What Is Truth?

The Background

This question was asked by Pilot. He asked it while interrogating the Lord Jesus in John 18. There we find the setting laid out for us, it almost looks like a court room drama. In verses 28-32 we have the indictment against the Lord Jesus. He is brought to the Praetorium early in the morning, but His accusers didn’t go into the Praetorium “lest they should be defile, but that they might eat the Passover.” When Pilates asks, “’What accusation do you bring against this Man?’ They answered and said to him, ‘If He were not an evildoer, we would not have delivered Him up to you.’”  The actual accusation is three-fold and recorded in Luke’s account of this ordeal, “they began to accuse Him, saying, “We found this fellow perverting the nation, and forbidding to pay taxes to Caesar, saying that He Himself is Christ, a King.” They accused the Lord Jesus first of leading the nation astray, then of opposing tribute to Caesar, and finally of claiming to a king and the Jewish Messiah.

Pilate then examines the Lord Jesus for himself and finds no fault in Him (18:33-35).  But in the course of Pilates interrogation, we read of this exchange, “Jesus answered, ‘My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here.’ Pilate therefore said to Him, ‘Are You a king then?’ Jesus answered, ‘You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.’” Here we read of the defense of the Lord Jesus in response to the accusations and in His statement, we have some important truth given.

First, “You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I was born.” Here we have a statement of His manhood, of His humanity. Then we read of His deity, “and for this cause I have come into the world.” These two things we read throughout this book (Jn. 1:1-3, 9-10, 14; 3:17-19; 9:39; 10:36). The third truth given here is that of His ministry, why He came, “that I should bear witness to the truth.” The Lord Jesus spoke of this leading up to this point. In John 8:45-47, “But because I tell the truth, you do not believe Me. Which of you convicts Me of sin? And if I tell the truth, why do you not believe Me? He who is of God hears God’s words; therefore, you do not hear, because you are not of God.” He also spoke of this in John 10:27, “Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in My Father’s name, they bear witness of Me. But you do not believe, because you are not of My sheep, as I said to you. My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.”

At this point in the interrogation Pilate asked, “What is truth?” When he had said this, he went out again to the Jews, and said to them, “I find no fault in Him at all. Pilate may have asked what is truth sarcastically, he may have asked it sincerely, we are not sure, but one thing we do know is that he asked a very serious and all–important question! It is important to the day you and I live in. Many will say, “that is your truth and this is my truth.” Some will say there is no absolute truth. But we want to dive into Pilate’s question and seek to answer, “What is truth?”

Paul mentions, when describing the last days, that the world we live in is “always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth” (2 Tim. 3:7).

Definition of Truth

Let’s get a working definition to Pilate’s question, “What is truth?” Truth is the absolute standard by which reality is measure. Truth sits outside of us and is the objective standard that is absolute in its origin. Truth is consistent with the mind, will, character, glory, and being of God. Truth is the self-expression of God. Truth transcends our emotions meaning that how we feel has nothing to do with truth. Truth is a fixed standard that goes deeper than facts, a person can have all the facts and yet still not know the truth about something.

It is interesting that the word truth appears 23 times in the gospel which presents the Lord Jesus as the Son of God. It is used 105 times in the New Testament and the only other book that comes close is also written by John, 1 John in which the word truth appears 10 times. Romans uses it 9 times. The Greek word for truth is aletheia which means firm, solid or binding.

Distinguishing Details of Truth

In our definition we have said that Truth is consistent with the mind, will, character, glory, and being of God and that Truth is the self-expression of God. Truth comes from God! We can say that each Person of the Godhead is Truth. We read Deuteronomy 32:4 that our God is the Rock, His work is perfect; For all His ways are justice, a God of truth and without injustice;
Righteous and upright is He.” In Psalm 31:5 we read, “Into Your hand I commit my spirit;
You have redeemed me, O Lord God of truth.” The first half of this verse is spoken by the Lord Jesus to the Father from the Cross. And we also read of Him being the God of truth twice in Isaiah 65:16, So that he who blesses himself in the earth shall bless himself in the God of truth;
and he who swears in the earth shall swear by the God of truth; because the former troubles are forgotten, and because they are hidden from My eyes.” So, we can glean from all three of these verses that God the Father is Truth.

