By Fr Joe Babendreier

Friedrich Nietzsche wrote a book titled The Will to Power. The book made him one of the most influential atheists of the modern age. For him, the true hero of the Bible was Pontius Pilate. According to Nietzsche, the Roman governor understood reality; he understood politics. Jesus preached the truth to prepare people for God’s kingdom. Pilate sneered at Jesus and asked: “Truth? What is that?” (Jn 18:38)

Most Christians think of Nietzsche the way they think of any other atheist: a sad and lonely person who lived without hope because he lived without God. Even so, not a few Christians tend to agree with Nietzsche on one point. Politics has nothing to do with truth.

That is essentially what Pilate was telling Jesus: “Truth is useless. This is all about power. I am the one who can set you free. I am the one who can have you crucified