Silent for a Time

Mark 15:1-5 Very early in the morning, the chief priests, with the elders, the teachers of the law and the whole Sanhedrin, reached a decision. They bound Jesus, led him away and handed him over to Pilate. 2 “Are you the king of the Jews?” asked Pilate. “Yes, it is as you say,” Jesus replied. 3 The chief priests accused him of many things. 4 So again Pilate asked him, “Aren't you going to answer? See how many things they are accusing you of.”  5 But Jesus still made no reply, and Pilate was amazed. 
 
THE ruling Jews had reached a decision. John 18 tells us they had decided to put Jesus to death. But they didn’t want to do it themselves. Under Moses’ law, one guilty of blasphemy was to be stoned. The Jews later would do this to Stephen (Acts 7), the church’s first martyr. But they didn’t want to stone Jesus.
   No, the Jews wanted Rome to be responsible for Jesus’ death. They wanted no blame for an innocent man’s death. Are you amazed Jesus, the Living Word, kept silent?
   Was Jesus’ silence a resignation to the events because he knows his destiny is the cross? Was he thinking, “Why bother? The Father’s will is that I go to the cross. So I’ll just keep quiet. I’d hate to be set free if my mission is to die.”
   If Jesus had thought that, he would have been a self-serving fatalist. Such thoughts point to one’s own glory, and in essence say, “See how good I am to suffer.” Jesus in all righteousness humbly submitted to God’s divine plan. Jesus would reveal God’s glory through his suffering, death and resurrection.
   If we read this as a fiction book, we are sure the hero will find a way to escape the trap. Perhaps he finds an ally in Pilate, and the Roman governor will release him. If it were fiction, the evil Jews would be the ones who would die, and Jesus would lead Jerusalem into freedom.
   But this is God’s true story. The Son of God must die, so an uncountable number of people will be rescued from sin into Jesus’ eternal freedom.  
   God’s complete story tells us that because of Jesus’ submission, one day Jesus will come with a loud voice like a trumpet (Revelation 1:10). And the angels will declare: Revelation 11:15 “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our LORD and of his Christ, and he will reign for ever and ever.”
   You may wonder, “Why is God silent?” as you await an answer to prayer or resolution to a very hard circumstance. God’s story continually tells us to do as Jesus. Honor, obey and love the LORD. Trust he has written your story that you will dwell in the house of the LORD forever. (Psalm 23:6c)