Silence is hearing only the voice of God, whom we rely on, and humbly obeying His words with faith silently.

Silence is hearing only the voice of God, whom we rely on, and humbly obeying His words with faith silently.

 

 

 

The chief priests and the Jewish council (Sanhedrin) tried to find evidence to condemn Jesus to death.  Many people came and gave false testimony, but they could not obtain any concrete evidence.  Finally, two men came forward and testified, "This man said that he could destroy the temple of God and rebuild it in three days."  Then the high priest stood up and asked Jesus, "Do you have no answer to the testimony these men are bringing against you?"  But Jesus remained silent and did not answer (Matthew 26:59-63, Contemporary Bible).  As I meditate on this passage, several thoughts come to mind:

 

1.     When I think about the chief priests and the Jewish council trying to find evidence to condemn Jesus to death, I believe this reflects the fulfillment of Jesus' words in Matthew 20:18: "We are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be handed over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law.  They will condemn him to death" (Contemporary Bible).  They wanted Jesus to be condemned to death and crucified.

2.     The Apostle Peter said to Jesus, "Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death" (Luke 22:33, Contemporary Bible), but he ran away.  Later, he returned and followed Jesus from a distance, wanting to see how things would unfold (Matthew 26:56, 58, Contemporary Bible).  On the other hand, the Apostle Paul not only felt as though he had been sentenced to death (2 Corinthians 1:9, Contemporary Bible), but despite not having done anything deserving of death or imprisonment (Acts 26:31, Contemporary Bible), he actually went so low as to be in the most despised position, like a prisoner sentenced to death (1 Corinthians 4:9, Contemporary Bible).  And when he was accused of various crimes by the Jews from Jerusalem, he said, "If I am guilty of doing anything deserving of death, I am willing to die" (Acts 25:7, 11, Contemporary Bible).  The reason the Apostle Paul could say this was because he relied not on himself, but on God, who raises the dead (2 Corinthians 1:9, Contemporary Bible).  God is the one who hears the groaning of those in prison and sets free those who have been sentenced to death! (Ref.: Psalms 102:20, Contemporary Bible).

3.     When reflecting on the words, "Many came forward and gave false testimony, but they could not find any substantial evidence" (Matthew 26:60, Contemporary Bible), I agree with the statement, "A false witness only tells lies" (Proverbs 12:17, Contemporary Bible).  What comes from the heart of a false witness are "evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, and slander" (Matthew 15:19, Contemporary Bible).  A person who gives false testimony is like someone who harms their neighbor with a club, a sword, or a sharp arrow (Proverbs 25:18, Contemporary Bible).  Those who oppose us will testify falsely against us (Ref.: Psalm 27:12, Contemporary Bible).  They will not only accuse us of things we did not even know about (Ref.: Psalms 35:11, Contemporary Bible), but they will also testify falsely against us (Ref.: Proverbs 24:28, Contemporary Bible).  The Bible clearly commands, "You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor" (Exodus 20:16, Contemporary Bible).  Yet, those who give false testimony and falsely accuse innocent people will be punished by God (Ref.: Isaiah 29:21, Contemporary Bible).

4.     Many people gave false testimony, but the last two individuals provided testimony that could serve as substantial evidence against Jesus.  Their testimony was, "This man said that he could destroy the temple of God and rebuild it in three days" (Matthew 26:60-61, Contemporary Bible).  In fact, Jesus had said, "Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days" (John 2:19, Contemporary Bible).  However, what the Jews who heard this (verse 18) and the two men who gave this testimony (Matthew 26:60, Contemporary Bible) did not know was that "the temple Jesus was referring to was his body" (John 2:21, Contemporary Bible) [It was only after Jesus died and rose again that His disciples remembered this statement and believed in the Scriptures and what Jesus had said (verse 22, Contemporary Bible)].  Therefore, not only the two witnesses but also the chief priests, the Jewish council, and all the Jews who accused Jesus believed that Jesus had committed the sin of blaspheming the temple of God.  The reason for this belief was that in the Old Testament, the temple was the place where God's name dwelled, and when Jesus said to destroy the temple, it was seen as both a crime of temple desecration and a sin of dishonoring God's name, which was considered a sacrilegious act (Jeong-hyun Lee).

5.     Even though two people gave false testimony against Jesus, He did not respond and remained silent (Matthew 26:62-63, Contemporary Bible).  Why did Jesus choose not to defend Himself?  Why did He not explain that the temple He referred to, which He said to destroy, was not the physical temple in Jerusalem, but His own body?  Why did Jesus remain silent?  Isaiah 53:7 in the Contemporary Bible says: "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 its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth." Silence, though not speaking to others, is "listening to God" (Henry Nouwen).  Silence is also the act of hearing amidst the false testimony, accusations, whispers, and misunderstandings about God's word, and yet only listening to the voice of the God we rely on (Ref.: 2 Corinthians 1:9, Contemporary Bible), humbly obeying His word with faith silently.