Jesus Holding His Peace - Matthew 26:63

After Jesus' disciples fled from Him in the Garden of Gethsemane, Matthew the apostle wrote, “they that had laid hold on Jesus led him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled. But Peter followed him afar off unto the high priest's palace, and went in, and sat with the servants, to see the end. Now the chief priests, and elders, and all the council, sought false witness against Jesus, to put him to death. But found none: yes, though many false witnesses came, yet found they none. At the last came two false witnesses. And said, This fellow said, I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days. And the high priest arose, and said unto him, Answer you nothing? what is it which these witness against you?”, and in chapter twenty-six and verse sixty-three of his book, Matthew writes how, “Jesus held his peace” where we read:

But Jesus held his peace. And the high priest answered and said unto him, I adjure you by the living God, that you tell us whether you be the Christ, the Son of God.

The verse reads, “But Jesus held his peace.” Matthew began words, “but Jesus” which means “nevertheless, moreover and the Son of God, the Savior of mankind and God incarnate whose name means Jehovah is Salvation” “held his peace” which means “kept silent, remained calm and voluntarily refused to speak”. Matthew shared how Jesus did not say a word in response to the “high priest”.

The verse goes on to say, “And the high priest answered and said unto him, I adjure you by the living God, that you tell us whether you be the Christ, the Son of God.” Matthew continued with the words, “and the high priest” or “and the chief priest Caiaphas” “answered” which means “responded and began to answer” “and said” or “and uttered, declared and proclaimed” “unto him” or “to Jesus”, “I adjure you” which means “the high priest extracted, conjured and demanded Jesus” “by the living God” or “according to and toward the active, blessed and worthy Godhead and trinity”, “that you tell us” which means “that Jesus speak, bring word and say” “whether you be” or “if Jesus is” “the Christ” which refers to “the anointed One and the Messiah”, “the Son of God” or “God's Son”. Matthew shared how “Caiaphas” the high priest demanded “by God” that Jesus tell him whether He was the “Messiah” God's Son or not.

When we think through Matthew's words in this verse, we begin to see the ire of this “high priest”. His desire to convict Jesus was so strong that He wanted to cut to the chase and just declare whether He was the “Christ” or not. Jesus knew this was His fate, and though He created these leaders, allowed them to be in their position of power and permitted them to question Him in this manner, it was because He wanted to “save” people from their “sins” so they could live with Him forever. May all who read these words know and understand all Jesus did just so they might live with Him.

Next time Matthew shares how Jesus answered, “you have said”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.