“What is truth” (John 18:38)? That’s what Pilate asked Jesus, probably out of weary, worldly cynicism. As the Roman prefect of Judea, his only concern was to keep the peace, and he didn’t particularly care how that got done. As his contemporary Herod Agrippa described him in a letter to the emperor, he was “naturally inflexible, a blend of self-will and relentlessness.”

And of course, as a Roman, he had little to no use for what he doubtless considered to be the Jews’ obsessive superstitions. After all, he had once tried to dedicate some gilded shields in Herod’s palace in Jerusalem. But this obvious gesture of goodwill only led the religious leaders to make a formal protest to Emperor Tiberius. Pilate had no idea why they objected – the shields didn’t have any images on them. He probably thought that nothing would or could satisfy them.

So, given his past experience, when these same leaders brought Jesus before him, it’s no wonder that his first inclination was to tell them to solve their problems on their own (18:31). He obviously did not understand any of their religious regulations and he certainly wasn’t interested in helping them enforce them.

And when Jesus tried to explain His own power, the authority given to Him not by a Roman emperor but by God, Pilate wasn’t any more concerned. After all, what could a helpless prisoner possibly say or do that could be of any consequence in this world, the only world that mattered to Pilate? No, it’s no wonder that he dismissed Jesus’ words so casually. When all that mattered was worldly power, what did any sort of truth matter to Pilate?

But Jesus takes a completely different view. For He was just as unconcerned about Pilate’s judgment as Pilate was about His. That’s because Jesus knew that all human authority, even that of ancient Roman emperors and their prefects, even that of modern presidents and governors, comes ultimately from above (19:11), from the Kingdom that is not of this world (18:36). And that kingdom and that authority belongs to Jesus, the One Who not only tells us the truth, but Who is the Truth (14:6).

So, what is truth? Jesus is. So, why don’t we listen to Him today?

John 18:28-38 (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?”