And when he was accused of the chief priests and elders, he answered nothing.
When accused by the chief priests and elders and other Jewish leaders before Pilate with false charges, clamor and abuse, He answered nothing, making no reply to accusations, questions, insults and mockery and offering no self-defense. Amid the uproar He remained calm, dignified, composed and unmoved, showing no fear, defiance or troubled expression. His silence and bearing perplexed and amazed Pilate, who distrusted the charges and respected Him, and astonished the throng, gaining Him sympathizers and testifying to His innocence. His silence was not indifference but eloquent testimony to His conscious innocence and wisdom, revealing His character more powerfully than words without retaliation. Standing before Pilate as humanity's representative, though He could have delivered Himself, He accepted humiliation, suffering and death because He had given His life for the world, an example of trust in God against human power used to support evil.
Trial Before Pilate
The chief priests and elders, joined by other Jewish leaders and rulers, stood before Pilate loudly bringing false charges against Him, abusing Him as they urged and pressured the Roman governor to do their will and condemn Him. They pressed the governor to carry out their purpose against Him, seeking to bend human power to their intent. To all that clamor of accusation He answered nothing, making no reply and offering no self-defense. He gave no answer to the many questions, insults and mockery heaped upon Him.
He had already spoken privately with Pilate so the governor could understand the truth, but then He said nothing more that could keep Pilate from condemning Him to death. Amid the uproar and abuse He remained calm, dignified, composed and unmoved. No fear, no defiance, no frown and no troubled expression appeared on His features. His calm endurance under abuse showed conscious innocence and wisdom.
His silence perplexed and amazed Pilate. The governor saw in Him no sign that He was seditious and distrusted the accusations brought against Him. His calm, dignified bearing amid the uproar won Pilate's respect.
His silence, patience and forbearance amazed the throng and astonished the assembly, gaining Him many sympathizers. He was looked upon with wonder for His perfect and noble form, firm dignified bearing, mild clear undaunted eye, broad high forehead, and every feature strongly marked with benevolence and noble principle. Compared with those sitting in judgment against Him, He appeared more like a king to be entrusted with a kingdom than any of the rulers, bearing no marks of a criminal and showing His innocence. His noble, God-like bearing, so unlike man, made many tremble and greatly troubled even Herod and Pilate, strengthening conviction in the assembly that He was more than mortal, yet they wondered why He did not free Himself from His bonds and triumph over them.
Meaning of His Silence
His silence was not indifference but conscious purpose under false accusation. His calm, unmoved bearing while enduring abuse testified to His conscious innocence and wisdom, and stood in direct contrast to the fury of His accusers. That silence was eloquent, for without retaliation it revealed His character and bore witness to it more powerfully than any reply could have done.
Facing the Jewish priests and rulers as they pressed the Roman governor to do their will, He stands as an example of trust in God set against human power employed to support evil. Standing before Pilate as humanity's representative, though He could have delivered Himself, He accepted humiliation, suffering, and death because He had given His life for the world.
This occurred in the foretold time of His betrayal, His agony in Gethsemane, His condemnation in the judgment hall, His humiliation, and His crucifixion.
Test and Example for Believers
His condemnation in the judgment hall became a severe test for His disciples. The crowd and multitude that had hailed Him as king turned against Him, hissed at Him and reviled Him. With cruel jeering and as a hooting rabble they cried for His crucifixion, while professed friends turned from Him in His trouble. He knew beforehand who were unbelieving and weak in faith, and He deliberately brought this testing crisis while He was still present to comfort and strengthen His chosen. By it He purged weak and undecided followers, so that when His faithful few saw Him betrayed, condemned, humiliated and scorned they would not be overwhelmed with surprise, nor sink beneath fear and disappointment and the ruin of their hopes, nor be carried away by the example of apostasy. They would instead remember that they had seen the fickleness of the world before, and would not hang their faith on the opinions of others.
His example in answering nothing when accused calls workers to restrain their words even when deeply indignant at injustice. From Him they are to learn how to serve with wisdom and simplicity. As part of the history of professedly pious Jews, the account warns that God's law judges all by the same rule, including lawyers and members of the church.
