Truth

Pilate, the Roman official in the Gospels, is remembered by many for one statement, “What is truth?”  Jesus is standing on trial in front of Pilate.  I think this statement by Pilate was a cynical one. Truth for him was whatever the Roman Caesar says it is.  There is no probing, examining or putting something to the test.  If the boss says it is true, so be it.  This is the top down organization for sure, and the Catholic Church tried to model it to some extent.  The Roman Senate was supposed to have some power, but it was rather weak.  Cross the emperor, and you are in an unhealthy situation.  Jesus, one the other hand, was not buying into what others said is the truth, neither Political or Religious leaders.  He was a Jew, and Jews argue the law.  They argue about what is true.  Jesus was against how the leaders lived out the truth as they saw it.  Jesus strikes me as someone who said to himself, “What is true?”  He prayed over it, put it to some test, looked into his own heart to see if he was a good person.  He did a ‘checks and balances” on himself.  Truth is supposed to set us free.  If we are basically a good person, then our freedom will benefit all people.  Selfishness, fear, resentment, false pride, are things that imprison us and hide the truth from us.  Truth can make us the best person we can be.  It may include a cross.  Truth is not a theme park.  Theme parks are fantasy.  Some people live in fantasy and call it truth.  I suspect a few Caesars and other potentates do and did that.