Absolute Truth

John 18

​Pilate’s question permeates through the red letters of John 18 and is repeated by our postmodern world and media today. Many in our culture reject the notion of absolute truth. Some question any truth.

"Truth” to them is relative—that is, what’s true for one person isn’t necessarily true for another. Truth is what they choose it to be and it is fluid, often different with the moment. But this is outrageous. Truth is the absolute standard by which reality is measured. It’s not something that changes based on feelings or perspective. Truth is truth whether one believes it or not.

A person can deny that gravity is true, but if he decides to jump off a building to prove it, he’s going to find that truth doesn’t care about his feelings or perspective. The concrete landing proves gravity exists. Truth exists whether you embrace it or not.

“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.” John 18:33–40 (ESV)

Here in John 18, we find evidence from previous chapters that Judas was not a saved man, even though he was one of the Twelve. He never believed in Jesus and therefore was never washed from his sins. Judas is a frightening example of how near one can get to the kingdom and still be lost.

"After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him. 67 So Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you want to go away as well?” 68 Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, 69 and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.” 70 Jesus answered them, “Did I not choose you, the twelve? And yet one of you is a devil.” 71 He spoke of Judas the son of Simon Iscariot, for he, one of the twelve, was going to betray him. John 6:66–71 (ESV)

Warren Wiersbe writes concerning John 18 that “Judas depended on the strength of numbers, Peter on the strength of his arm, Annas and Caiaphas on the strength of their position, but Jesus on the strength of love and devotion to the Father. Jesus had a cup in His hand, not a sword, but that cup was His scepter. He was in complete control.”

"When Jesus had spoken these words, he went out with his disciples across the brook Kidron, where there was a garden, which he and his disciples entered. 2 Now Judas, who betrayed him, also knew the place, for Jesus often met there with his disciples. 3 So Judas, having procured a band of soldiers and some officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees, went there with lanterns and torches and weapons. 4 Then Jesus, knowing all that would happen to him, came forward and said to them, “Whom do you seek?” 5 They answered him, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus said to them, “I am he.” Judas, who betrayed him, was standing with them. 6 When Jesus said to them, “I am he,” they drew back and fell to the ground. 7 So he asked them again, “Whom do you seek?” And they said, “Jesus of Nazareth.” 8 Jesus answered, “I told you that I am he. So, if you seek me, let these men go.” 9 This was to fulfill the word that he had spoken: “Of those whom you gave me I have lost not one.” 10 Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s servant and cut off his right ear. (The servant’s name was Malchus.) 11 So Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword into its sheath; shall I not drink the cup that the Father has given me?” John 18:1–11 (ESV)

Here, Peter fought when he should have yielded and followed when he should have fled. Yielding and fleeing looked like defeat, but they were the Father’s will; and Peter should have obeyed. While Jesus was giving His witness to the high priest, Peter was denying the Lord. Which was the successful witness, Peter or Jesus?

Dr. Tony Evans writes, “Since the soldiers and Jewish officials had been knocked over by Jesus’s mere words and then watched him reattach a severed ear, you might assume that they would be rethinking their plans to arrest him. But apparently they were so determined to do evil that nothing else mattered.”

"So the band of soldiers and their captain and the officers of the Jews arrested Jesus and bound him. 13 First they led him to Annas, for he was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, who was high priest that year. 14 It was Caiaphas who had advised the Jews that it would be expedient that one man should die for the people. 15 Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple. Since that disciple was known to the high priest, he entered with Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest, 16 but Peter stood outside at the door. So the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to the servant girl who kept watch at the door, and brought Peter in. 17 The servant girl at the door said to Peter, “You also are not one of this man’s disciples, are you?” He said, “I am not.” 18 Now the servants and officers had made a charcoal fire, because it was cold, and they were standing and warming themselves. Peter also was with them, standing and warming himself. 19 The high priest then questioned Jesus about his disciples and his teaching. 20 Jesus answered him, “I have spoken openly to the world. I have always taught in synagogues and in the temple, where all Jews come together. I have said nothing in secret. 21 Why do you ask me? Ask those who have heard me what I said to them; they know what I said.” 22 When he had said these things, one of the officers standing by struck Jesus with his hand, saying, “Is that how you answer the high priest?” 23 Jesus answered him, “If what I said is wrong, bear witness about the wrong; but if what I said is right, why do you strike me?” 24 Annas then sent him bound to Caiaphas the high priest. 25 Now Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. So they said to him, “You also are not one of his disciples, are you?” He denied it and said, “I am not.” 26 One of the servants of the high priest, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, asked, “Did I not see you in the garden with him?” John 18:12–26 (ESV)

Annas wanted Jesus to tell him what He had been doing to get everyone so riled up. But Jesus wasn’t about to recount everything he’d said or done. After all, He had spoken openly both in the synagogue and in the temple. He had done nothing in secret, nor did He lead any secret organization. If this trial were to be legitimate, they would have to bring forward witnesses to testify about what He had done wrong. Jesus requested that the high priest do so. Instead, someone simply hit Him! They had no interest in justice. They wanted blood.

By this point, Peter had already denied a direct question about whether he was a disciple of Jesus. Here he denies twice more having any relationship with Jesus. One of those who accused him of being with Jesus was a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off.

Surrounded by the stares of an inquisitive crowd, Peter was asked in essence, “Aren’t you the one who drew my kin’s blood?” In spite of his former boasting that he would die for Jesus, Peter wasn’t ready to put his life on the line. And immediately after his third denial, a rooster crowed—just as Jesus had predicted. “Peter again denied it, and at once a rooster crowed.”

Dr. Harold Wilmington writes in his Bible Handbook, “It is unclear whether John, who apparently was with Peter, was also accused of following Jesus. The young woman keeping the door knew John and let Peter in with him. In any event, John’s loyalty to the Lord is shown by his presence at the cross.”

“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.” John 18:28–32 (ESV)

As a Roman governor, Pilate was worried about the threat of another kingdom. Verse 36 is certainly a rebuke to believers who follow the example of Peter. At Pentecost, Peter wielded the sword of the Spirit and won a victory.

When Jesus claimed to represent the truth, Pilate wondered aloud, “What is truth?” The question remained unanswered as Pilate left, though Jesus had already answered it. What about you? How do you answer this question?

Know today, rejection of the possibility of absolute truth means rejection of Jesus, who claimed to embody the truth.
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The chapter ends after Pilate had sent Jesus to Herod, and Herod had sent him back to Pilate, according to a Passover custom Pilate offered to release a Jewish prisoner. The crowd chose Barabbas, a thief and murderer, instead of Jesus.

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