The Silence of Christ

Isa 53:7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth:
he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is
dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.

Intro. Many openly deny the deity of Christ, Those that reject the New
Testament, and many that claim to be Christians. Christ's silence is yet
another proof of his deity.

I. The texts

Mat 26:59 Now the chief priests, and elders, and all the council, sought false
witness against Jesus, to put him to death;
Mat 26:60 But found none: yea, though many false witnesses came, yet found
they none. At the last came two false witnesses,
Mat 26:61 And said, This fellow said, I am able to destroy the temple of God, and
to build it in three days.
Mat 26:62 And the high priest arose, and said unto him, Answerest thou
nothing? what is it which these witness against thee?
Mat 26:63 But Jesus held his peace. And the high priest answered and said unto
him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the
Christ, the Son of God.
Mat 26:64 Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you,
Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and
coming in the clouds of heaven.
Mat 26:65 Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, He hath spoken
blasphemy; what further need have we of witnesses? behold, now ye have heard
his blasphemy.
Mat 26:66 What think ye? They answered and said, He is guilty of death.

Mat 27:11 And Jesus stood before the governor: and the governor asked him,
saying, Art thou the King of the Jews? And Jesus said unto him, Thou sayest.
Mat 27:12 And when he was accused of the chief priests and elders, he answered
nothing.
Mat 27:13 Then said Pilate unto him, Hearest thou not how many things they
witness against thee?
Mat 27:14 And he answered him to never a word; insomuch that the governor
marvelled greatly.

Mar 14:55 And the chief priests and all the council sought for witness against
Jesus to put him to death; and found none.
Mar 14:56 For many bare false witness against him, but their witness agreed not
together.
Mar 14:57 And there arose certain, and bare false witness against him, saying,
Mar 14:58 We heard him say, I will destroy this temple that is made with hands,
and within three days I will build another made without hands.
Mar 14:59 But neither so did their witness agree together.
Mar 14:60 And the high priest stood up in the midst, and asked Jesus, saying,
Answerest thou nothing? what is it which these witness against thee?
Mar 14:61 But he held his peace, and answered nothing. Again the high priest
asked him, and said unto him, Art thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?
Mar 14:62 And Jesus said, I am: and ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the
right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.
Mar 14:63 Then the high priest rent his clothes, and saith, What need we any
further witnesses?
Mar 14:64 Ye have heard the blasphemy: what think ye? And they all condemned
him to be guilty of death.

Luk 23:8 And when Herod saw Jesus, he was exceeding glad: for he was
desirous to see him of a long season, because he had heard many things of
him; and he hoped to have seen some miracle done by him.
Luk 23:9 Then he questioned with him in many words; but he answered him
nothing.

Joh 18:19 The high priest then asked Jesus of his disciples, and of his doctrine.
Joh 18:20 Jesus answered him, I spake openly to the world; I ever taught in the
synagogue, and in the temple, whither the Jews always resort; and in secret
have I said nothing.
Joh 18:21 Why askest thou me? ask them which heard me, what I have said unto
them: behold, they know what I said.
Joh 18:22 And when he had thus spoken, one of the officers which stood by
struck Jesus with the palm of his hand, saying, Answerest thou the high priest so?
Joh 18:23 Jesus answered him, If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil: but
if well, why smitest thou me?
Joh 18:24 Now Annas had sent him bound unto Caiaphas the high priest.

Joh 19:7 The Jews answered him, We have a law, and by our law he ought to
die, because he made himself the Son of God.
Joh 19:8 When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he was the more afraid;
Joh 19:9 And went again into the judgment hall, and saith unto Jesus, Whence
art thou? But Jesus gave him no answer.
Joh 19:10 Then saith Pilate unto him, Speakest thou not unto me? knowest thou
not that I have power to crucify thee, and have power to release thee?
Joh 19:11 Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except
it were given thee from above: therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath
the greater sin.

II. Why the silence

A. The charges were true.

Phi 2:6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with
God:

Joh 5:18 Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only
had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making
himself equal with God.
Jesus was being accused of claiming to be God, and indeed he was. He did not put
up defense against a true charge.

