightly say: the modern world promotes subjective truth. Yet the contradiction of its relativistic practice is revealed in the chaos that it breeds. The modern progressives tout progress. But what progress is ever made from chaos. How can progress be measured in a philosophy that envisions an end, yet its beginning is not known.
The truth in Christ, as is His peace, is found in His will. Where there is peace, there is no chaos. The beginning in Christ is also its end. The Son of God, like God the Father, is being, not becoming. There is no progress toward this end, but rather perfection.
-Alan
Very good note.
Once again your finger points past the jargon and lifts our Savior to His place at the Father´s side. It makes Him essential and pertinent to each of us. Thanks, that is what we need!
God bless your ministry.
What an exciting way you present Jesus’s meeting with Pilates. I kept my breath reading it. What a role model Jesus is for us in tough situations
If we could all just be like Jesus the world would be so much better. I love reading your posts. Thank you so much for truth.
Love love love this – and the perspective, a story in scripture
loved this as well its amazing
This sentence was heartbreaking in its simplicity and its profundity “He was all the answer I needed” I pray I would recognise that more so that those around me would see Him more clearly.
Reblogged this on Shiny Thoughts and commented:
“He was all the answer I needed”
I pray you find that same Truth.
Again, amazing gift you have been given. For me, your writing puts me there and enhances my reflection.
Pingback: What Is Truth | selectivesights
Reblogged this on ChristianBlessings and commented:
If you are seeking Truth, seek and you shall find. Knock and the door will be opened to you.
Do not stop till you find Jesus.
Reblogged this on A Pastor's Thoughts and commented:
A really good take on the subject of truth.
Hello Beejai,
Thanks for liking my blog https://unbelievablescam.wordpress.com/2016/07/23/babies-are-not-born-religious/
I have to sincerely compliment you for your beautifully laid-out website!
I just only took a mere glance at your website and it strikes me that – having read the same holy books – our conclusions are so different. Correct me if I’m wrong in my conclusion. It’s no problem for me. Is it for you?
Kind regards from a freethinking atheist in The Netherlands, Joop Herwig
It is no problem that we disagree. Everyone has the right to be wrong. 😉 Which “holy books” are you referring to specifically? I’ve read the Quran, Upanishads, Tao Te Ching, and Ramayana as well as the Bible (Tanakh and New Testament). I have also read nearly everything Dawkins has written and it is my opinion that the man is not nearly as brilliant as he thinks he is.
I liked your post because, at the core, I agree with it. Kids aren’t born with a particular religion. I also agree that it is crucial to teach them how to be taught. I find far too many people, (Christian/atheist/Islam/whatever) who will grab hold of whatever fits their preconceived notions of truth without a single shred of ability to think critically. Where we disagree is that I believe it is crucial to teach a child the tenets of Christianity at a young age. Even if they go another way later in life, having that Biblical framework found in such things as the Ten Commandments, the Golden Rule, and the sermon on the mount will only benefit them later in life.
I’m impressed. Most of the time people base their moral values on just ONE book, either Bible (Torah) or Quran, which sadly in some cases lead to hatred, discrimination, even murder. I’ve read those holy books, as well as the Mahabharata, the I Tjing, some books of Dawkins, most of Zechariah Sitchin, most of Erich van Daniken and a lot of scientific books as well. It has led me to the conclusion that the holy books of whichever (of the more than 4,000 !) religions in the world do not tell the truth, which are – in my opinion – all based on the original stories, after being plagiarized and thoroughly altered: the oldest written legacy of mankind which is on the Sumerian clay tablets. And they put a completely different light on the origin of our solar system and the origin of mankind, Homo sapiens, us. That’s it for now. I have a very open mind and I will start following your website with great interest. Thanks for your input. Kind regards!
Sorry Beejai,
I forgot something in my previous comment:
Here’s the link to The Epic of Creation (of our Solar system) (“Enuma Elish”) and the Creation of Man:
https://unbelievablescam.wordpress.com/de-schepping/
You are very welcome to “shoot at it” or comment in any other way!
Joop Herwig