What is truth? (Luke 22; John 18)

Luke

22:2

What motivates you? It looks like fear was driving the chief priests and scribes. "And the chief priests and scribes sought how they might kill him; for they feared the people." Fear is an interesting motivator. What did they fear?

• The people would discover their selfish ways and seek revenge as an angry mob?

• They would lose their position and authority in the church?

• They would no longer be revered among the people?

I think their fear was about losing what they had. Loss aversion is a very strong motivator. As naturally selfish creatures, we HATE things being taken from us.

Their position and power rested on the support of the crowd. As soon as they lost the minds and hearts of the people, they couldn't be propped up above them. They were slaves to popular opinion.

22:15

"And he said unto them, With desire I have desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer." It's interesting that Jesus wanted to spend time with the apostles before he suffered. Many of us would turn inward in the time immediately before a great trial. It paints a picture of the character of Jesus that he wanted to bless others in the few remaining hours he had on this earth.

22:24

"And there was also a strife among them, which of them should be accounted the greatest." It's interesting and a little sad that we humans are so full of pride that the apostles argued about who is the greatest in the very moment they are in the presence of the man who personified meekness and humility. You'd think it would take a few days of being on their own before these prideful concerns creep up.

It's important to remember that we are all human. Only Jesus Christ was perfect. The rest of us are continual works in progress. These are the men who will eventually be primary judges in Israel. They were clearly among the noble and great ones in the premortal world. Yet, when in the flesh, they bickered about who's the best.

22:26

"But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve." This was such a reversal from how the church was being operated. There were many who were vying for position so that they could be esteemed above others. Students served their rabbi - not the other way around.

This isn't a helpful approach for developing souls to become like God. Our Heavenly Father is the ultimate volunteer. The entire system is because he and his spouse wanted us to feel the same joy and experience the same glory as they feel. All of this creation was to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of us!

They are wonderful examples of service. We should emulate them by attempting to serve those around us in whatever capacity. We should look for opportunities to serve - they happen perhaps more than we notice.

If each one of us goes to church with our radar up about who could use some help, we would bring more souls to Christ. We would gather Israel. We would become more Christlike. Blessings would abound. Relationships would be strengthened. Trust between us would build to the point that we can lean on and strengthen each other. It's a beautiful thing that Jesus is teaching here.

Aspiring to be the greatest, most prominent among others works against that. We have to recognize this aspect of the natural man and work hard to resist the pull to be above others.

22:28

"Ye are they which have continued with me in my temptations." Jesus's mortality allowed him to suffer during his short life. He did suffer. He did experience trials. It's important that we remember this - his experiences allow him to succor us when we need it.

He also suffered temptations. I don't think that his temptations were limited to the event where Satan tempted him three times. He wasn't immune to temptation, he was perfect at resisting it. I'm sure that Satan and his followers constantly bombarded Jesus with temptations at every opportunity.

Jesus also faced rejection. He watched many disciples leave him when he taught something that was hard for them to hear. These apostles were with him throughout much of that. Jesus is acknowledging that.

22:31-32

"And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren." Jesus addresses Jesus specifically. The fact that he says his name twice adds emphasis. He is concerned for Peter. However, "you" in this verse is plural. So, Jesus is talking about the entire group.

Satan wants to sift them as wheat. Sifting was a rough process. It was about tossing the wheat two and fro - thrashing about. There is constant friction - no rest. Satan wants our lives to be like this.

It's interesting that Jesus refers to Peter's future conversion. You'd think that Peter was currently converted. But, apparently, not completely. Peter was yet to be fully converted to the gospel of Jesus Christ.

The evidence of this is found in Peter's denial. It's also found in Peter returning to fishing after Jesus was crucified. Instead of preaching, he said, "I go a-fishing."

Clearly, Peter eventually became fully converted. Christ was teaching him that, once converted, the next step is to strengthen others. That was true for Peter, the other apostles, AND US. Once we have our feet firmly planted on a good foundation of testimony, it's now time to strengthen those around us.

I believe that every one of us are surrounded by others who need strengthening. Not one of us is without weak areas. If we look for opportunities to strengthen others, we'll find them. I testify of that. If you look with the Spirit, opportunities will be revealed to you. It might be your neighbor, the youth in your ward, a friend or family member - there is someone that you can strengthen today.

This charge wasn't directed only at Peter.

