Often I have wondered why defense lawyers usually prefer for their clients to not to testify during a trial. I have always figured that those who don't testify must be guilty of something! I was watching the evening news the other night and I heard a defense lawyer say that silence is not an admission of guilt, but rather a tactic used to make the accusers prove their clients' guilt without the benefit of being able to twist some words of the defendant.
To get more on point, certain times of studying the Word, I have always asked myself why was it that Jesus for the most part was silent at His trials. He always seemed to speek briefly when a direct command was given to Him to speak, but all and all He was silent during his so-called trials.
Isaiah 53:7(NIV) 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.
For a long time, this passage made be believe that perhaps He was silent because His silence fulfilled the prophecies. But that answer just never seemed quite right to me. So, I dug deeper into the Word. Look at the following passages:
Matthew 26:62-63(NIV) 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. The high priest said to him, "I charge you under oath by the living God: Tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God."
Matthew 27:13-14(NIV) Then Pilate asked him, "Don't you hear the testimony they are bringing against you?" But Jesus made no reply, not even to a single charge -- to the great amazement of the governor.
These passages are typical of Jesus' defense during the mock trials. He was a lamb before the shearers, silent. But why was He silent? Why not call down the legions of angels. Why not just zap the accusers?
Stay with me now, because I am going to give you the answer that recently came home to me. It was one of those "ah-ha!" moments. You know, an "ah-ha! Now I get it" moment- (lol, I seem to experience alot of these).. Watch this:
1Peter 2:23-24(NIV) When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness;by his wounds you have been healed.
Read Peter's words carefully. Why was Christ silent? He was silent because He was in our shoes, He was taking our place, He was wearing our sins, He had no defense, because we are guilty. All of us sin and fall short of God's glory. Jesus himself was innocent, but yet by proxy, He was guilty and therefore could say nothing. WOW..He was silent for me. He was silent for you. Which sins of yours did Jesus carry to the cross? ALL of them!
Oh,man how can we not be so thankful for this? How can we not be "ON FIRE" with love for Christ? How can we not want to be more like Him? We could never do for Him what He has done for us. But look at verse 24 again. He died so we would stop living a life for sin and turn a life of living right. That's all we want to do. Out of our love and gratitude for what He has done for us, we should strive to live life right.
Oh Heavenly Father, thank You so much for Your Son Jesus, Who faithfully went to the cross for us, so that we may be forgiven for our sins and that we can be made right with You Father, and in the process, we can do life right. Forgive us when we fall short of Your mark. Give us Your strength and Your wisdon to continue in Your Word, so that we may bring glory and honor to You. In Christ's name, AMEN ...
To get more on point, certain times of studying the Word, I have always asked myself why was it that Jesus for the most part was silent at His trials. He always seemed to speek briefly when a direct command was given to Him to speak, but all and all He was silent during his so-called trials.
Isaiah 53:7(NIV) 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.
For a long time, this passage made be believe that perhaps He was silent because His silence fulfilled the prophecies. But that answer just never seemed quite right to me. So, I dug deeper into the Word. Look at the following passages:
Matthew 26:62-63(NIV) 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. The high priest said to him, "I charge you under oath by the living God: Tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God."
Matthew 27:13-14(NIV) Then Pilate asked him, "Don't you hear the testimony they are bringing against you?" But Jesus made no reply, not even to a single charge -- to the great amazement of the governor.
These passages are typical of Jesus' defense during the mock trials. He was a lamb before the shearers, silent. But why was He silent? Why not call down the legions of angels. Why not just zap the accusers?
Stay with me now, because I am going to give you the answer that recently came home to me. It was one of those "ah-ha!" moments. You know, an "ah-ha! Now I get it" moment- (lol, I seem to experience alot of these).. Watch this:
1Peter 2:23-24(NIV) When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness;by his wounds you have been healed.
Read Peter's words carefully. Why was Christ silent? He was silent because He was in our shoes, He was taking our place, He was wearing our sins, He had no defense, because we are guilty. All of us sin and fall short of God's glory. Jesus himself was innocent, but yet by proxy, He was guilty and therefore could say nothing. WOW..He was silent for me. He was silent for you. Which sins of yours did Jesus carry to the cross? ALL of them!
Oh,man how can we not be so thankful for this? How can we not be "ON FIRE" with love for Christ? How can we not want to be more like Him? We could never do for Him what He has done for us. But look at verse 24 again. He died so we would stop living a life for sin and turn a life of living right. That's all we want to do. Out of our love and gratitude for what He has done for us, we should strive to live life right.
Oh Heavenly Father, thank You so much for Your Son Jesus, Who faithfully went to the cross for us, so that we may be forgiven for our sins and that we can be made right with You Father, and in the process, we can do life right. Forgive us when we fall short of Your mark. Give us Your strength and Your wisdon to continue in Your Word, so that we may bring glory and honor to You. In Christ's name, AMEN ...
