And Jesus was Silent...

by Oleg Kostyuk

Now Jesus stood before the governor. And the governor asked Him, saying, “Are You the King of the Jews?” Jesus said to him, “It is as you say.” And while He was being accused by the chief priests and elders, He answered nothing. Then Pilate said to Him, “Do You not hear how many things they testify against You?” But He answered him not one word, so that the governor marveled greatly.” (Matthew 27:11-14)

The prophet Isaiah eight centuries before Jesus’ birth predicted the destiny of Jesus’ love. He understood what was the purpose of His coming to earth. In Isaiah 53:7b we read: “He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so He opened not His mouth.”

How incomprehensible it is, Jesus, the co-creator of the universe, was led to the cross as a lamb. When Jesus stood before Pilate, Matthew testifies that He was silent as a Lamb.

Philip Yancey in his book The Jesus I Never Knew writes about an elderly Jewish rabbi who was dragged into a Nazi headquarters. In the far end of the same room, two colleagues were beating another Jew to death. But before deciding what to do with the elderly rabbi they decided to have some fun with him. They stripped him naked and commanded him to preach the sermon he had prepared for the Sabbath service. The rabbi asked if he could wear his yarmulke to cover his head. Nazi thought it just added to the joke. The trembling rabbi proceeded to deliver in a raspy voice his sermon on what it means to walk humbly before God, while being poked and laughed at by hooting Nazis. And last cries of his neighbor at the end of the room were a reminder of his destiny.[1]

I can only imagine, how unbearable it was for Jesus to hear the accusations of the chief priests and elders. But He was silent. It is a great example for us. Jesus humbled Himself for our sake!

How difficult it is to be silent when you hear ill-judged accusation. Looking at Jesus, I believe, we can learn how to walk humbly before God.

[1] Philip Yancey, The Jesus I Never Knew (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1995), p. 199.