On This Day: When the Right Answer is No Answer

Now Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” Jesus said, “You have said so.” But when he was accused by the chief priests and elders, he gave no answer. Then Pilate said to him, “Do you not hear how many things they testify against you?” But he gave him no answer, not even to a single charge, so that the governor was greatly amazed. (Matthew 27:11-14)

 

   One of the Scriptures that has most shaped how I try to live is when Jesus said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise” (John 5:19).

   No, I do not think I can be as good as Jesus at this. But Jesus told us how this applies to his disciples when he said to them (and us), “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5).

   When I apply this to Jesus not answering his accusers, the issue isn’t that we can reduce what Jesus did into a rule, or a principle to live by. We can’t simply make it a rule that we don’t answer our accusers. During Jesus’ public ministry he constantly replied to his accusers. He was always responding to their trick questions and hypocritical attempts to expose him.

   But this time was different. From the Garden of Eden to the prophet Malachi (the whole Old Testament) God’s plan was for a Messiah to crush the serpent’s head (authority) while the serpent would bruise his heal (Jesus would suffer to secure our salvation). Jesus had concluded his public ministry by declaring woes on the religious leaders, lamenting Jerusalem’s coming destruction because the people refused their Messiah, and telling the disciples that the temple itself would be destroyed. Everything was settled.

   So when Jesus stood before the Roman Governor, Pilate, the only thing left to do was to “lay down his life for his friends”. He didn’t answer anything because he had no intention of stopping or even slowing down the proceedings. He had repeatedly told his disciples he was going to be crucified at the Passover. He was letting the plan unfold so everyone could see how evil and sinful they were, and how sinless, blameless and spotless he was as the sacrificial lamb.

   Today, I feel the wonder of Jesus being able to be silent when accused. This included the reminder that it fulfilled prophecy! “He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth” (Isaiah 53:7).

   But it also was another clear picture of Jesus doing what us sinners could not do. And even his silence before his accusers proved that he was the Messiah who was then and there giving “his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). 

   The only question is whether you are included in the “many” Jesus came to save. And to that question, everyone will give an answer.  

 

© 2024 Monte Vigh ~ Box 517, Merritt, BC, V1K 1B8

Email: in2freedom@gmail.com

Unless otherwise noted, Scriptures are from the English Standard Version (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.)