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| Christ in Front of Pontius Pilate by Henry Coller |
"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" (John 18:37-38).
As a young missionary in England, John Jaques pondered this exchange and Pilate's inquiry: What is truth? It is a simple question, yet one that philosophers, politicians and theologians have struggled for centuries to answer with any real satisfaction. Jaques contemplated while he served in Stratford-on-Avon, the home town of William Shakespeare, then penned his profound reply in prose that was published in the original Pearl of Great Price in 1851. He mused:
Oh say, what is truth? 'Tis the fairest gem
That the riches of worlds can produce,
And priceless the value of truth will be when
The proud monarch's costliest diadem
Is counted but dross and refuse.
That the riches of worlds can produce,
And priceless the value of truth will be when
The proud monarch's costliest diadem
Is counted but dross and refuse.
Yes, say, what is truth? 'Tis the brightest prize
To which mortals or Gods can aspire;
Go search in the depths where it glittering lies
Or ascend in pursuit to the loftiest skies.
'Tis an aim for the noblest desire.
To which mortals or Gods can aspire;
Go search in the depths where it glittering lies
Or ascend in pursuit to the loftiest skies.
'Tis an aim for the noblest desire.
The sceptre may fall from the despot's grasp
When with winds of stern justice he copes,
But the pillar of truth will endure to the last,
And its firm-rooted bulwarks outstand the rude blast,
And the wreck of the fell tyrant's hopes.
When with winds of stern justice he copes,
But the pillar of truth will endure to the last,
And its firm-rooted bulwarks outstand the rude blast,
And the wreck of the fell tyrant's hopes.
Then say, what is truth? 'Tis the last and the first,
For the limits of time it steps o'er.
Though the heavens depart and the earth's fountains burst,
Truth, the sum of existence, will weather the worst,
Eternal, unchanged, evermore.
For the limits of time it steps o'er.
Though the heavens depart and the earth's fountains burst,
Truth, the sum of existence, will weather the worst,
Eternal, unchanged, evermore.
The Lord has defined truth as, "knowledge of things as they are, and as they were, and as they are to come" (D&C 93:24). When we remove the filters of our perceptions and bias, truth is what remains. Truth is what is real. It is the pursuit of long investigations and scientific studies. And while even the most widely held scientific theories can be disproven, and there is much we do not know, truth continues to govern, to hold the stars in their place, to patiently wait for its discovery like flakes of gold that, bit by bit, eventually amass into a great treasure.
Truth exists in bold independence from what societies may want it to be. It outlasts empires and is more valuable than a royal treasury of precious gems. It is the reason for universities and think tanks and many government agencies.
We might reasonably ask: if truth is so sought-after by researchers and investigators and, ultimately, all of us, why is it so difficult to find? Why do so many of us struggle to find the principles of truth that govern health and happiness? Why isn't there a consensus about the existence of God or what good morals are or the value of all kinds of life? Where is truth?
Although truth is there for the taking, finding it can be a little like hiking in the dark. If we rely only on light from other sources around us-- the moon and the stars, as it were-- we may miss important details that cause us to take a wrong turn or even stumble and fall. On the wrong trail, and with the wrong timing, our inability to see in the dark could be fatal.
A flashlight or headlamp may not be powerful enough to reveal the scenery around us-- only the sun can do that-- but they can illuminate the trail ahead so we know where to step, where not to step, and how to safely reach our destination. In a world that often embraces the dark, we need a light to reveal the truths that will help us find peace, joy and direction in our lives.
Jesus Christ is the light of the world. He is willing to share that light with us if we will come to him. Scripture records:
And the light which shineth, and giveth you light, is through him who enlighteneth your eyes, which is the same light that quickeneth your understandings... And if your eye be single to my glory, your whole bodies shall be filled with light, and there shall be no darkness in you; and that body which is filled with light comprehendeth all things (D&C 88:11, 67).
If we follow the light within each of us-- the conscience or inner voice that gives us life and law and understanding-- we will receive more light and be better able to recognize truth. "For intelligence cleaveth unto intelligence; wisdom receiveth wisdom; truth embraceth truth; virtue loveth virtue; light cleaveth unto light" (D&C 88:40).
Likewise, the Lord taught, "that wicked one cometh and taketh away light and truth, through disobedience, from the children of men, and because of the tradition of their fathers" (D&C 93:39). Isaiah wrote that, "[the devil] hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart" (John 12:40); and Jesus chided those who wanted more miraculous bread, "Having eyes, see ye not?" (Mark 8:18). When we choose to disobey or ignore that light, we turn off our metaphorical flashlights and are no longer able to find the path to the destination we intended to reach.
Jesus taught Nicodemus:
He that believeth on [the Son of God] is not condemned; but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God (John 3:18-21).
Oh say, what is that noble truth more valuable than rubies or diamonds? It is those deeds that can be done in the light. It is pure knowledge of divine origin, the fruit of the spirit, the source of love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and temperance (Galatians 5:22-23). It is the sum of existence, the Son of God in whom there is no fault, and its light shines within all of us who will listen to its voice.