From Matthew 27:11-14 / The Silence of The Lamb

Note first: As we’ve already seen, when Jesus was tried at Caiaphas’ house (26:57-68) He never answered any of the charges that were leveled against Him. Even though those charges were all false.

Now, He is before Pilate – the Roman authority over the region. Once again Jesus is subject to a host of accusations, but once again He remains silent. It is a startling scene. Jesus Himself as we well know – as His accusers well know – was innocent of all those things with which He was charged. What we observed once is brought into focus again so that we do not miss the emphasis. In His role as our sin-bearing substitute, Jesus is fulfilling Isa. 53:7 “He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth.”

He is exegeting Isa. 53 in the flesh. Not as a theological abstraction, but in reality.

And why was it this way? Because as Isaiah goes on to say: “Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities.” (Isa. 53:10-11) He makes no defence, because He is bearing OUR guilt. He is making Himself responsible for our sins. He is willingly being charged with our sins, so that He make take our punishment upon the Cross, so that all who put their faith in His atoning sacrifice may be accounted righteous with His righteousness.

This, is the Gospel. The Gospel placed so fully before us that we cannot miss it. All other false Gospels and theories surrounding Jesus’ death find their demise here. He will not try to acquit Himself, because He is willingly taking the whole of the just accusations against human sinfulness upon Himself.

Do not run by this passage Beloved. Stop and ponder it, carefully. It is not a cast off or incidental moment.

When He was first taken in the Garden, He told His captors that He was at liberty to appeal to the Father for a host of angels to deliver Him. But He didn’t. He never tried to avoid what was just before Him. For to do so would do 2 things: 1 – To fail to do the Father’s will. 2 – Leave us in our trespasses and sins. It would condemn us. Neither of which He would do. No matter the cost.

What a Savior!

Reader, if you are not a Christian yet today, then please listen to me. There is no sin so wicked, so long indulged in, so deeply ingrained into your soul, that Jesus’ did not account for in His death. He offered no exceptions. He made not the slightest hint that anything was excepted. He has removed every barrier to your salvation in His substitution. He has opened the door to flee to the Father. You may come and cry out “have mercy on me!” and know that there is absolute provision for your every wickedness. God put Him forward as a propitiation – a satisfaction in His blood – to be received by faith. He can cleanse you of all your guilt, and every shame, when you bow before Him, confess your sin, and rely on His death, burial and resurrection alone, for complete reconciliation to the Father. Come to Him today!

And fellow Believer, you who even after years of walking with Christ have found that sin remains a constant inward enemy, and has caused you to stumble and fall – remember that all of your sins were still in the future when He died for you. As yet you had committed none of them. And He is neither shocked nor dismayed at your stumblings. His blood remains sufficient until the day you wake in His likeness. Maybe you need to refresh yourself in the Gospel yet again today, so that you may walk with Him in freedom once again. As the hymn writer said: “Jesus paid it all; All to Him owe; sin had left a crimson satin; He washed it, white as snow.”

Note second: Once again we see that His only response is in terms of His identity.

Pilate’s question was no doubt cast only in terms of whether or not Jesus would claim to be King of the Jews so as to stand in political opposition to Caesar. Hence Jesus’ qualified answer. Yes, He is King of the Jews, but not in the way Pilate imagined. As John would elucidate in his account – Jesus would tell Pilate: “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.” (John 18:36)

He remains both just, and the justifier of all who come to Him by faith. He will never deny Himself, even when totally misunderstood. He remains, King of the Jews. More, He is “King of Kings and Lord of Lords.” (Rev. 19:16).

And one day, the entire cosmos will see it it and own it as true. “God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Phil. 2:9-11)

Note third: As we cited above from Isa. 53 – “It was the will of the Father to crush Him.”

Jesus did not interpose Himself on sinner’s behalf in opposition to the Father – but in fulfilling the Father’s will. Father, Son and Holy Spirit entered into a divine conspiracy to rescue fallen men and women through this astounding plan of salvation.

Jesus didn’t appease an unwilling God, but rather satisfied the Father’s inviolable holiness and justice by dying in our place.

What a wonder this salvation is. No wonder the writer to the Hebrews says that it is so profound, that even the angels strain to peer into it so as to understand the amazing mystery it is.

Hallelujah!