Articles
How Jesus Was Misunderstood (8)
“Therefore, when Pilate heard that saying, he was the more afraid, and went again into the Praetorium, and said to Jesus, ‘Where are You from?’ But Jesus gave him no answer.”
[John 19:8-9]
Not only was Jesus misunderstood when He spoke; He was sometimes misunderstood when He didn’t speak. Jesus previously acknowledged to Pilate that He was, indeed, a king, but not one that posed a threat to Caesar (Jn 18:36-37). He understood Pilate’s dilemma. He was being assailed by Jewish leaders who knew they had political leverage over him.
As further discussion was pointless, Jesus now remained silent. Pilate took umbrage at this and swaggered: “Do You not know that I have power to crucify You, and power to release You?” (19:10). Pilate was only fooling himself since Jesus already knew that he lacked the courage to justly exercise that power.
Pilate can’t see the bigger picture: “You could have no power at all against Me unless it had been given you from above … ” Jesus replies. We , too, often lack the perspective to understand God’s silence. God may have said or done enough in a given situation, but we missed it (cf. 2 Cor 12:7-9). Our trust in God and discernment of His ways are keys to accepting His silence.
