Matthew 27:11-14 / Mark 15:2-5 / Luke 23:1-2 / John 18:29-32…
Are you the King of the Jews? Jesus has now been transitioned from the church trial to the civil trial. Because they were under the Romans, the Jews did not have the right to execute. And so Jesus, having already been condemned by the Jewish court, now stands before Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor.
You have said so. By His answer Jesus confesses that He is a king. Still, Pilate knew full well that the Jewish leaders, who despised Roman oppression, wouldn’t bring someone to be executed because he was a threat to Rome. He could easily see that Jesus was no threat to Rome, but that he was a threat to their system (Matthew 27:18).
Still, Jesus continues to refuse to answer the questions of the Sanhedrin. By not responding, Jesus is not only showing contempt for the wickedness of their unjust charges, He is adopting a strategy to assure that He died for your sins. Jesus could probably have given Pilate all the reasons he needed to be set free. Jesus refuses to do it, because He’s already been in the garden, He knows the consequences, and He will not do anything to get in the way of dying.
Jesus’ silence is not a model for how Christians ought to respond in a trial when we are unjustly accused. His actions are unique because He is unique. His silence is reflective of His commitment to die for you because of His love for you. His silence is sending a loud message to you that He wanted to bear your sin. He loved to do the will of His Heavenly Father, even if it means being condemned unjustly, even if meant the torture and death which He would have to endure in order to release you from the bondage of the condemnation of sin.
The silence of Jesus is powerful. With no words it speaks of how committed He is to you. And remember the silence of those who on judgment day will have nothing to say before the just condemnation of God (Romans 1:20, 3:19). Give thanks that you will not be in that silent party because Christ took that silence for you (Acts 17:31).
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