March 29
“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.
Early Friday morning, Jesus stood before the Roman ruler, Pontius Pilate. While the Jews brought Jesus before Pilate and made many accusations, they could not make the final decision with reference to life and death. The Romans were ruling in Judea, and the final decision rested with Pilate. It did not take very long before Pilate knew that Jesus was innocent of all of the charges brought against Him, and repeatedly he said, “I find no fault in this Man,” Luke 23:4.
Among the accusations brought against Jesus was the accusation that Jesus claimed to be a king. Of course, this was intended to upset Pilate and make him fear that Jesus was a rival to his position as governor. He asked Jesus, “Are You the King of the Jews?” Jesus responded, “It is as you say.” The evangelist John gives further details to this answer in John 18:33-37. Jesus made it clear that He was not an earthly King. He is the King of truth, the truth about salvation. He came into the world to be the Savior. Jesus’ response did not mean anything to Pilate. Sneeringly, he asked, “What is truth?”
Beyond that, Jesus was silent in the presence of Pilate and all of the accusers. The words that Simeon spoke when the infant Jesus had been brought to the temple were being fulfilled: “Behold, this Child is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which will be spoken against,” Luke 2:34.
Pilate marveled that Jesus did not respond to the accusations. Why should He? The accusations were all false, and did not deserve an answer! Jesus was the silent, suffering Savior, as the prophet Isaiah had foretold 700 years earlier: “He was oppressed and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so He opened not His mouth,” Isaiah 53:7. Jesus paid the price for the forgiveness of our sins, including when we spoke and should have kept silent, or when we were silent when we should have spoken.
As Christians, we can follow the example of our Savior. We do not have to respond to every personal snide, sarcastic remark that is made against us by the unbelieving, non-Christian critics in the world! They are liars, and sooner or later they will be exposed. We should not argue just for the sake of arguing. However, we must speak up when the truth is at stake.
“Grant Thou me strength to do,
With ready heart and willing,
Whate’er Thou shalt command,
My calling here fulfilling;
To do it when I ought,
With all my might, and bless
The work I thus have wrought,
For Thou must give success.
Oh, let me never speak
What bounds of truth exceedeth;
Grant that no idle word
From out my mouth proceedeth.
And then, when in my place,
I must and ought to speak,
My words grant pow’r and grace,
Lest I offend the weak.” Amen.