The Absolute Truth – Part 2

    “Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.” – John 8:32

In Part 1, we talked about a claim that Jesus made that was and is considered to be somewhat outrageous.  The second claim Jesus made about Himself is, “I am the truth.” Many people believe that there’s no such thing as absolute truth. Yet Jesus is saying, He is the truth. In other words, Jesus is saying that truth is not found in knowledge, religion, or philosophy, but in Him. So, when it comes to God, is there such a thing as absolute truth? If Jesus is telling the truth and is truth personified, then the answer is, “Yes.” He is both the way to God, and He is the ultimate truth.

After Jesus had been arrested, He found Himself standing before Pontius Pilate, the Roman Governor of Judea. He had been accused of blasphemy, of stirring up the people to revolution, and it was rumored He called Himself a King. In speaking to Him, Pilate found no evidence of any crime worthy of death, but was fascinated by His talk of a Kingdom that was “not of this world” (John 18:36).  Pushing back on the idea of whether this lowly carpenter from Galilee truly considered Himself to be some kind of King, Jesus replies, “…“You say I am a king. Actually, I was born and came into the world to testify to the truth. All who love the truth recognize that what I say is true.” Pilate’s response comes in the form of a question, the same question that humanity has been asking for centuries, the same response to Jesus that keeps so many from faith: “Pilate said to him, ‘What is truth?'”

Jesus can testify to the truth and teach the truth because He Himself is that truth.  In Him, there is nothing false, nothing misleading, and nothing fake or uncertain.  Each of us is capable of knowing the truth, but none of us can claim to actually be truth.  There are too many things we don’t know, and too many things we get wrong throughout our lives. Yet Jesus claims to be truth, and in doing so claims to be one with God.

The third claim that Jesus made is that He is life. Jesus uses the shepherd analogy of John 10 where He is not only painting a picture of how he defends and leads his sheep but also foreshadowing His death on the cross. Jesus is teaching us that what we are to really be concerned with is not this life, but eternal life.  The Scriptures speak often of the life to come after our life on this earth, and as we follow the voice of our shepherd, we can live this life in such a way that we are not chasing things that don’t last but chasing the things that do last and have eternal significance. This type of life has an eternal impact not only on us but on untold others around us.

When Jesus refers to Himself as the way, the truth, and the life, He is giving us a better way to live our lives through Him. He is showing us that through following Him daily in faith, He will lead us to a better, richer, more meaningful life than we could ever find on our own.

Discussion Question:

1. Jesus didn’t say that He would teach them the truth; Jesus said that He is the truth.  Jesus didn’t say that He would offer them the secrets of life; Jesus said that He is the life. What does that mean for our lives today?