22:43-44

"And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him. And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground." We learned that it's possible to bleed out of your sweat glands. It is caused from physical or emotional pain that is so intense that the capillaries that feed your sweat glands will break and you will bleed from your sweat glands. Imagine the pain that is required to result in this happening!

There's no surprise that God sent an angel to strengthen him. There is some speculation that this angel was none other than Adam (Michael). He was the one who created this world with Jesus. He was the cause of the fall which required Christ's atonement. It makes sense that it was Adam who would be the one who would be able to offer strength to Jesus at this critical time.

I think it's interesting that Jesus "being in an agony he prayed more earnestly." I imagine that all of Jesus's prayers were earnest and sincere. He is the perfect pray-er. I think this sentence illustrates how intense this experience was. His suffering for all sin appears to be more intense then even he could imagine.

When I am in the midst of a trial in the future and feel distress/anxiety/fear, I'm going to receive comfort knowing that Jesus understands this perfectly. Not only because he experienced these feelings in proxy - but because the events of his life brought these feelings naturally. It is one additional example of how Jesus is my Savior but also my brother.

22:66

"And as soon as it was day, the elders of the people and the chief priests and the scribes came together, and led him into their council..." When we were in Jerusalem, we visited the rubble where Caiaphas's house stood. Down below the main structure, there was a "dungeon." It was a single room and tradition says that Jesus was lowered down into this room overnight. This is what it looked like:

John

18:6

"As soon then as he had said unto them, I am he, they went backward, and fell to the ground." I love this verse. I try to imagine it. Jesus, by simply answer three words - sent the "band of men and officers with touches and weapons" backward. They fell when he said those three words!

Why did they? I think it was the power and authority that he had. They could feel it. I also think that they were expecting someone to hide or deny who he was. When he simply identified himself, it wasn't what the expected and it shocked them.

I hope I can see a replay of this scene.

18:14

"Now Caiaphas was he, which gave counsel to the Jews, that it was expedient that one man should die for the people." This was their justification that Jesus should die. They reasoned that it was good that one man should die "for the people."

They couldn't face the fact that they were murdering him to keep their station. That would make them feel like they were bad people. Their rationalization was protecting their self-esteem.

The same thing happens with us. We never want to think of ourselves as evil or the villain. So, our brain protects our self-esteem by telling stories that rationalize our actions or make others the villain while we remain the hero.

If we can be aware of this natural bias that we all have, we can prevent ourselves from becoming corrupted by degrees. We should recognize that we are rationalizing our behavior or twisting the facts so that we feel good about ourselves. If we can be self-aware enough to see when we're doing this, we'll be better humans. We will refine ourselves faster. We will make better decisions in the moment. We will live with less regret as we review our life's decisions.

18:23

"Jesus answered him, If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil: but if well, why smitest thou me?" I love why questions. Jesus could simply condemn them. But, instead, he asks them why they are doing what they're doing.

When someone asks us why, it forces us to consider our reasons for our behavior. Many times, we haven't even given what we do much thought. If we take the time to understand our motives behind our actions, we can sometimes realize that what we're doing is actually stupid or wrong.

When you are in a disagreement with someone or simply don't like what they're doing - instead of yelling your point, ask them why they are doing what they're doing. First, it will help you understand them. Second, it will give them a chance to reflect on why they're doing what they're doing. They may even realize their mistake and change without you delivering a single word of a well-spoken argument.

Or, you might find that you're the one that is in error. As you truly listen, you might realize that you're the one making mistakes. The concern might get resolved through YOUR actions.

18:37-38

"Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice. Pilate saith unto him, What is truth? And when he had said this, he went out again unto the Jews, and saith unto them, I find in him no fault at all." Pilate is an interesting character. It's interesting that he asks Jesus, likely rhetorically, "what is truth?"

This is the big question of the day. Is there universal truth? Is there any black and white? Is there right and wrong? Society is changing, daily, what is true. We see this in the most unlikely of places. Who would have guessed that we would be debating the existence of gender?

There is truth. Christ taught truth. His gospel teaches truth. Prophets have spoken truth throughout history.

Real truth doesn't change. Right and wrong is always right and wrong. That won't change. That doesn't mean that things never change in the true church. For example, Christ changed animal sacrifices into sacrificing a broken heart and contrite spirit. That was a big "policy change." It didn't change the principle that sacrificing our will for God's helps us to be more like him.

What is truth is going to be a question that is asked more and more in the world. We need to be prepared to stand behind God's truth.