“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 her shearers is silent, so He did not open His mouth.” (Isaiah 53:7)
“Those who had arrested Jesus took Him to Caiaphas, the high priest…Then the high priest stood up and said to Jesus, ‘Are you not going to answer? What is this testimony that these men are bringing against you?’ But Jesus remained silent.” (Matthew 26:57, 62-63)
Have you ever had a hard time being quiet? Was there ever a time when it took everything within you to not say something? Here we find Jesus before the high priest and a parade of false witnesses. He has been arrested, bond and dragged from the garden of Gethsemane down the steep road through the Kidron Valley and up a hill into the city. He is on a journey to the cross. It is a journey to lay His life down for the sins of all humankind. But before He gets to Calvary He will be taken from courtyard to courtyard and have to endure false accusations and a predetermined sentence by a kangaroo court.
Why didn’t He defend Himself? Here stands the Master Story Teller who spoke to thousands and drew crowds wherever He went. He could have argued circles around His captors but, the One who spoke the world into existence remained silent…”like a lamb to the slaughter.” A few hours ago an entire contingent of armed Roman soldiers fell down at the sound of His voice but now…He says nothing to defend Himself.
He could have said something and, it may be that He was tempted to let them know the part that they were about to play in God’s plan to save the world. This is just another aspect of Jesus’ sacrifice that comes forward through this long night. He did not need to defend Himself and, therefore, dignify these corrupt proceedings. In fact, His silence highlighted the unjustified cruelty of the world and revealed the holy innocence of the Savior. We should take time to meditate on the great chasm between man and God that this brings out. It is the very reason that Jesus had to walk this road. He was to be the bridge for us to be reconciled to our Creator. He came to make it possible for Caiaphas, Pilate, Herod, the Roman soldiers, the frightened disciples, you and me to experience forgiveness and restoration no matter where we have been or what we have done.
So, maybe He was silent because even when being treated so horribly, He could only respond with the love He described in the sermon on the mount, “If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.” (Matthew 5:39)