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11 Now Jesus stood before the governor. And the governor asked Him, saying, "Are You the King of the Jews?" Jesus said to him, "It is as you say." 12 And while He was being accused by the chief priests and elders, He answered nothing. 13 Then Pilate said to Him, "Do You not hear how many things they testify against You?" 14 But He answered him not one word, so that the governor marveled greatly. ~ Matthew 27:11-14
Today, we continue our study of Matthew 27 where the Lord Jesus has endured three trials before the religious leaders of first century Israel and now he is before Pontius Pilate for the first time. When this is over, the Lord Jesus will have endured six trials, three at the hands of the Jewish religious leaders and three at the hands of Pilate and Herod. These trials reveal mankind's wicked heart and God's gracious heart. The Lord Jesus was not crucified because evil men decided to murder Him, He was crucified in accordance with God's plan.
In v.11 of today's text we read, "Now Jesus stood before the governor. And the governor asked Him, saying, 'Are You the King of the Jews?' Jesus said to him, 'It is as you say.'"
The entire religious ruling body of Israel, all 70 of them, escorted the Lord Jesus to Pilate's palace. They did this after they had bound Him, ridiculed Him, spit on Him, and beaten Him. The Lord Jesus was never the victim of human cruelty, though. He wasn’t the victim of the Jewish Supreme Court who condemned Him. And, as we will see, the Lord Jesus was not the victim of Pilate and Herod, who ultimately executed Him. He was God’s chosen Lamb whom God had predetermined that He would procure forgiveness for all who would believe in the kindness of the God of the Bible.
In v.12 of today's passage we read, "And while He was being accused by the chief priests and elders, He answered nothing."
In Psalm 22 and Isaiah 53 we are given the description of the crucified Son of God long before crucifixion was even known to be a mode of death. Before His accusers He was silent just like a sheep is before its shearers. Just days before, it was the Lord Jesus who had silenced the religious leaders as He taught in the temple. He had communicated the truth with such authority that many feared confronting Him, and those who did were silenced. Yet, at this moment before Pilate He was silent because He was defined by the Scriptures. The Lord Jesus never contradicted the Word of God. Any kind of defense would have prevented the crucifixion and would have prevented our salvation. So, the Lord Jesus remained silent through it all so that He would fulfill His calling as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.
In v.13 of today's passage we read, "Then Pilate said to Him, 'Do You not hear how many things they testify against You?'"
Pilate privately interrogated the Lord Jesus about His kingship because, for him, that was the crucial issue, and he concluded that the Lord Jesus was guilty of no crime. Three times Pilate clearly affirmed Him innocent before His accusers. In fact, Pilate publicly washed his hands as a sign that he believed in the innocence of the Lord Jesus. The Lord Jesus wasn't a criminal but you and I are and we could not handle the weight of the penalty for our criminal status before God. It was not only the religious leaders of Israel who testified against the Lord Jesus, it was our sin.
In v.14 of today's passage we read, "But He answered him not one word, so that the governor marveled greatly."
As Pilate looked down upon the Lord Jesus who was in peasant clothes spattered with blood, he concluded that He didn't look like someone who was a threat to his kingdom. Pilate marveled greatly which means he was absolutely amazed. Pilate was taken aback that the Lord Jesus didn't even try to defend Himself. Pilate had long seem criminals who were quick to save themselves by accusing others. But, the Lord Jesus remained silent and He didn't even cry out for mercy. Amazingly, the Lord Jesus never offered a single word of defense.
His mercy and grace had to precede the Lord Jesus. He came as the gracious king who suffered the punishment that mankind rightfully deserved. And, in order to accomplish this Herculean task, He had to conquer not only sin and death, He had to conquer the stubborn and fearful human heart. It is only through His grace and mercy that the stubborn human heart is changed. He did this through His cross and His resurrection. It was through His cross that He drove a nail into sin and death, and, it was through His resurrection that He brought life to those made dead to God by their sin.
Standing before Pilate was the only One who could die for the sin of mankind because He was the only sinless One. The Lord Jesus was not a political king, He is a spiritual king. The Lord Jesus is the type king men and women invite to rule and reign in our hearts. He died the cruelest of death so that we would trust in Him enough to allow His kingdom to come into our hearts. We who have come to the end of ourselves and our own resources have turned to the Lord Jesus and we have invited Him to call the shots in our lives. The Lord Jesus is no King of any country in this world, He is the King over the hearts of humbled men and women, boys and girls. It was Martin Luther who once asked, "Is it not wonderful news to know that salvation lies outside ourselves?"
