At Jesus' trials.
Now the chief priests and the whole Council kept trying to obtain false testimony against Jesus, so that they might put Him to death.
They did not find any, even though many false witnesses came forward. But later on two came forward, and said, This man stated, I am able to destroy the Temple of God and to rebuild it in three days.
The High Priest stood up and said to Him, Do you not answer? What is it that these men are testifying against You?
But Jesus kept silent.
And the High Priest said to Him, I adjure You by the living God, that You tell us whether You are the Christ, the Son of God!
Jesus said to him, You have said it yourself; nevertheless I tell you, hereafter you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power and coming on the clouds of Heaven.
27: 1-2, 11-14
Now when morning came, ... they delivered Him to Pilate the governor.
Now Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor questioned Him, saying, Are You the King of the Jews?
And Jesus said to Him, It is as you say.
And while He was being accused by the chief priests and elders, He did not answer.
Then Pilate said to Him, Do you not hear how many things they testify against You?
And He did not answer him with regard to a single charge, so the governor was quite amazed.
Jesus never said one word in His own defense. He remained silent through all the accusations. They were not worth comment. As Isaiah 53:7 says, As a sheep before her shearers is silent, so He did not open His mouth.
But when asked directly of His identity, He did testify to the Truth. When the High Priest asked Him if He really was God's Son, the Messiah, He answered with Psalm 101:1.
And when Pilate asked Him if He was a King, He admits it, and John gives us more of Jesus' answer to him. In John 18:36-37 He says,
My Kingdom is not of this World. If My Kingdom were of this World, then My servants would be fighting so that I would not be handed over to the Jewish leaders. But now is My Kingdom not from here.
Therefore Pilate said to him, So You are a King? Jesus answered, You say correctly that I am a King. For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the World, to testify to the Truth. Everyone who is of the Truth hears my voice.Here's where Pilate asks rhetorically, "What is Truth?" because he didn't expect any answer.
Jesus had no need to argue with His accusers, so He just kept quiet. This infuriated them, so when He admitted to them who He is, they lost it and dragged Him over to the Roman authority who could authorize His death.
Then even Pilate was amazed that He wouldn't even try to defend Himself.
I need to remember this when I get defensive; to just keep my mouth shut, like He did. It never improves the situation to argue.
But when Pilate asked of His identity, He also admitted to him the reality of His Kingdom not being a part of this World system at all.
The god of this World is our enemy, who has blinded the minds of the lost so that they cannot perceive the Light of the Gospel of Christ (II Corinthians 4:3-4). So the Kingdom of God can have nothing to do with the kingdom of Satan. That's why Jesus answered Pilate the way He did.
When He returns to this Earth, He will completely destroy everything pertaining to this demonic kingdom of the World, and establish His Kingdom in righteousness and judgment.
Before He does that, He had to do the work of making us fit to take part in it. He first had to suffer and die. There's no other way to make us perfect and able to live with Him where He lives.
Next week we will remember His Passion, the passionate Love He showed us. And then we will celebrate Easter, the Resurrection Day! After the sorrow, we will rejoice.
After all the sorrow of this World, we will rejoice in the marvelous Kingdom of our Savior and Redeemer and King and Lord, and our Bridegroom.
He really does Love us passionately, as a newlywed groom is enamoured with his new bride, as He has called us His Bride. And the newness of the Honeymoon Period will last forever!
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
