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Day 295

John 19:1-16 "UNDERSTANDING THE SILENCE OF JESUS"

Day 295 – John 19

UNDERSTANDING THE SILENCE OF JESUS

As Pilate spoke to Jesus, he expected a positive response from Him. Who would not want to be spared from a death conviction? Pilate had hoped that Jesus would answer his questions, and perhaps he could work out a deal with the Jews and somehow set Jesus free! John also recorded this part of the interrogation of Jesus by Pilate.

“Pilate … said to Jesus, ‘Where are You from?’
But Jesus gave him no answer.”
John 19:8-9b

Pilate must have been deeply puzzled as to why Jesus kept silent! What could have been His reasons for not responding to him?

1. Could it have been the beating that Jesus had received? The pain inflicted on Him must have been terrific! Did Pilate think that it would be easy to have a conversation with Jesus after He had been whipped?

2. Could it be that Jesus did not trust Pilate? Three times Pilate declared that he could find “No fault” (John 18:38; 19:4, 6) in Jesus, and yet he did not release Him. What would have been the point of talking to Pilate further?

3. Could it be that Jesus knew that Pilate could not reason with the Jews, let alone placate them? Pilate had bowed to the powerful presence of the Jews. He had been shuttling to and from his Praetorium to meet with the Jews and then to interrogate Jesus! What would be the point of discussing anything further with Pilate?

4. Could it be that Jesus was drinking even more deeply from the Cup that His Father had given to Him? He kept in mind His Father’s will, that great eternal plan to redeem man from the penalty and the power of his sins. Jesus must endure all these sufferings as part of His propitiation of God! This last reason would of course be unknown and unintelligible to Pilate!

Pilate could not understand the extent of the hate the Jews had for Jesus. They wanted His death so badly, they were willing to stand outside the Praetorium all day shouting, “Crucify Him”.

PILATE’S SENSE OF AUTHORITY AND POWER

Despite the fact that he knew he could not placate the Jews, nevertheless Pilate still felt that he had great authority and power. He still toyed with the idea that he was powerful enough to make the final decision concerning the fate of Jesus. Thus Pilate said,

“Are You not speaking to Me? Do You not
know that I have power to crucify You, and
power to release You?”
John 19:10

How could Pilate believe what he said? Yes, theoretically, he had power and authority. He was authorized by Rome to be the governor of Judea! He had the Roman military might to back him up should he need it. To him, Roman might was power indeed! But just how much power did Pilate have? He seemed to be unable to impress the Jews, the chief priests and the elders concerning the so-called power invested in him as the governor of the land.

A SHORT WORD CONCERNING THE REAL SOURCE OF POWER

Did Pilate really have that much “power”? Jesus spoke up here and then. But it was not to beg Pilate to save His life. Quietly He said,

“You could have no power at all against Me
unless it had been given you from above.”
John 19:11

Jesus could speak, if He wanted to! His voice was still clear. The flogging He had received had not broken His spirit. But what did Jesus mean by these words?

1. “You could have NO POWER at all against Me …”

“No power!” What was Jesus saying? Surely He must recognize the power of Rome that he represented? Look around! There was evidence of Rome’s power in the whole region, not just in the city of Jerusalem. THE only power of note was Roman power! How could Jesus say that he had “no power at all against Him”?

2. “Unless it had been given to you from above”

Pilate had tried to get Jesus to speak on the subject of His being called “The Son of God” but He had declined. He had not answered him at that moment.

Now Jesus broke new ground, in discussing the real source of power. Where, ultimately, was man’s source of power?

a) Was man’s power to be traced to a human system?
Jesus rejected this viewpoint. Man may speak of wielding power. He may even misuse or abuse that power, but man was not the real source of power. Rome was not the ultimate source of power. That was obvious. History proved this point.
The Greeks were the conquerors of the world, before Rome managed to defeat them. But before the Greeks, there were the Persians. And before them the Babylonians and the Assyrians! No single country could speak of having ultimate power.
b) Man’s power must be traced to a divine source … “from above.”
This was Jesus’ viewpoint! Could Pilate understand what Jesus was speaking about? He was saying that the real powers had ordained it such that Jesus must endure pain and suffering. He was trusting that source of power! Jesus knew that source of power well. He trusted in His Father’s sovereign power. It was His Father who had allowed man to taste “authority and power”. With that gift came responsibility and accountability as well! How Pilate must have stood in awe as he heard these words!