Here's a thought for Good Friday - Why did Jesus remain silent before Pilate?
He could have used this encounter to have a great discussion about the One True God, about the Jewish scriptures, maybe to perform a miracle which would convince Pilate. But he did none of these things.
I wonder if Pilate was secretly quite pleased to have the chance to personally interview this enigmatic, influential, itinerant preacher about whom he had heard all the stories. It must have been quite frustrating that, on the one hand, Jesus didn’t seem to be at all swayed by the authority of Pilate and, on the other hand, that Jesus refused to either engage in discussion or refute the charges against him.
Isaiah prophesied that this was the way it would happen - one could cynically argue that Jesus was simply aware of the prophecy and acting accordingly but considering the torture he was facing this would seem unlikely if he was a fraud. But I'm not cynical and I believe in Jesus!
So after thinking about this for a while I have come to the conclusion that one reason Jesus remained silent was that He was guilty and had no plea bargain to offer. Shock, horror what do I mean by that!
He was guilty of OUR sin and shame. He bore all OUR iniquities. There was no justifying plea that he could offer. He took it all on himself, everything WE deserve, so that WE can go free. The perfect, sinless Son of God gave up everything He had, became fully human, and took on every failure, every sin that separates us from God, and paid the ultimate price - for us.
There was no way He could stand before Pilate tell him all that because He would then have been elevating Himself above our wretched, fallen human condition, and then the sacrifice wouldn't have meant anything. He had to be one of us.
The really awesome thing is that, after all this, He allows us to choose whether or not to believe.
Greater love has no man than that he lay down his life for his friends - and He calls us His friends.
