Matthew 27:11-18: a reflection

As Jesus stands before Pilate, accused of many things by the chief priests and elders, he answers nothing to their accusations, so that the governor marvels at his silence. When he was accused by the chief priests and elders, the account says, he answered nothing. Pilate said, don't you hear how many things they testify against you? But he gave him no answer, not even one word, so that the governor marveled greatly. Jesus, falsely accused of many things, did not defend himself, did not answer accusation with accusation, did not try to justify himself before his accusers; he stood in silence, entrusting himself to God. This shows Christ's silence before false accusation, a silence that entrusts itself to God. Christ was silent before his false accusers. Jesus did not defend himself against false accusation. Christ's silence entrusted himself to God, not self-justification. There is strength in the silence of Christ before his accusers.

Notice the dignity and meaning of Christ's silence. He was accused of many things, falsely, by those who sought his death; and he could have answered, defended himself, exposed the falseness of the charges, argued his case. But he did not; he answered nothing, not even one word, so that Pilate marveled. His silence was not weakness or defeat; it was a deliberate restraint, a refusal to be drawn into self-justification, an entrusting of himself to God who judges justly rather than to his own defense. As Scripture says elsewhere, when reviled he did not revile in return, but entrusted himself to the one who judges rightly. This is a striking example for us. When we are falsely accused, our instinct is to defend ourselves at once, to answer accusation with accusation, to justify ourselves, to argue our case, to prove we are right. But there is a time when the better way is the way of Christ: to be silent, not to be drawn into endless self-justification, but to entrust ourselves to God who sees the truth and judges justly. Not every accusation needs to be answered; sometimes the stronger and more Christlike course is a silence that trusts God with our vindication. Sometimes silence, entrusting ourselves to God, is stronger than self-defense. Do not always answer false accusation; entrust yourself to God who judges justly. Christ's silence trusted God rather than his own defense. There is strength in a silence that leaves vindication to God.

That is worth taking to heart, for Christ's silence before his false accusers shows us that we can entrust ourselves to God who judges justly, rather than always rushing to self-defense. We can feel we must answer every false accusation, defend ourselves at once, justify ourselves before our accusers; but Christ, falsely accused of many things, answered nothing, entrusting himself to God rather than his own defense. His silence was strength, not weakness. When you are falsely accused, do not always rush to self-defense; consider Christ's silence, and entrust yourself to God who judges justly. Consider Christ's silence before his false accusers, and learn to entrust yourself to God who judges justly rather than always rushing to self-defense, as Jesus, accused of many things by the chief priests and elders, answered nothing, not even one word, so that Pilate marveled greatly; for Jesus, falsely accused, could have defended himself, exposed the falseness of the charges, and argued his case, but he did not, and his silence was not weakness or defeat but a deliberate restraint, a refusal to be drawn into self-justification, and an entrusting of himself to God who judges justly, as Scripture says elsewhere that when reviled he did not revile in return but entrusted himself to the one who judges rightly, which is a striking example for us, since when we are falsely accused our instinct is to defend ourselves at once and answer accusation with accusation, but there is a time when the better way is the way of Christ, to be silent and not drawn into endless self-justification but to entrust ourselves to God who sees the truth, so that not every accusation needs to be answered and sometimes the stronger and more Christlike course is a silence that trusts God with our vindication.