COV LIFE BLOG

Mark 14:53-15:15 – The Faithlessness of Peter and the Faithfulness of Christ

When they’d finished Pilate gave the opportunity to Jesus to answer the charges, but he made no reply. Pilate urged him to answer; “See how many things they are accusing you of” (v.4), but still Jesus was silent. Pilate was amazed. Why? Why didn’t Jesus speak to them as coolly and wisely as he had just spoken to Pilate? Surely there were answers to these allegations. Speak up! But Jesus held his peace. Why?
 
It was not because it wouldn’t have achieved anything. All his life Jesus had corrected the errors of religious men, in all sorts of circumstances. He stood against mainstream error consistently. He was not silent here because speaking up wouldn’t have been profitable to him. He didn’t speak up because his hour had come. The hour of his death was at hand and he didn’t want to be kept from crucifixion by argument and eloquence. His face was set on Golgotha. Suppose for a moment he had won a retrial, let us say that Pilate had ordered another more searching investigation, some appeal to a higher tribunal or whatever, then this pagan worshipper of the gods of Rome would have saved the Son of God from redeeming us on the cross. Why was Christ silent? In sheer obedience to his Father, drinking the cup that the Father had given him to drink he accepts the will of God. He takes up the burden of the sacrifice he alone can make.

There was no other good enough
To pay the price of sin.
He only could unlock the gate
Of heaven and let us in. (Cecil F. Alexander, 1823-95)
 
So Jesus makes no plea for acquittal. If he had made such a plea he would have lied. Could he have been our Saviour and the King of truth if he had sought to escape from this great truth, that we deserve eternal death because we are sinners, but Jesus Christ, because he loved us, chose to die in our place? For the King to be victorious the king must die his great royal death. How pleased was God with his beloved Son’s silence – well pleased! God wrote in his book that he would grant to Jesus to have a name that is above every name, to set him at his right hand, to give him all authority in heaven and earth, to highly exalt him, because he humbled himself so low, God exalted him so very high. Only through this Christ can salvation come.

Geoff Thomas

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SCRIPTURES FOR THIS SUNDAY
Read Mark 14:53-15:15. Note the faithlessness of Peter and the faithfulness of Jesus. What does Peter’s response to these events teach you about yourself? What does Jesus’ response teach you about himself?

SONG FOR THIS WEEK
O Praise the Name by Shane and Shane