In John 14:6 the Lord Jesus declared, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” He was indeed the One of Whom we read, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God… And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth…For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ” (Jn. 1:1-2, 14, 17). In these verses we clearly see the Lord Jesus proclaimed as Truth personified.

Then God the Holy Spirit is also referred to as the Spirit of Truth in John 14:17, 15:26, and 16:13.

When we put all this together, we understand what Paul meant when he wrote, “let God be true but every man a liar” (Rom. 3:4) or Hebrews 6:18 “it is impossible for God to lie” and this is also mentioned in Titus 1:2.  Our God cannot lie because He Himself is Truth!

The second distinguishing mark of what constitute truth is reigns supreme. This means that truth is absolute, Truth has the first and last word, the final say! Truth is never relative, arbitrary orconditional. It stands in contrast to one who is called the father of lies (Jn. 8:44).

Some will say, there is no absolute truth. A good question to ask people who say, “There is no absolute truth” is this: “Are you absolutely sure of that?” If they say “yes,” they have made an absolute statement—which itself implies the existence of absolutes. They are saying that the very fact there is no absolute truth is the one and only absolute truth.

The third thing we can say about truth is that it is real and genuine, meaning that it exists and it is objective. Truth is not subjective, nor does it depend on circumstances. It can be known, the Lord Jesus said, “you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (Jn. 8:32).

Next, all Truth stands together, meaning that Truth is singular. Notice back in John 18:37, John 8:32, 14:6 the Lord Jesus spoke of THE Truth, not a truth or one of many truths. The Bible knows nothing about your truth and my truth, or that’s the truth according to you. It only knows of ONE Truth, THE Truth!

Fifth, that which is Truth never changes! Just as God Himself is immutable or unchanging (Mal. 3:6) and the Lord Jesus the living Word is the same yesterday today and forever (Heb. 13:8), the Truth does not change. The Psalmist announced, “Forever, O Lord, Your word is settled in heaven” (Ps. 119:89). Isaiah declared, “The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever” (Is. 40:8). The Lord Jesus taught, “For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled” (Mt. 5:18).

The sixth feature of Truth is that it makes demands or to put it another way it is authoritative. The Psalmist declared, “The entirety of Your word is truth, and every one of Your righteous judgments endures forever” (Ps. 119:160). The Biblical message breathed out by God is revelation in written form. (2 Tim. 3:15-16). There is only one written source from God, and there is only one basis of authority for the Lord’s people in the Church and that is the Truth.

The next thing we need to mention is that the Truth cuts deeply, “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Heb. 4:12). The Word of God is alive because God is a living God (Heb. 3:12). The Lord Jesus said, “The very words I have spoken to you are spirit and life” (Jn. 6:63). In the parable of the Sower, He compared God’s Word to seed (Mt. 13:1–23). Seed, like the Word, is a living organism that, when spread and planted in fertile soil, produces abundant life.

The term active in Hebrew 4:12 means “effective, powerful, producing or capable of producing an intended result.” The Word of God is vibrant, dynamic, energizing, and productive. It is not static or idle in the lives of genuine believers. The apostle Paul explained that the Word of God is “at work in you who believe” (1 Thess. 2:13). The author of Hebrews described the Word of God as “sharper than any double-edged sword.” Paul called it “the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God” (Eph. 6:17). As a sharp, double-edged sword, the Word of God is our definitive defensive weapon against the assaults of a spiritual enemy. When Satan tempted the Lord Jesus in the wilderness, the Lord wielded the sword of God’s Word to counter the devil’s attacks (Mt. 4:4).

The final distinguishing feature of the Truth is that it determines destinies. It has been said that “your relationship to the truth charts the course of your life.” A person’s response to the truth will impact every area of the life here and now and it will determine their eternal destiny as well! This is why the Psalmist referred to the Word of God as “a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Ps. 119:105).

