“What is truth?” – that was the question famously asked by Pilate, the Roman Governor, on the first Good Friday, some 2000 years ago. How do you and I today deal with the truth? That Good Friday showed three possible responses.

First, the Jewish religious leaders didn’t want to hear the truth. They accused Jesus because he had confronted them with their hypocrisy: their religiosity was a power grab, just to have the crowds respect them, consider them devout. Jesus made very clear this didn’t make them right with God. They so hated him for this that they wanted Jesus gone.

Second, Pilate didn’t deal with the truth well either. He didn’t just blatantly reject it, but went the ‘postmodern’ way that we recognise so well today: everyone has their own truth. So, Pilate asked that famous cynical question: “What is truth?” (John’s Gospel, 18:38). He cared so little about the truth, and so much about his own position and comfort, that he condemned Jesus to death on the cross.

And thirdly, there were all the other people too: the soldiers and servants – “Just following orders…” – and the crowds who cried, “Crucify him! Away with him.” They heard Pilate’s words, “this man is innocent, I can’t find any reason to condemn him,” but they rather followed their leaders than the truth. And again, it led to the death of Jesus Christ, the only perfect man who ever lived.

Three different responses, but all of them led to the death of Jesus… How do you respond? Pilate’s route, to just claim ‘your own truth’? Or, like those leaders, do you just not care, whatever the truth is? Or do you simply follow others?

Jesus said, “the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.” (John 18:37) A big claim! Is it reliable, trustworthy? Well, consider the evidence: many fulfilled prophecies, many miracles he did in the midst of large crowds. Most importantly: Jesus rose from the dead! The tomb was empty, the body gone but grave clothes still there. He was seen by many eye-witnesses. More than 500 at one time, most of whom were alive at the time these things were written down. This is reliable.

So, what is truth? Will you listen to Jesus, and belong to him? “Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.” Listening to Jesus means living in the truth. Without him, you’re missing the most crucial key to all of life, the central piece of the puzzle that makes sense of all others. None of us wants to live a lie, right? Well, consider Jesus, who offers Truth. Why not read the whole story for yourself in John’s Gospel?

This column first appeared in the Newark Advertiser in April 2026, and was written by Klaas-Jan Gunnink