Day 38
The courtroom is filled to capacity for a criminal jury trial. A woman’s name is called to the witness stand. Before sitting down, she is asked to place her right hand on the Bible held by the bailiff and asked to repeat the following, “I swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help me God.” This courtroom oath is used in common law jurisdictions to compel witnesses to provide complete, honest testimony, ensuring that evidence is not omitted (”the whole truth”) or fabricated (”and nothing but the truth”). In taking this oath, the witness is promising to provide accurate information, disclosing all relevant information, even those details that could be damaging to the plaintiff or defendant.
In today’s reading we peek in on multiple courtrooms in which various witnesses are asked questions. No one will tell the truth in any of the vignettes of John 18, with the striking exception of Jesus, who is Truth Himself.
Read John 18
While gospel writer John stretched out Jesus’ Farewell Discourse across five chapters, the next 8-10 hours of the Passion of Christ move quickly, starting in the Garden of Gethsemane. “Judas, who betrayed him, also knew the place, because Jesus often met there with his disciples.” (v 2) Judas led a band of temple guards as well as Roman soldiers assigned to Jerusalem to keep order during the Passover Festival right up to Jesus. As soon as Jesus confirmed that He was who they were looking for, “I am he.” (vv 5, 6 & 8) the strong, confident soldiers fell to the ground, their balance upset in the presence of the I AM.
During the six trials of Jesus, the contrast between the truth and lies was unmistakable. There stood Jesus, the Truth, being judged by those whose every action was bathed in lies. The Jewish leaders broke nearly every law designed to protect a defendant from wrongful conviction. They fervently worked to find any testimony that would incriminate Jesus, and in their frustration, they turned to false evidence brought forward by liars. But even that could not help them reach their goal. So they broke another law and forced Jesus to implicate Himself.
Outside in the high priest’s courtyard, another trial was taking place as the sun rose that morning. Simon Peter was called to the witness stand and asked of his involvement with Jesus. No matter who asked the question or how it was asked, Peter’s answer was the same, “I do not know the man.” (from vv 17, 25 & 26) Of course, just as Peter denied his relationship with Jesus, a rooster crowed, reminding him of what Jesus predicted would happen.
Once in front of Pilate, the Jewish leaders lied again. They convicted Jesus of blasphemy, but when Pilate asked them the charge against Him, they expected him to trust them, “If this man weren’t a criminal, we wouldn’t have handed him over to you.” (v 30) When it became painfully obvious that the Jews would not kill Jesus, Pilate turned his attention to the defendant and asked a series of questions, but none of Jesus’ answers were understandable to him.
The final question Pontius Pilate asked, “What is truth?” (v 38) overlooked the fact that many things can have truth, but only one thing can actually be the Truth. Truth must originate from somewhere. Ironically, the one charged with determining the truth in the matter glibly dismissed the relevance of truth in the very presence of the One who is Truth incarnate. Pilate apparently decides that Jesus is a teacher of abstract philosophical questions to which no one can find an answer, and thus decides that Jesus poses no threat to the Roman government. He seeks no answer from the only one who could give him the answer, the Origin of all Truth.
Big Picture Questions for Today:
* Have you ever felt deeply betrayed by someone?
* How might Jesus’ example with Judas comfort you in the midst of that pain?
Pray “Jesus, we praise You and thank You for choosing to understand what real betrayal feels like on earth. We trust You to comfort us in the midst of our pain and struggles because you did not choose a life of ease. Grant us hearts to remember where our true kingdom lies as we seek to honor You.”
