MAGAZINE LETTER FOR AUGUST 1989
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Dear Friends,

I have been reading again the account in Mark’s Gospel of the trial of Jesus before the Jewish leaders, and then before the Roman governor, Pontius Pilate. I have been impressed afresh with two aspects of these trials.

The first aspect is the clear testimony to the goodness of Jesus. Although the Jews tried as hard as they could to find something against Jesus, they were completely unable to do so. This is set against the Chief Priest’s overwhelming desire to find some crime, some failing, with which he could justly accuse him, and so have grounds to have him condemned. No one tried harder, and when you try hard with regard to a normal human being, you can find some sin to blacken a character. But not so in Jesus.

That is not all, however, because when lies are fabricated against a person, usually they can be made to seem true. But so good and perfect was Jesus, that this was impossible also. Pontius Pilate, Mark tells us, knew that the Jewish authorities had brought Jesus before him because of envy. So transparently good was Jesus. This testimony to the complete goodness of Jesus was against the background of no one, not even Jesus himself, trying to defend him or speak for him.

At the time of his trial and condemnation there was this testimony plainly given that he was guiltless of any crime. Jesus was shown to be without sin and separate from sinners. As the Bible expresses this truth, Jesus was holy and undefiled. Nothing of the world’s evil rubbed off on him, even though he lived in the world and ministered to the world, and came in close contact with the world. Isaiah prophesied this in chapter 53 of his book in the Old Testament verse 9 "though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth".

The second aspect of the trial of Jesus was his silence before his accusers and judges - both before the Jewish leaders and before Pontius Pilate. When asked a fact about his person he told the exact truth. The High Priest asked him "Are you the Christ, the San of the Blessed One?" Jesus replied "I am", because this was the exact truth. Similarly when Pontius Pilate asked "Are you the King of the Jews", Jesus replied "Yes, it is as you say", because this was true also,

But when he was accused of all sorts of crimes, we read "But Jesus remained silent and gave no answer". When brought before the Roman governor; Pilate said "Aren’t you going to answer; see how many things they are accusing you of’. But Jesus still made no reply, and Pilate was amazed.

This is quite extraordinary. Would you remain silent in court when accused of a crime you had never done". Don’t we get a lawyer to help us and plead our innocence. Aren’t we ready to defend ourselves in the witness box. Of course we are! But Jesus remained silent. He did not in anyway say that he had done any of the things he was accused of, but by his silence he did not escape being accused of them or the punishment for them. He accepted both.

Both these aspects of the trial of Jesus speak volumes. Being without any evil he did not deserve to die or be punished. By accepting guilt and death it shows he was doing it vicariously, that is on behalf of others.

Everywhere In the Bible, not least in the account of his trial and death, we are told this glorious truth. Firstly, that Jesus was able to take the punishment for others because he was sinless himself. There was no other good enough to pay the price of sin, but Jesus was good enough. Secondly, that he was taking the place of others, accepting their guilt, and dying in their place.

Isaiah, in chapter 53 of his book, puts it so plainly in v.4. "Surely he took our sins and carried our sorrows". Isaiah speaks of Jesus’ willingness to do this - his silent acceptance of our guilt. In v.7 we read "He was oppressed and afflicted, yet be did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so be did not open his mouth."

Jesus was the only one who could bear the consequences of the wrong doing of others before God, because he was sinless and had no sins himself to suffer for. By his willingness to be accused and accept guilt not his own, we see him ready and willing to bear the sin of others, so they may be saved and forgiven.

Jesus went to the cross willingly and bore all our sins and the painful consequence of them there. Through this great act of self sacrifice and love, he saves all who receive him as Saviour. All our sins, past and future, were punished there and we are forgiven and accounted righteous in God’s sight.

You may know this great forgiveness. Jesus invites us to come to him that we may have It. Trust him. receive him as Saviour, put your life under his care and rule, and you will be forgiven for ever.

Your servant for Christ’s sake,