What is Truth? | Gospel of Mark | Brian Clark

Jesus stands before Pilate as a king who has come into the world to bear witness to truth. Pilate hears a clear answer, yet still asks, “What is truth?” His problem is not a lack of information. It is a lack of surrender. The truth in front of him is inconvenient because receiving Jesus as king means yielding to his authority.

Confusion can come from not knowing enough, but it can also come from listening to too many voices after God has already spoken. The flesh wants its own way. Other people bring pressure and opinions. Satan brings accusation and counterfeits. Too many voices lead to too many choices, and a clear direction starts looking uncertain. God is not the author of confusion, but of peace.

Jesus connects knowing God’s will with having a willing heart. God knows how to speak, and he can give further direction when information is missing. But a surrendered heart matters more than another confirmation. Seeking advice becomes dangerous when a person is really shopping for permission to ignore Scripture and the inward witness of the Spirit. Grace does not excuse a lifestyle of disobedience; it empowers believers to live holy.

Pilate tries to hand his responsibility to Herod and then to the crowd. Herod wants a miracle, but Jesus will not perform on demand for someone who has resisted the light already given. God’s silence does not always mean his will is hidden. Sometimes he has already spoken.

Pilate finally chooses to gratify the crowd rather than act on the truth. Believers face the same tension whenever they want their own way and God’s way at the same time. Clarity returns through humility, repentance, and obedience to the last thing God made clear. God’s word is a lamp, and further light calls for walking in the light already given.

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Key Takeaways

• 1. A Willing Heart Receives Clear Direction. Jesus ties knowing God’s will to a willingness to do it. A believer who lacks information can ask for wisdom without assuming that God is unwilling or unable to speak. The deeper question is whether the heart will receive his answer when it costs something. [47:29]
• 2. More Advice Can Hide Less Surrender. Seeking another opinion is not always a search for wisdom; sometimes it is a search for permission. When Scripture, an inward check, and sound counsel point in the same direction, collecting contrary voices can manufacture confusion. Grace does not make those warnings unnecessary, because its purpose is to empower holy living rather than cover deliberate disobedience. [54:47]
• 3. God’s Silence May Follow Clear Instruction. Jesus answers Pilate, then remains silent under further questioning. Silence should not automatically be treated as evidence that God has withheld direction. Sometimes the faithful response is to stop asking the same question and act on what has already been made clear. [58:38]
• 4. Responsibility Cannot Be Handed To Others. Pilate sends Jesus to Herod because the right decision carries pressure he does not want to face. Deferring to another person does not remove the consequences of refusing a God-given responsibility. God’s sovereignty does not mean that every outcome reflects his will, especially when people surrender their decisions to the crowd. [1:04:42]
• 5. Further Light Requires Present Obedience. Repentance includes returning to the last direction God gave rather than demanding a fresh next step. Accusation and fear can make obedience seem far harder than it proves to be. The way forward is humility, dependence on the Spirit’s help, and walking in the light already available. [1:31:45]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [36:03] - Jesus Before Pilate
• [38:45] - What Is Truth?
• [41:28] - Two Reasons for Confusion
• [43:12] - Too Many Voices, Too Many Choices
• [46:35] - A Willing Heart Knows God’s Will
• [50:40] - Seeking Counsel or Shopping for Permission
• [56:48] - When Jesus Has Already Answered
• [1:02:19] - Pilate Hands Responsibility to Herod
• [1:09:40] - Herod Demands Another Sign
• [1:15:23] - Clear Commands Call for Obedience
• [1:16:39] - Barabbas and the Pressure of the Crowd
• [1:19:24] - Fear, Accusation, and Returning to Obedience
• [1:28:33] - Pilate Chooses to Please the Crowd
• [1:30:15] - Repentance and Walking in Present Light

Bible Reading

John 18:37-38
“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.' Pilate said to him, 'What is truth?' After he had said this, he went back outside to the Jews and told them, 'I find no guilt in him.” [39:10]

1 Corinthians 14:33
“For God is not a God of confusion but of peace. As in all the churches of the saints,” [42:30]

John 7:17
“If anyone's will is to do God's will, he will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own authority.” [46:50]

Observation questions

1. In John 18:37–38, what does Jesus tell Pilate about his kingship and purpose, and how does Pilate respond?
2. What two reasons for confusion were identified, and how does each call for a different response? [41:36]
3. What was happening in the Corinthian church that made it difficult for people to understand the truth being shared? How was this connected to the competing voices Pilate heard? [44:15]
4. In John 7:17, what connection does Jesus make between a person’s willingness to obey God and their ability to recognize whether his teaching comes from God? [47:24]

Interpretation questions

1. Why would accepting Jesus as king require more from Pilate than simply agreeing that Jesus had spoken truth? [45:14]
2. How can someone distinguish between seeking wise counsel and looking for permission to do what they already want? What difference would a willing heart make? [53:07]
3. Why does Jesus’ silence after answering Pilate challenge the assumption that silence always means God has not given direction? [58:24]
4. How does understanding grace as power for holy living help a believer avoid both excusing disobedience and giving up after failure? [54:35]

Application questions

1. Think of a decision you are facing. What is already clear from Scripture, and what information do you still need? Is there any part of God’s answer you would find difficult to accept? [47:29]
2. Which competing voice most often makes obedience harder for you—your own desires, other people’s opinions, or fear and accusation? What could help you give greater attention to Jesus’ voice this week? [45:14]
3. Have you ever kept asking for advice because you hoped someone would approve the choice you wanted to make? How could you invite a trusted believer to speak honestly into a decision you are making now? [53:18]
4. Where do you feel pressure to please others rather than do what you know is right—at work, at home, or among friends? What might taking responsibility look like in that situation? [01:03:32]
5. Has fear of judgment or rejection kept you from returning to a step of obedience? What support would help you move forward rather than remain held back by what others might think? [01:26:17]
6. Is there a clear step of obedience you have delayed while asking God for further direction? If you are comfortable sharing, what would a humble return to that step look like this week, and how could this group support you? [01:31:45]