1) Objective Truth

The question of Truth sorts out all people.

Those who are convinced that only the God of the Bible speaks truth are able to take a consistent moral stand of right against wrong. We may of course personally be wrong, as we all are human, but we will have an evidence based conviction of what we understand, by using logic, is right. Even “if we believe not, yet God abides faithful: he cannot deny himself.” (2Timothy 2:13). Objective truth is found by searching out, “It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter.” (Proverbs 25:2). The people who love to find objective truth abhor all 'spin' as they believe all people are logical and once it is explained they will carry others with them.

The semblance of having 'truth' may be found in the self-willed driven opinionated ones who, without basis, carry a conviction by the strength of their iron will. They tend to fall victim to their own lack of logic and arrogance. For these people 'truth' is not objective but rather within them only. The world is how they see it, and they believe with deep conviction that the world can be no other way, ignoring any evidence that doesn't fit their ideas.

We must be wary as many have stood up as leaders peddling their subjective 'truths' and gain a cult following by those who think the leader is great (and who have chosen to be blind) who follow a 'great' subjective viewpoint. It must be blindness, as how many humans from a subjective viewpoint naturally and wholeheartedly agree? We can see this when the leader's image is a pin up, t-shirt worthy and waved on banners. We see this when 'great' human's words are preferred over the Bible. How long shall this be in the heart of the prophets that prophesy lies? yea, they are prophets of the deceit of their own heart; (Jeremiah 23:26)

But the last category are more common now in the era of 'Post Modern textual readings', where a reader may interpret text in any way they wish (even the opposite to what the writer intended). For these there is no objective truth, or even subjective truth, there is no truth at all. The word's meaning is a mystery.

We seem to have a few such leaders on the world stage at present. By actively seeking popularity, they take hold on relativism. They can be identified by their contradictory words and actions. And they will eventually do the very thing they say they won't do, as they try to please their power base as they see it.

The infamous Pilate, is the exemplar of the weakness of the political opportunist. He gave the world the cynical question, “What is truth?”.

2) Pilate

Pilate was by no means lacking in ruthlessness. Using a show of force he asserted his power to rule for Rome. It is recorded that he took some of the Galileans (Jewish residents of that province of the Roman Empire) and mingled their blood with the sacrifices they offered to God, and in general was so severe he offended Herod the ruler of Galilee. Philo and Josephus both paint Pilate when he was Prefect of Judea as insensitive to Jews and their customs. Philo noted he was liable to execute them without trial, and Josephus notes a case where Pilate had his soldiers randomly attack and kill those Jews who gathered to protest his appropriation of Temple revenue.

There has been a lot of nonsense over the years about Jews and the death of Jesus (Yeshua). The records we have call the leaders of Judea 'Jews', but there is no difference between the politics of the events in Judea surrounding Jesus (Yeshua) than in any other nation, in any time or place. In any case to hold the descendants responsible for something their ancestors did is not logical or just. Such events were repeated in Michael Sattler's trial in the dictatorship of the Holy Roman authority in Rottenberg and those people who connived in the death of a man more peaceful than they were, were Austrians, and Sattler was one of their own.

Pilate, by all accounts seems to desire to be a strong leader, and this is consistent with his cynical question 'what is truth?'. Yet the detailed account we have of Pilate in action shows him as vacillating and weak, as he negotiates his way through conflicting political stances, and he makes two actions which show he has no integrity. Pilate, as a result of not having a conviction on truth, appeased everyone who threatened him, and acted even against his own feeling.

We have two main players in Pilate's political dilemma. Pilate's wife and the leaders of Judea there that night, wanting Jesus (Yeshua) killed, because they felt he threatened their power structure. The witness we have tells us that Pilate's wife has a dream and comes and tells Pilate not to have anything to do with the case. She must have been strong willed, or her dreams were perhaps respected by her husband, as famously Pilate washes his hands of the affair,

So when Pilate saw that nothing was being gained, but rather that a disturbance was starting, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, "I am innocent of the blood of this righteous person. You see to it." (Matthew 27:24).

Pilate acts firstly in accordance with his wife's influence. He virtually gives the Judean leadership the right to do what they want, and he will ignore what they do. John's eyewitness record backs this up,

Then said Pilate to them, “Take you him, and judge him according to your law.”

The Judeans therefore said unto him, “It is not lawful for us to put any man to death:” (John 18:31).

Pilate is in a bind, for now it is emerging that the Judean leaders aren't going to budge, they want Pilate himself, who has washed his hands of it, to order the man be killed.

It is this point in proceedings that Pilate has a discussion with Jesus (Yeshua) about his 'crime' of being king of the Jews.

Pilate therefore said to him, "Are you a king then?"

Jesus (Yeshua) answered, "You say that I am a king. For this reason I have been born, and for this reason I have come into the world, that I should testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice."

Pilate said to him, "What is truth?"

When he had said this, he went out again to the Jews, and said to them, "I find no basis for a charge against him. But you have a custom, that I should release someone to you at the Passover. Therefore do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?" (John 18:37-39)

Pilate knows the situation, but is bound by its politics and by his first action to appease his wife. To honourably keep his hands clean, Pilate thinks up an idea of releasing a prisoner. It is possible the releasing a prisoner was something the Judean leadership had desired, as commentators can't find evidence of a custom. In the subsequent events the Judean leadership shows to Pilate that he is not the great leader he thinks he is, unless he makes them happy. When the Judean leadership play the political card of voting for Caesar, then Pilate caves in to pressure and does precisely what he had declared, with an oath and a washing of hands, that he would not do. That Jesus (Yeshua) told Pilate, God was allowing the running of the events, doesn't help, for Pilate seeks to oppose even God's will and would have Jesus (Yeshua) released, to keep his own oath made to appease his wife. This shows the weakness of Pilate, because, if he felt strong, and had also a conviction of truth he could have sent his soldiers to deal with the Judean leadership and released Jesus (Yeshua). If this was a matter of the ordinary rabble, Pilate would have sought to appear strong, but it wasn't, he was dealing with the political power over his life, his wife and the Judean leadership. Objectively, neither were the real power. However because Pilate was actually weak, and had no sense of an objective truth, those who he appeased became the power over his actions- first one way, then the other.

