quid est veritas?

“quid est veritas“

  Those three words were uttered by Pontius Pilate to Jesus in a mocking manner just before he washed his hands and condemned Jesus to death while knowing there was no basis for the conviction. The Latin translates to “what is truth” and he uttered those words to the man who claimed to be the truth. That last statement is not quite right–Pilate uttered those words to the Truth.

  In his book “Jesus Shock” Dr. Peter Kreeft summed it up like this: “Pilate’s skeptical sneer “What is truth?” was addressed to Truth Himself, standing there right in front of his face. The world’s stupidest question was three words; God’s profoundest answer was one Word.” 

  I love that quote, it is concise and straight to the point.

  There is nothing new under the sun. (Ecclesiastes) Pilate questioned truth thousands of years ago and today we live in a world where subjective truth and subjective relativism seem to rule the lands. People are still asking the same question.

  Subjective truth simply means that whatever is true to one person may not be true to another, there is no universal truth because everybody has their own version of the truth, while subjective relativism means any action is moral if a person approves of the action.

  This is simply not true: first of all the statement that nothing is universally true is a paradox because that statement itself could then not be true. But the fact is there is only one truth (and this goes for all issues) and there are universally accepted morals which all people are expected to follow. 

  People who do not accept these truths are afraid to accept them because they want to believe the highest authority is man and they do not want to consider the possibility that they might have to answer to a higher power.

  In their most extreme form subjective truth and subjective relativism would lead to anarchy. These philosophies will eventually lead us into a free for all where anything goes, chaos, so there has to be a steadying force.

  Some would say that governments are that steadying force but governments are instituted by man and are subject to the same folly of man which got us to this point in the first place, therefor there has to be more.

  This brings me back to quid est veritas: While Pontius Pilate was mocking Jesus I think it is a question which everybody should ask if they have not already. Instead of accepting the truth as you believe it to be, search for the truth as it is. 

 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.” (Matthew 7:7-8 NIV)

  Many people are unhappy in this world because they are missing something, and I think many people understand they are missing something in their lives but they do not know what it is. They try to fill this emptiness with earthly treasures but still find life empty. To them I say knock on that door and see where it takes you, you might be surprised at the fulfillment you receive.

  Some people are afraid to knock on that door because they just might discover truth is not what they thought it was (or wanted it to be) but I would say to them, do not be afraid (I read somewhere that “do not be afraid” is mentioned 365 times in the Bible, making it a daily verse to live by) because you just might find the “rest in your soul”  you have been seeking (See Matthew 11:29)

  “The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.”  (Lao Tzu)

  Take that step, knock on the door, because Jesus gave us the answer: “I am the way, the truth, and the light.”  And when you accept this “the truth shall make you free.” (john 8:32 KJV)