A Christian minister not long ago spoke upon the subject: “When the Bible
is Silent.” He said a great many silly things about his subject, but not
one sensible one. This preacher wishes us to believe that when the Bible
is silent it is because we cannot hear. He said the silence of Jesus
before Caiaphas, Pilate and Herod, shows that Jesus knew they would not
have understood his words if he had answered them. He further said that
Jesus “treated each with whom he came in contact according to the spirit
that was in him.”
Is it not more likely that Jesus knew he could not impose upon these men
as he could upon his ignorant, superstitious followers, and hence dared
not speak? Is not his silence a confession of his weakness? Had he been
able to answer Caiaphas, Pilate and Herod, think you he would not have
done so? Of course he would. It is a little singular that the _most
momentous questions ever put to Jesus were not answered by him_. The very
things the people wished to know he did not reveal. Why not? Why, because
he _could_ not.
Should we to-day pronounce a man wise and good who professed to possess
knowledge that would benefit, if not save, the world, but who refused to
impart that knowledge? We reckon not. We should either denounce him as the
foe of man or else as a charlatan.
When Jesus was taken before the high priest, Caiaphas, and was asked about
the charges against him, he “held his peace.”
When he was asked by Pilate. “What is truth?” Jesus was silent; and when
Pilate again asked, “Whence art thou?” Jesus “gave him no answer.”
When Herod “questioned with him in many words,” “he answered him nothing.”
What are we to infer from this silence? What the minister wishes us to
infer, or that Jesus saw that he was unable to maintain his claim and so
sought refuge in silence?
The silence of Jesus condemns him. He was in duty bound to prove that he
was the Christ, the Son of God, as he claimed to be, or else have impostor
written on his forehead.
The world will some day grow large enough not to be fooled by a minister.
When it does, Jesus will take his place where he belongs,—in the graveyard
of the gods.