Why?
As I write this, it is Good Friday. I was about to say that, for Christians, this is one of the most important days in the history of mankind. Actually, though, it is one of the most important days in the history of mankind for everyone. It is the day that Christ paid our incredible debt. A debt that we could never repay. That debt repayment is not only accessible by Christians. It is accessible to everyone who puts their total faith in Christ. This is why such a bloody, gruesome day in history can be considered “good”.
But why did Jesus come? What was the point? Why care about people who hated Him so much? Jesus tells us exactly why in Scripture. Today’s Scripture is going to be looked at backwards according to how it is read in the Bible. However, by looking at it this way, we will see the beautiful reason Jesus came.
“Pilate saith unto him, What is truth?” John 18:38
John 18 shares the details of Jesus’ trial and interactions with Pilate. Pilate is the Roman governor during the time that the Roman Empire occupied the Holy Land. The Jewish religious leaders have brought Jesus to Pilate to be tried and put to death for treason against the Roman Empire. Now, in truth, they wanted Jesus dead for their own selfish reasons but did not have the power to do so due to being under Roman rule.
Pilate, in his analysis of Jesus, is unable to find any reason to punish Jesus much less put Him to death. During conversations with Jesus, Pilate asks Jesus “What is truth?”. Pilate, as a Roman, believed and was exposed to many beliefs and religions. He asked this question because of a statement Jesus made in the previous verse.
“…To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.” John 18:37b
Jesus came to this world to share the truth to every man and woman. He knew that we, as mankind, were walking around blindly. Lost in our sin. Covered in darkness. We could not recognize truth because we had drifted so far away from God. This is why Pilate asked “What is truth?”. Pilate was a confused man. He probably began questioning things in his mind after meeting Jesus. Pilate was at a crossroads at this point in his life. He was literally standing face to face with God Himself. This was his moment of “truth”. His moment to make that eternity changing decision. He could put his faith in Christ, or continue following the false gods taught to him by his family and the Roman culture. I don’t like to pass judgement on who is in Heaven and who is not. That is not my job. I will find out one day but it won’t be on this earth. All I know is that Pilate came face to face with the ultimate witness of truth.
What was this “truth” that Jesus came to share?
“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” John 14:6
Jesus was referring to Himself and the fact that He is the only way that we can obtain an eternity in Heaven. There is no other way to get to God except through total faith in Jesus Christ. What is this thing called faith? It is believing that Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection is the only thing that can pay your sin debt and justify you in the eyes of God. This is the only payment for sin that God will accept. Nothing that we do, say, think, or feel will satisfy God’s wrath. This is the truth that Jesus was sharing. The truth was His sacrifice for us. His love for us. Jesus is truth. This is what makes this Friday so good. Happy Easter.
Thank you for this.