Psalm of Praise: Psalms 119:49-50
Remember your word to your servant,
for you have given me hope.
My comfort in my suffering is this:
Your promise preserves my life.
Bible Reading: Matthew 26:59-63
The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for false evidence against Jesus
so that they could put him to death.
But they did not find any, though many false witnesses came forward.
Finally two came forward and declared,
"This fellow said, 'I am able to destroy the temple of God and rebuild it in three days.'"
Then the high priest stood up and said to Jesus, "Are you not going to answer?
What is this testimony that these men are bringing against you?"
But Jesus remained silent.
A Reflection:
As I read this passage of scripture I am struck by how contemporary it feels.
Today we have the media looking for ways to discredit people who have been put on a pedestal; then they had the Sanhedrin looking for ways to discredit Jesus who had recently arrived in Jerusalem in triumph.
Today we have people committing perjury in court, then they had many false witnesses accusing Jesus. Today we have fake news, then they had people misinterpreting Jesus’ words. Today we have suspects in crime dramas answering, ‘No comment’, then Jesus remained silent.
Even after 2,000 years of progress in many areas of civilisation, the need of a Saviour is as great today as it ever has been, maybe more so, since the enormity of our failings has a far greater reach today, through climate change and weapons of mass destruction.
Let us thank God that Jesus was prepared to go through the ordeal of Holy Week in order to deal with the sin of the world, both then and now.
And he did it while remaining silent when falsely accused. I wonder how easy you find it to remain silent and not to argue your point.
Remaining silent when you are being falsely accused is not easy, it is more natural to try and win an argument or to justify your actions. Some may see silence as a sign of weakness but actually silence can be a sign of strength, and the need to win an argument a sign of weakness.
Winning an argument at the expense of another’s wellbeing or to the detriment of a relationship. For Jesus it probably wouldn’t have made any difference what he had said. For us time, prayer and humility may enable us to preserve the peace and find a better way forward.
Pray:
Lord Jesus, when I am wrongly accused, give me the grace not to need to have the last word and the love to seek the wellbeing of others.
Amen
You’re the word of God the Father.
Comments