“When Pilate heard this, he was even more afraid, and he went back inside the palace.
"Where do you come from?" he asked Jesus, but Jesus gave him no answer.
"Do you refuse to speak to me?" Pilate said. "Don't you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?"
Jesus answered, "You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above. Therefore, the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin."
From then on, Pilate tried to set Jesus free, but the Jewish leaders kept shouting, “If you let this man go, you are no friend of Caesar. Anyone who claims to be a king opposes Caesar.” When Pilate heard this, he brought Jesus out and sat down on the judge's seat at a place known as the Stone Pavement (which in Aramaic is Gabbatha). It was the day of Preparation of Passover Week, about the sixth hour.
"Here is your king," Pilate said to the Jews
15 But they shouted, “Take him away! Take him away! Crucify him!”
“Shall I crucify your king?” Pilate asked.
“We have no king but Caesar,” the chief priests answered.”
Isaiah 53:7 “He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.”
Jesus was ridiculed by everyone present during His arrest and trials. The soldiers beat and mocked Him. The religious leaders scorned Him. When the evil behind all this is revealed, we will understand more of the spiritual conflict that goes on between God and Satan. We cannot talk about Christ suffering without relating it to the conflict of Heaven and Hell. Satan enslaved the minds of the people to hysteria, increasing the fear of Pilate to the point of merciless treatment. Yet when given the choice of saving his position or doing what is right, Pilate choose his job.
The suffering was all preplanned. It was foretold that the Messiah would be betrayed by Judas and be rejected and scorned by His own people. Specific prophecies include the use of false witnesses and His beatings. These were fulfilled before the prophecies of the crucifixion.
How can all these people shout we have no king but Caesar? They actually were rejecting the kingship of God. They were incensed with the rule of Caesar, but they chose ruler of this world over the rule of God in their lives. They hated Caesar but they hated Jesus more. They would not have Jesus rule over them and if that meant His death, then so be it.
Some of the images of frenzied protests of extreme Muslins must be like what Pilate would have witnessed: people clenching their fists and shaking them in the air with shouts until they were hoarse, “Crucify, Crucify Him!”. Satan thought he was succeeding.
Jesus didn’t have to speak. He knew Pilate’s heart. The silence of God is awful. There are times when God will no longer speak to someone of the need for conviction. People harden their hearts against the Lord and against the Holy Spirit until God gives them up.
When Will Smith this week assaulted Chris Rock over his joke about Smith’s wife, I think Chris Rock overcame by controlling himself and saying nothing. Self-control is an attribute to be practiced, especially under those circumstances.
Jesus did not have to say anything during all the abuse and all the attacks upon Him. His self-control showed He really was in charge. After further prompting, He did say who really was in charge. "You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above. Therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin."
The time of judgement is coming. Mock however you wish. Demonstrate hypocritical actions, but God knows hearts, and based on that He is your final judge with the final word.
Jesus could conclude as the Psalmist understood in Psalm 73:27,28 “Those who are far from you will perish; you destroy all who are unfaithful to you.28 But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge;”
Jesus’ silence wins when mocked, for He knows how it will end.
Application: Look to God for wisdom in your daily walk of when to speak and when to be silent.
Prayer: Lord, from the Garden of Eden the prophecy of a Savior was penned in scripture. I know that anything the enemy throws at me, you will turn it for good. it is hard some days to see our circumstances play out in a way that seems difficult. Help me to trust you in everything knowing that You are Sovereign and nothing touches my life without passing through your fingers of love. I love You, Lord for your mercies never fail me.
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