Silent Before His Shearers? Not Really!

One of Isaiah’s 700+ year old prophecies about the Christ reads:

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. (Isa.53:7)

James’ text from Matthew 27 began with the direct fulfilment of that prophecy:

Meanwhile Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, "Are you the king of the Jews?"
"Yes, it is as you say," Jesus replied.
When he was accused by the chief priests and the elders, he gave no answer. 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.  (Matt.27:11-14, NIV)

So what was the testimony against him and why didn’t Jesus reply to the charges?  To know what the charges were we have to look back to the previous chapter when he was facing the Jewish High Court a few hours earlier. The Jews tried fabricating false evidence against Jesus, but with no luck. Then false witnesses tried making things up until finally one accused Jesus of claiming that he was able to destroy God’s temple and then rebuild it again in three days. (note: Jesus never said that he would destroy the temple … he said that if anyone destroyed the temple ….). Jesus remained silent. A few moments later they would accuse Jesus of blasphemy, and that was the charge that brought him before Pilate.

When Isaiah declared that the Christ would be “like a lamb, silent before her shearers,” and, “not open his mouth,” it was only in regards to the charges against him. Jesus actually opened his mouth twice. Not to answer to charges, but to respond to questions of his identity. Observe.

In the Jewish court, the High Priest demanded, “I charge you under oath by the living God: Tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God."  Jesus didn’t hesitate to open his mouth.

"Yes, it is as you say, but I say to all of you: In the future you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven." This is where they charged him with blasphemy.

Later Pilate asked him if he was “The King of the Jews,” Jesus didn’t hesitate to open his mouth: "Yes, it is as you say.”

I love the discipline of Jesus as he held his tongue when false things were said. But when his enemies asked if he was the Christ (Messiah) … if he was the Son of God … if he was The King of the Jews, Jesus simply had to say, “Yes, it is as you say.”  See the delicious irony?  “It is as YOU say.” He let His Titles be proclaimed by the ones who were judging Him; all He had to do was to agree. And when He said that in the future it would be He Who would be sitting at God’s right hand and coming back on the clouds of heaven, those Scriptural scholars clearly understood that He was telling them that He would be the final Judge.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, when I am judged, rightly or wrongly by others, remind me that the only Judge that matters is Jesus, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Thank you in advance for your mercy and grace on all of us who call Jesus Lord. Amen.