Jesus - Witness to the Truth

by Mr. Whitney V. Myers

Download a printable PDF of this post

Jesus Came to Bear Witness to the Truth - John 18:37 - Image by Whitney V. Myers

Then Pilate said to him, "So you are a king?"  Jesus answered, "You say that I am a king.  For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth.  Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice."  (John 18:37)  

This lesson is the fifth and final in the series, "About the Truth."
 

     Consider.  Do you consider yourself to be a person “of the truth”?  Are you listening to the voice of Jesus who is the truth?

     Introduction.  In today's scripture (John 18:37), Jesus was facing Pilate, the representative of the highest political authority on earth (Ref. 1).  Jesus courageously and nobly said to Pilate that he was born to be a king and came into the world - to bear witness to the truth.  Ellicott's Commentary says the natural interpretation (based on Greek verb tenses) is "To be king I have been born, and to be a king I have come into the world, in order that I may bear witness to the truth" (Ref. 2). 

Pilate asked Jesus, "So you are a king?" (John 18:37).  However, Jesus' kingdom was not a kingdom in the political sense that Pilate inferred  (Ref. 1, Ref. 3).  Jesus' kingdom was a kingdom in the spiritual sense (Ref. 4).  Jesus said, "My kingdom is not of this world" (John 18:36). 

Jesus said, "For this purpose I have come — to bear witness to the truth."

     Let's look at the meaning of the words for bear witness and truth.  The English words bear witness are translated from the Greek verb martureó, which means bear witness, give evidence, testify, give a good report (Ref. 5).  The Greek noun for truth is alétheia, which means reality, the opposite of what is false or illusion (Ref. 6).  Jesus came into the world to show and tell mankind that God's truth is reality. 

Consider these statements where Jesus bears witness to God's truth -- reality.

"I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me" (John 14:6).

"If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free" (John 8:31-32). 

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life" (John 3:16).

The above verses and the entirety of the Holy Bible are God's truth and are reality.  "The entirety of Your word is truth, and all Your righteous judgments endure forever" (Psalm 119:160).

Jesus said, "Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice."

     To whom is Jesus referring when he says "Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice"? (John 18:37)  People of the truth are people who listen to the voice of him who is the truth (Ref. 7).  Jesus said, "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me" (John 10:27).

Listening to (hearing) Jesus' voice prompts obedience (Ref. 8).  People who are of the truth hear Jesus' words and yield obedience to him.  Jesus said, "If you love me, you will keep my commandments" (John 14:15).  

     Apply.  Listen to the voice of Jesus who has testified about God’s truth, which is reality.  Testify to others about the reality of God in your life.  Obey God’s words.

Related Lessons
"God's Truth in the Old Testament" (Psalm 119:160)
"Jesus is the Truth" (John 14:6)
"Know the Truth (John 8:32)"
"The Spirit of Truth" (John 16:13-14)

References
1.  https://biblehub.com/commentaries/jfb/john/18.htm
2.  https://biblehub.com/commentaries/ellicott/john/18.htm
3.  https://biblehub.com/commentaries/pulpit/john/18.htm
4.  https://biblehub.com/commentaries/poole/john/18.htm
5.  https://biblehub.com/greek/3140.htm
6.  https://biblehub.com/greek/225.htm
7.  https://biblehub.com/commentaries/ellicott/john/18.htm
8.  https://biblehub.com/greek/191.htm