Why Was Jesus Silent?

He was oppressed, and He was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth;

like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent,

so He opened not His mouth.

Isaiah 53:7 ESV

Isaiah 53 is a chapter of the Bible that the Lord takes me to again and again and again and again. Do you get the idea that I've read this chapter a lot. I should have it memorized by now.  I have written about this passage before but with a different focal verse. So here I am again, back in this chapter of prophecy and love.  As I said in the previous post, my reaction to the Lord directing me to this chapter isn't always one of excitement which was the case again, though I am not proud of that fact.. Too often I want the Lord to give me something new from a new passage. But His Spirit reminded me that it is not all about me, this life is about knowing Him and making Him known. If that is your goal, which it is mine, then this passage is a great place to see His heart and character, mercy and justice flow mingled together, lovingly, painfully but with great purpose. He showed His mighty arm and quietly with no fight for His own comfort redeemed me, this crazy sinful woman who is irritated by the repetition of something that I need to remember daily, if not more often. I don't deserve this kind of love, none of us do. 

This chapter is a prophetic one, pointing to Jesus life on earth, trial, death, burial, resurrection, ascension and current position.  We can read its fulfillment in the gospels. In my Bible and possibly in yours, there are cross references (These are passages that correlate with the passage that you are reading), usually in the margins, sometimes at the foot of the page. Mine looks like this:

I have the English Standard Version Bible 2007 text edition, with single column pages instead of the more traditional double column. (I like it to read more like a regular book.) So the cross references are in the middle of the two pages. 

The cross references are denoted by a tiny letter next to a word( usually before) in the text. Can you see the "s" next to "yet", the "t" next to "like" and the "u" next to "lamb"? Sometimes the cross reference has to do with the word but can also be in reference to the phrase that the word begins.  So lets look at the little s in front of "yet he opened not his mouth"-I would find verse 7 in the margin and then the s. Next to the 7s are listed 4 scripture references: Matthew 26:63, Mark 14:61, John 19:9 and 1 Peter 2:23.  If you look up these passages they confirm the fulfillment of this prophecy. He did not defend Himself. 

Fairly recently this verse was one I was meditating on in regards to keeping quiet when I was confused about a situation and unsure if I should give voice to my pain. I started asking why was Jesus quiet? He didn't defend Himself. He need not for He was following the Father's plan. He prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane that if the Father could find another way, He would let this cup pass from Him- not His own will but the Father's be done. Jesus did not need to prove His innocence to man. The Father knew His innocence, it was because of His innocence, He was the only spotless lamb, that He was the one who could take on the guilt of all mankind from all of time and pay the penalty of our sin. When Jesus was asked if He was the Christ or the King of the Jews or the Messiah who was to come, He answered affirmatively because it was truth that needed to be made known, at the time. (Earlier He had silenced demons who were trying to tell that He is the Christ.) It did not save His flesh but doomed Him to death all the more. But you see this was one of the main reasons He came. He came to die for me and you so that we could know Him, walk with Him and enjoy Him forever.

Therefore, the question is, when should I speak? Not to defend myself, the Lord will take care of me and even avenge me if the circumstances call for that. When my voice will glorify God and benefit or lead to the salvation of others both physically and spiritually, then I should speak up. You or I may just be the voice of change that needs to bring others out of a stupor to see their sin and the Lord more clearly. First we should deal with our own sin before the Lord but then we should speak the truth in love to our brothers and sisters.

O dear Lord, help us to be like You, to be most concerned with the glory of the Lord and the salvation of people, not wrapped up in ourselves. Help us to know You and make You known. Thank You for being a spotless lamb led to slaughter, not defending Yourself but making the saving truth known so that we could stand clean and justified before You, so that we could walk with You in fellowship. O how You love us! Thank You!!