Joel M Bradshaw

37Then 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.” 38Pilate said to him, “What is truth?”–John 18 (with emphasis)

Long ago I recall philosophy classes and being introduced to Postmodernism. We read books by Jacques Derrida and the famous Richard Rorty. Here are a couple of Rorty quotes.

“There is nothing deep down inside us except what we have put there ourselves.”

“Truth is what your contemporaries let you get away with.”

To the postmodern truth is framed by narrative rather than being objectively known. Truth is therefore secondary to the story behind the experience. You might slip into the postmodern mindset if you determine what is right and wrong by ‘walking a mile in someone’s shoes.’

Jesus was claiming something objective. Truth to Jesus had a THE not an A. To Jesus, truth was more of an either/or matter than a both/and. Jesus was being put to death by His contemporaries for that objective truth about Himself and He embraced it to the end.

Pilate simply questioned if an absolute, objective truth can be known? As he pondered Jesus’ innocence and the unruly mob at his doorstep he no doubt wondered if truth was worth it. Pilate no doubt would like today see Jesus as having His truth and other people having theirs.

Is that how you hold to truth? Is truth simply a matter of consensus or public agreement? Does truth depend upon majority rule or a 51% democratic vote? Please reread what Jesus said above about truth? How do you respond to that? Does it stir your convictions within or make you cringe? Though we live in a world that claims relativity, it actually craves objectivity. Are you more with Richard Rorty or Jesus Christ? Where do you stand regarding truth?–JMB