B. His works testified for him.

Joh 20:30 And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples,
which are not written in this book:
Joh 20:31 But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the
Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.

Joh 10:37 If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not.

Joh 10:38 But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may
know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him.

His works said he was God.

C. His words testified for him

Mat 9:2 And, behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a
bed: and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy; Son, be of
good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee.
Mat 9:3 And, behold, certain of the scribes said within themselves, This man
blasphemeth.
Mat 9:4 And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, Wherefore think ye evil in your
hearts?
Mat 9:5 For whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise,
and walk?
Mat 9:6 But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to
forgive sins, (then saith he to the sick of the palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and
go unto thine house.
Mat 9:7 And he arose, and departed to his house.

Joh 18:20 Jesus answered him, I spake openly to the world; I ever taught in the
synagogue, and in the temple, whither the Jews always resort; and in secret
have I said nothing.
Joh 18:21 Why askest thou me? ask them which heard me, what I have said unto
them: behold, they know what I said.

Joh 8:2 And early in the morning he came again into the temple, and all the
people came unto him; and he sat down, and taught them.
Joh 8:11 She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I
condemn thee: go, and sin no more.
Joh 8:12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world:
he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
Joh 8:16 And yet if I judge, my judgment is true: for I am not alone, but I and
the Father that sent me.
Joh 8:23 And he said unto them, Ye are from beneath; I am from above: ye are
of this world; I am not of this world.
Joh 8:24 I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe
not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.
Joh 8:28 Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man,
then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father
hath taught me, I speak these things.
Joh 8:58 Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham
was, I am.
Joh 8:59 Then took they up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself, and
went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.

Stoning in the Bible

1. Fornication - Deuteronomy 22:13-29

2. Idolatry - Deuteronomy 13:6-11, Deuteronomy 17:1-7
3. Blasphemy - Leviticus 24:10-16
4. Breaking the Sabbath - Deuteronomy 21:18-21
5. Touching Mount Sinai - Exodus 19:10-13

The only reason they would have tried to stone him from all the available reasons
was blasphemy, claiming to be God.

His words said he was God.

D. The Prophets testified for him

Luk 24:44 And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you,
while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written
in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.

Joh 19:28 After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that
the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst.

Act 3:18 But those things, which God before had shewed by the mouth of all his
prophets, that Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled.

Act 13:29 And when they had fulfilled all that was written of him, they took him
down from the tree, and laid him in a sepulchre.
Act 13:33 God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that he hath
raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the second psalm, Thou art my
Son, this day have I begotten thee.

The prophets said he was God.

E. Nothing else would convince them.

Joh 20:30 And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples,
which are not written in this book:
Joh 20:31 But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the
Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.

2Ti 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for
doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
2Ti 3:17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good
works.

Joh 5:46 For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of
me.
Joh 5:47 But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?

Luk 16:31 And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets,
neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.

Concl. Jesus went to his death not disputing the charge that he was making
himself equal to God, but accepting it. There was nothing left that needed to
be said. His words, his works and the prophets had proven his deity. There
was nothing that could be said to change their persuasion. Because Jesus is
God Eternal and Almighty we owe him our total allegiance.

Invit.

Mat 11:29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in
heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
Mat 11:30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

Joh 6:29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye
believe on him whom he hath sent.

2Co 7:9 Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to
repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might
receive damage by us in nothing.
2Co 7:10 For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of:
but the sorrow of the world worketh death.
2Co 7:11 For behold this selfsame thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what
 carefulness it wrought in you, yea, what clearing of yourselves, yea, what
indignation, yea, what fear, yea, what vehement desire, yea, what zeal, yea,
what revenge! In all things ye have approved yourselves to be clear in this
matter.

Rom 10:10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the
mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Rom 10:11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be
ashamed.

1Pe 3:21 The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the
putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience
toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:

Rom 6:16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his
servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience
unto righteousness?