But I, as a deaf man, heard not; and I was as a dumb man that
openeth not his mouth. Thus, I was as a man that heareth not,
and in whose mouth are no reproofs. Psalm xxxviii. 13, 14.
Does not the perusal of these words lead the mind back to the palace
of Caiaphas, and the hall of Pilate, when Jesus appeared there,
surrounded by his blood-thirsty persecutors, who, in the bitterness
of their malice, vehemently and unjustly accuse him of crimes his
soul abhorred. But, the meek and lowly Jesus heard their falsehoods
with silent composure. Their calumnies aroused no angry passions
in his spotless soul. Though conscious of the injustice of their
proceedings, he made no remonstrance. Even Pilate marvelled at his
silence, and exclaimed, hearest thou not how many things these
witness against thee? But Jesus answered not a word. He was "as a
deaf man who heard not, or as one that is dumb so he opened not his
mouth." Yet his silence was not the effect of sullenness, and,
though innocent of crimes alleged against him, he deigned not to
vindicate his character, nor did his noble spirit stoop to load with
reproach even his bitterest enemies. "Though reviled, he reviled not
again; in his mouth there were no reproofs." Jesus, aware of the
situation in which he stood as the sinner's surety, looked beyond
the bar of Pilate, to the Tribunal of God's Justice: for though no
sin was _in_ him, yet, by imputation, he was loaded _with_ sin.[72]
Though he was unjustly condemned to death by the Roman Governor, he
viewed the sentence gone forth against him in the Court of Heaven,
and, seeing the hand of the Lord in this matter, he was dumb, and
opened not his mouth, "because thou, O God, didst it." This is
discovered in the reply he made to Pilate's imperious question,
"Knowest thou not, that I have power to crucify thee, and have power
to release thee?" Jesus answered, "thou couldest have no power at
all against me, except it were given thee from above." Although
innocent of the crimes preferred against him, at Pilate's bar, yet,
Jesus knew that he stood charged before God, with the imputed mass
of his people's sins for which he had made himself responsible.
Is it not to this, we must attribute the otherwise extraordinary
silence Jesus manifested at the injustice of Pilate's sentence?
[72] Isaiah liii. 6.