Truth.
Like many, it is a loaded word.
Some consider truth to be about facts. And it is indeed about the matching up of reality and the expression of it. But focusing only on facts can also get in the way of truth.
(Have you heard about the informed man who, when asked by his son, “What is the meaning of life?” responded, “Well, son, grass is green and one plus one equals two.”?)
The truth Jesus speaks of isn’t simply about getting the facts correct or even correctness. No, the way Jesus’ life, teaching, and ministry speaks to truth has to do with the fullness of life, righteousness of action, and a Spirit-empowered way of being.
Jesus could have answered Pilate’s question. Pilate’s question is not a bad one at all, is it? And conventional human reason would have found Jesus’ opportunity to tell Caesar’s representative just exactly what truth is. Jesus could have—and many would say, should have—answered Pilate’s question with a well-worded, witty response teaching him just exactly what Christian truth is. He could have shared a justice-informed soliloquy telling Rome just what is up.
But he didn’t open his mouth.
The time for talking was over. Jesus has, from the beginning, exemplified truth. And he, being the truth, has lived a life and will die a death that speaks more to truth than anything he could say. Frankly—like Moses and Aaron standing in front of Pharaoh and his magicians—it’s likely that Pilate could have responded with his own fact-filled version of truth. But that’s not the Way.
In deed, In the end, Jesus did answer Pilate’s question.
We know the rest of the story.
John 18:33-38
Pilate went back into the palace. He summoned Jesus and asked, “Are you the king of the Jews?”
Jesus answered, “Do you say this on your own or have others spoken to you about me?”
Pilate responded, “I’m not a Jew, am I? Your nation and its chief priests handed you over to me. What have you done?”
Jesus replied, “My kingdom doesn’t originate from this world. If it did, my guards would fight so that I wouldn’t have been arrested by the Jewish leaders. My kingdom isn’t from here.”
“So you are a king?” Pilate said.
Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. I was born and came into the world for this reason: to testify to the truth. Whoever accepts the truth listens to my voice.”
“What is truth?” Pilate asked.
After Pilate said this, he returned to the Jewish leaders and said, “I find no grounds for any charge against him.
Psalm 25:4-10
Make your ways known to me, Lord;
teach me your paths.
Lead me in your truth—teach it to me—
because you are the God who saves me.
I put my hope in you all day long.
Lord, remember your compassion and faithful love—
they are forever!
But don’t remember the sins of my youth or my wrongdoing.
Remember me only according to your faithful love
for the sake of your goodness, Lord.
The Lord is good and does the right thing;
he teaches sinners which way they should go.
God guides the weak to justice,
teaching them his way.
All the Lord’s paths are loving and faithful
for those who keep his covenant and laws.
Prayer1
God,
Grant me the grace to desire
with all that I am
all that is pleasing to you,
to examine it prudently,
to acknowledge it truthfully,
and to accomplish it fruitfully.
By your Spirit & in Christ,
Amen.
Adapted from St. Thomas Aquinas.
Follow God's Truth and humble ourselves to recognize human weaknesses. “There are multiple versions of truth. The news, while attempting to inform, often selectively highlights certain aspects rather than recording everything in its entirety” (acclaimed author Alain de Botton’s book: The News: A User’s Manual). "Bias" is an interesting topic, amidst different systems/ models have different tradeoff between tractability versus realism. Fact checking methods often over emphasize on tractability. Human biases towards own race, while most AI / machines are inherently biased towards its inputs (dominated in English). Nemil Dalal argued that “today’s biggest threat to democracy isn’t fake news [Hallucination] —it’s selective facts.” What constitutes Fair, Reasonable, and Non-Discriminatory? A healthy society needs to strike appropriate balance between private rights and social costs.