Jesus Refuses to Speak

When Pilate heard this, he was even more afraid, and he went back inside the palace. “Where do you come from?” he asked Jesus, but Jesus gave him no answer.  John 19:8-9

I've always wondered why Jesus didn't speak.  Why didn't He take this opportunity to present the plan to Pilate, try to get him on board, show how the pros and cons to being a part of Jesus' ministry and team?

Isn't that what we would do today?  We try to coax and cajole people into getting on board with our ideas, our plan. 

So why didn't Jesus speak?

Maybe it's because He didn't have anything to say.

What else could He have said?  He'd been preaching and teaching for three years!  How many times, in how many ways, could He explain God's plan again?

How many more times could He explain where His kingdom came from, and where it was?  How many more times could He explain that He and His Father were one?  How many more times could He explain that God's plan wasn't about following the law, but following the Person?

So why speak? 

Pilate was afraid of the Jews.  Afraid of unrest, rebellion.  The Jews were afraid of Jesus.  Afraid He would usurp their power, their prestige. 

Which, of course, was exactly the plan all along.

So why speak?

Pilate wasn't going to listen.  The chief priests weren't going to listen.  His followers had scattered - they weren't going to listen.

Why speak?  No one was going to listen.

I keep comparing then to now.  Would I have been different - would you?  Would you have listened?  Would I have stayed?  Would I have fought to keep my power, or been willing to relinquish it all when I met Him, when I saw the truth?

I can't really answer that.  All I can do is listen when He speaks now.  Surrender when He calls now.  Relinquish when I see Him now.

What He did then -- what we do now -- it's all interconnected.  It's all the same story.  It's the story of redemption, bought 2,000 years ago. 

Why didn't He speak?  Because no one was listening.  If you don't hear Him speaking to you, in your life, it's time to ask yourself that question.  Why isn't He speaking?  Is it because I'm not listening?

Each one will be like a shelter from the wind
   and a refuge from the storm,
like streams of water in the desert
   and the shadow of a great rock in a thirsty land. Then the eyes of those who see will no longer be closed,
   and the ears of those who hear will listen.
The fearful heart will know and understand,
   and the stammering tongue will be fluent and clear. Isaiah 32:2-4