When accused by the chief priests and elders and other Jewish leaders before Pilate with false charges, clamor and abuse, He answered nothing, making no reply to accusations, questions, insults and mockery and offering no self-defense. Amid the uproar He remained calm, dignified, composed and unmoved, showing no fear, defiance or troubled expression. His silence and bearing perplexed and amazed Pilate, who distrusted the charges and respected Him, and astonished the throng, gaining Him sympathizers and testifying to His innocence. His silence was not indifference but eloquent testimony to His conscious innocence and wisdom, revealing His character more powerfully than words without retaliation. Standing before Pilate as humanity's representative, though He could have delivered Himself, He accepted humiliation, suffering and death because He had given His life for the world, an example of trust in God against human power used to support evil.
Trial Before Pilate
The chief priests and elders, joined by other Jewish leaders and rulers, stood before Pilate loudly bringing false charges against Him, abusing Him as they urged and pressured the Roman governor to do their will and condemn Him. They pressed the governor to carry out their purpose against Him, seeking to bend human power to their intent. To all that clamor of accusation He answered nothing, making no reply and offering no self-defense. He gave no answer to the many questions, insults and mockery heaped upon Him.
He had already spoken privately with Pilate so the governor could understand the truth, but then He said nothing more that could keep Pilate from condemning Him to death. Amid the uproar and abuse He remained calm, dignified, composed and unmoved. No fear, no defiance, no frown and no troubled expression appeared on His features. His calm endurance under abuse showed conscious innocence and wisdom.
His silence perplexed and amazed Pilate. The governor saw in Him no sign that He was seditious and distrusted the accusations brought against Him. His calm, dignified bearing amid the uproar won Pilate's respect.
His silence, patience and forbearance amazed the throng and astonished the assembly, gaining Him many sympathizers. He was looked upon with wonder for His perfect and noble form, firm dignified bearing, mild clear undaunted eye, broad high forehead, and every feature strongly marked with benevolence and noble principle. Compared with those sitting in judgment against Him, He appeared more like a king to be entrusted with a kingdom than any of the rulers, bearing no marks of a criminal and showing His innocence. His noble, God-like bearing, so unlike man, made many tremble and greatly troubled even Herod and Pilate, strengthening conviction in the assembly that He was more than mortal, yet they wondered why He did not free Himself from His bonds and triumph over them.
Meaning of His Silence
His silence was not indifference but conscious purpose under false accusation. His calm, unmoved bearing while enduring abuse testified to His conscious innocence and wisdom, and stood in direct contrast to the fury of His accusers. That silence was eloquent, for without retaliation it revealed His character and bore witness to it more powerfully than any reply could have done.
Facing the Jewish priests and rulers as they pressed the Roman governor to do their will, He stands as an example of trust in God set against human power employed to support evil. Standing before Pilate as humanity's representative, though He could have delivered Himself, He accepted humiliation, suffering, and death because He had given His life for the world.
This occurred in the foretold time of His betrayal, His agony in Gethsemane, His condemnation in the judgment hall, His humiliation, and His crucifixion.
Test and Example for Believers
His condemnation in the judgment hall became a severe test for His disciples. The crowd and multitude that had hailed Him as king turned against Him, hissed at Him and reviled Him. With cruel jeering and as a hooting rabble they cried for His crucifixion, while professed friends turned from Him in His trouble. He knew beforehand who were unbelieving and weak in faith, and He deliberately brought this testing crisis while He was still present to comfort and strengthen His chosen. By it He purged weak and undecided followers, so that when His faithful few saw Him betrayed, condemned, humiliated and scorned they would not be overwhelmed with surprise, nor sink beneath fear and disappointment and the ruin of their hopes, nor be carried away by the example of apostasy. They would instead remember that they had seen the fickleness of the world before, and would not hang their faith on the opinions of others.
His example in answering nothing when accused calls workers to restrain their words even when deeply indignant at injustice. From Him they are to learn how to serve with wisdom and simplicity. As part of the history of professedly pious Jews, the account warns that God's law judges all by the same rule, including lawyers and members of the church.