The Power of the Truth

Next to our text in John 18 the second passage where the subject of truth is dealt with in detail is found in John 8. In chapters 8 and 9 we learn of the Lord Jesus as the true light contrasted with that which is darkness. It is instructive that this matter of light and truth go hand in hand together in chapter 8, light exposes darkness and truth exposes that which is false. In fact, we see several contrasts reveal in chapter 8, grace vs. law (v1-11), light vs. darkness (v12-20), life vs. death (v21-30), freedom vs. bondage (v31-47), and honor vs. dishonor (v48-59).

The women caught in the very act of adultery sets the ground work for our subject on truth. If these religious leaders were genuine about their concern for the law, they would have had the man present in keeping with Leviticus 20:10. It might seem strange at first glance that our Lord declares at the end of this encounter, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.” He said this because He was exposing the true condition of their hearts.

Then the next section of chapter 8 deals with the teaching of the Lord Jesus as the light of the world (8:13-32). In this section we hear three statements made which parallel with statements that are made in the rest of the chapter.

First, the Pharisee said to Him, “You bear witness of Yourself; Your witness is not true.” The Lord answers them, “Even if I bear witness of Myself, My witness is true, for I know where I came from and where I am going; but you do not know where I come from and where I am going. You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one. And yet if I do judge, My judgment is true; for I am not alone, but I am with the Father who sent Me. It is also written in your law that the testimony of two men is true. I am One who bears witness of Myself, and the Father who sent Me bears witness of Me.” This connects directly with what our Lord says in verse 31-32, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” They were enslaved by ignorance and He offers the freedom of the truth.

Second, latter in this confrontation, our Lord declared, “I am going away, and you will seek Me, and will die in your sin. Where I go you cannot come.” But the Pharisees became sidetracked saying, “Will He kill Himself, because He says, ‘Where I go you cannot come’?” But latter He points out, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever.” In all this, the Lord Jesus speaks of those who are enslaved by sin (v21), but He offers freedom from sin (v34-36).

Then the Lord mentions to them, “You are from beneath; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. Therefore, I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.” The Lord Jesus was seeking to impress upon them that they were enslaved by death and that He offered freedom from death, “Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed” (v36).

They had asked a question in the midst of this back and forth, “Who are You?” And Jesus said to them, “Just what I have been saying to you from the beginning. I have many things to say and to judge concerning you, but He who sent Me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I heard from Him.” If one carefully follows this chapter, we can clearly see that the Lord Jesus claimed deity in verses 12, 18, 23, 24, 28, and 36.

Notice the connection between truth and the Son. In verses 31-32 our Lord announced, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. 32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” In verse 36 He says, “Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.” At least seven times in this chapter our Lord declared that His words were true (8:13-14, 26, 31-32).  We read that as the incarnate Word He was full of grace and truth (Jn. 1:14). Truth came through Him, “For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ” (Jn.1:17). He is the Truth as He said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (Jn. 14:6). As the Truth He is able to set us free (Jn. 8:32-36; Gal. 5;1). It is truth sets us apart, “Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth” (Jn. 17:17).

Conclusion

It is no secret that today, as always there is a war on the truth! Satan has not changed his tactics. But Paul reminds us, “lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices” (2 Cor. 2:11). From the very beginning he put doubt into the heart of man concerning the Word of God, “Has God said” (Gen. 3:1)? He desires to distort the Word of God, for example carefully compare what Satan said God said in Genesis 3:1 with what God actually said in Genesis 2:16. This distortion opens the door for Eve to lose sight of her relationship with her God. She actually takes away from the word God gave them omitting “every” and adding the word “not to touch” and she soften His words by taking away the word “surely” in Genesis 2:17. By the time we get to Genesis 3:4 she completely denied the truth.

This is why Paul told Timothy to “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Tim. 2:15). In these last and difficult days, we are to “hold fast the pattern of sound words which you have heard from me, in faith and love which are in Christ Jesus” (2 Tim. 1:13). There will be those who do not want to hear the truth, Paul warned us about these days saying, “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables” (2 Tim. 4:3-4). These days are no doubt here, and truth does matter this is why we are to “Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching” and “to be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry” (2 Tim. 4:2, 5).