Truth-Seeking

Scripture Reading: Matthew 21:23-27

Jesus was teaching in the temple when some Jewish elders challenged his authority to do so. “Who gave you this authority?” they asked. Rather than give a direct answer, Jesus responded with a question of his own, “Did John baptize by the authority of heaven or men?”

The elders couldn’t answer, not because they didn’t have an opinion, but because they were thinking ahead a few steps. They were mostly concerned about how their answer would be perceived by the crowds listening in. They were willing to go either way, but neither answer would produce the outcome they wanted.

They were trapped.

The wisdom of Jesus is evident here. So also, is the malignant bitterness and authoritarian lust for power that consumed these men. What we tend not to notice is the problem that was lying hidden in plain sight.

The goal of these elders was not the truth. It was winning. They weren’t asking Jesus questions with a willingness to find and receive and respond to the truth. They wanted to win the debate and defeat Jesus. This, by the way, explains Jesus indirect way of answering. There was no point in making a direct answer to people who had no interest in truth.

Unfortunately, much of our present-day debate and dialogue has similar characteristics. Little truth-seeking goes on. Truly little listening with a view to understanding happens. Most of the time we are calculating how best to win the argument. It is really hard for us to ever acknowledge when our political enemies might actually have a point and may even be right.

Therefore, we speak, not so much what we think is true, but what we think wins the argument. Being right, after all, is what matters most today.

May God give us the grace to be humble enough to listen, and honest enough to accept and stand with the truth.