Tuesday, March 15, 2016

In our last visit we found that when Jesus was falsely accused before the high priest He didn’t respond. He was silent. His silence was a master communication skill to capture all ears when He did affirm truth. When He was then taken to Pilate He again remained silent when false accusations were made about Him. Pilate sent Him to Herod who was greatly pleased, because for a long time he had wanted to see him, hoping to have Him perform miracles. Luke 23:9 says, “He plied him with many questions, but Jesus gave him no answer.” After being ridiculed and mocked he was sent back to Pilate. Jesus’ silence was selective. At one point Pilate frustratingly demanded, “Do you refuse to speak to me? Don’t you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?” At this Jesus responded, “You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above.” Jesus’ masterful use of silence cut through the conversational morass of false accusations and curious enquiries. When asked questions that dealt with truth He readily and poignantly responded, affirming truth and even amplifying the truth about Himself and His mission. Jesus demonstrated the proverbs, “A man of understanding holds his tongue,” and “A man of knowledge uses words with restraint” (Proverbs 11:12 & 17:27). Jesus’ silence in the face of false accusations set the stage for His affirmation of who He is. His silence was a master communication skill to capture all ears so they would hear the truth He affirmed.