This is a template with which we can compare and contrast action in the modern world, in the 'post-modern' age of leaders subject to relativism.

If we desire salvation we must always recognise the objective God's-eye-view truth in every event, and not be swayed by anything said by humans. The name of the LORD is truth

And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, (Exodus 34:6)

Hezekiah is healed as he could confess that he had walked in truth,

I beseech thee, O LORD, remember now how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight. (2Kings 20:3).

Thou have given a banner to them that fear thee, that it may be displayed because of the truth. Selah. (Psalm 60:4)

Isaiah and Jeremiah warns that truth may fail

Yea, truth fails; and he that departs from evil makes himself a prey: and the LORD saw it, and it displeased him that there was no judgment. (Isaiah 59:15)

And they bend their tongues like their bow for lies: but they are not valiant for the truth upon the earth; for they proceed from evil to evil, and they know not me, saith the LORD. (Jeremiah 9:3)

But those who make a lie shall be destroyed (Revelation 22:15). By contrast,

But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeks such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. (John 4:23-24)

This requires active rejection of every lie, whether regarding temporal things or not. We are to prove all things; and hold fast that which is good. (1Thessalonians 5:21)

3) Relativism vs Israel, son of God

The relativism of the people of this era is reflected in the world leaders. There are at least two powers on the world stage. There are the loud and angry inhabitants of the Middle East who, spreading out from there, globally seek to change the world through random acts of terror, who may be supported by oil producing nations. Then on the other hand there are lobby groups for Israel in most dominant nations. The media and leaders cannot ignore the challenge of Israel.

The leaders of the world today face the challenge of Pilate. We can see them shifting from popular stance, to another contradictory stance, in effect asking cynically 'what is truth?'

World leaders are called by some noisy Arabs, who show no regard for truth, to help destroy Israel, because they wish to deny that Israel are God's chosen people, and to deny they have a claim to the Holy land. Hosea declared

When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt. (Hosea 11:1)

Israel is the nation called the son of God.

Isaac from whom Israel comes was a son of miracle. Sarah was at least 13 years past being able to bear children when Isaac was conceived. For Sarah just as for Mary, the power of the Highest overshadowed her. Therefore, every descendant of Isaac is also of that special creation. This was the inheritance given to Israel.

To Pharaoh at the time of the Exodus, at the formation of the nation, God said,

And thou shall say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD, Israel is my son, even my firstborn: And I say unto thee, Let my son go, that he may serve me: and if thou refuse to let him go, behold, I will slay thy son, thy firstborn. (Exodus 4:22-23)

This was so important a principle that it became part of Israel's Law,

It came to pass, when Pharaoh would hardly let us go, that the LORD slew all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of man, and the firstborn of beast: therefore I sacrifice to the LORD all that open the matrix, being males; but all the firstborn of my children I redeem. (Exodus 13:15)

Some may dispute this as past, but, firstborn is forever a firstborn (Deut. 21:16).

God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: has he said, and shall he not do it? or has he spoken, and shall he not make it good? (Numbers 23:19).

In addition it is said specifically said even after judgement for disobedience that Israel is still God's son,

For thus saith the LORD; Sing with gladness for Jacob, and shout among the chief of the nations: publish ye, praise ye, and say, O LORD, save thy people, the remnant of Israel.

Behold, I will bring them from the north country, and gather them from the coasts of the earth, .. a great company shall return there. They shall come with weeping, and with supplications will I lead them: I will cause them to walk by the rivers of waters in a straight way, wherein they shall not stumble: for I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn. (Jeremiah 31:7-9).

If the world doubts that those who are religious according to human religion could conspire to kill one called the son of God, and that a leader could act against even his own word to execute the son of God, who was less of a threat than the accusers, look around and see how on the scale of nations history is repeating. See how the lobbing of world leaders by those who know the Bible or those who value Israel is like Pilate's wife who says, 'have nothing to do with that just man'. But the nation's leaders, because they are weak due to not knowing 'what is truth', are swayed and seek to take away Israel's defence by dividing the land (to in effect 'kill' Israel, the son of God).

Such is the danger of relativism, that an individual may by ignorance fulfil the word of God.

Men and brethren, children of the stock of Abraham, and whosoever among you fears God, to you is the word of this salvation sent. For they that dwell at Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they knew him not, nor yet the voices of the prophets which are read every Sabbath day, they have fulfilled them in condemning him. And though they found no cause of death in him, yet desired they Pilate that he should be slain. And when they had fulfilled all that was written of him, they took him down from the tree, and laid him in a sepulchre. But God raised him from the dead: (Acts 13:26-30)

It is written already that Israel as a nation was raised from the dead, as Ezekiel wrote of it (Chapter 37) but Israel is yet to be made holy.

Just as Jesus (Yeshua) is the firstborn from the dead, and the firstborn of those who are granted eternal life, so Israel is the firstborn of the nations which are to be in the kingdom.

In that day shall Israel be the third with Egypt and with Assyria, even a blessing in the midst of the land: Whom the LORD of hosts shall bless, saying, Blessed be Egypt my people, and Assyria the work of my hands, and Israel mine inheritance. (Isaiah 19:24-25)

For more Recompense for the controversy of Zion

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