This Deep Silence
But Jesus held His peace. – Matthew 26:63
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. – John 18:20
The high priest asked Him concerning His doctrine-what it was that He taught-whether what He taught was not in contradiction to the original teachings of their great law-giver Moses-and whether He had not railed at the Pharisees, reviled the Scribes, and exposed the rulers. The Master gave a noble answer. Truth is never shamefaced; He boldly points to His public life as His best answer. “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. Why askest thou Me? ask them which heard Me, what I have said unto them: behold they know what I said.” No sophistries-no attempt at evasion-the best armor for truth is her own naked breast. He had preached in the market-places, on the mountain’s brow, and in the temple courts; nothing had been done in a corner. Happy is the man who can make so noble a defense. Little did that arch-knave Caiaphas gain by his crafty questioning. For the rest of the questioning, our Lord Jesus said not a word in self-defense; He knew that it availed not for a lamb to plead with wolves; He was well aware that whatever He said would be misconstrued and made a fresh source of accusation, and He willed, moreover, to fulfill the prophecy, “He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so He openeth not His mouth.” But what power He exerted in thus remaining silent! Perhaps nothing displays more fully the omnipotence of Christ, than this power of self-control. Control the Deity? What power less than divine can attempt the task? Behold, my brethren, the Son of God does more than rule the winds and command the waves, He restrains Himself. And when a word, a whisper, would have refuted His foes, and swept them to their eternal destruction, He “openeth not His mouth.” If ever silence were more than golden, it is this deep silence under infinite provocation. ~ C.H. Spurgeon
https://www.blueletterbible.org/comm/spurgeon_charles/sermons/0495.cfm
Satan Slanders but Christ Pleads
The high priest then asked Jesus of His disciples, and of His doctrine. – John 18:19
And the high priest arose, and said unto Him, Answerest Thou nothing? …But Jesus held His peace. – Matthew 26:62,63
Caiaphas, the high priest came in; he began at once to interrogate the Lord before the public trial doubtless with the view of catching Him in His speech. The high priest asked Him first of His disciples. We do not know what questions he asked; perhaps they were something like these: “What meanest Thou, to allow a rabble to follow Thee wherever Thou goest? Who art Thou, that Thou shouldst have twelve persons always attending Thee and calling Thee Master? Dost Thou intend to make these the leaders of a band of men? Are these to be Thy lieutenants, to raise a host on Thy behalf? Or dost Thou pretend to be a prophet, and are these the sons of the prophets who follow Thee, as Elisha did Elias Moreover, where are they? Where are Thy gallant followers? If Thou art a good man, why are they not here to bear witness to Thee? Where are they gone? Are they not ashamed of their folly, now that Thy promises of honor all end in shame?” The high priest “asked Him of His disciples.” Our Lord Jesus on this point said not a syllable. Why this silence? Because it is not for our Advocate to accuse His disciples. He might have answered, “Well dost thou ask, ‘Where are they?’ the cowards forsook Me; when one proved a traitor, the rest took to their heels. Thou sayest, ‘Where are My disciples?’ there is one yonder, sitting by the fire, warming his hands, the same who just now denied Me with an oath.” But no, He would not utter a word of accusation; He whose lips are mighty to intercede for His people, will never speak against them. Let Satan slander, but Christ pleads. The accuser of the brethren is the prince of this world: the Prince of peace is ever our Advocate before the eternal throne. ~ C.H. Spurgeon
https://www.blueletterbible.org/comm/spurgeon_charles/sermons/0495.cfm
The Day Shall Come
And they that had laid hold on Jesus led Him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled. – Matthew 26:57
Come we to the hall of Caiaphas. After the mob had dragged our Lord from the house of Annas, they reached the palace of Caiaphas, and there a brief interval occurred before the High Priest came forth to question the prisoner. Luke shall tell the pitiful story: “And the men that held Jesus mocked Him and smote Him. And when they had blindfolded Him, they struck Him on the face, and asked Him, saying, “‘Prophesy, who is it that smote thee?’ And many other things blasphemously spake they against Him.” Observe how they insult His claim to the Messiahship! In effect, they mock Him thus: “Thou claimest to be a prophet like unto Moses; Thou knowest things to come; if Thou be sent of God, prove it by discovering Thy foes; we will put Thee on trial, and test Thee, O Thou man of Nazareth.” They bind His eyes, and then, smiting Him one after another, they bid Him exercise His prophetic gift for their amusement, and prophesy who it was that smote Him. Oh, shameful question! How gracious was the silence, for an answer might have withered them for ever. The day shall come when all that smite Christ, shall find that He has seen them, though they thought His eyes were blinded. The day shall come, blasphemer, worldling, careless man, when everything that you have done against Christ’s cause and Christ’s people, shall be published before the eyes of men and angels, and Christ shall answer your question, and shall tell you who it is that smote Him. I speak to some this morning who have forgotten that Christ sees them; and they have ill-treated His people; they have spoken ill of His holy cause, saying, “How doth God know? and is there knowledge in the Most High?” I tell you, the Judge of men shall ere long, point you out, and make you, to your shame and confusion of face, confess that you smote the Savior when you smote His Church. ~ C.H. Spurgeon
https://www.blueletterbible.org/comm/spurgeon_charles/sermons/0495.cfm
Treasured Sacrifice
And led Him away to Annas first; for he was father-in-law to Caiaphas, which was the high priest that same year…Now Annas had sent Him bound unto Caiaphas the high priest. – John 18:13,24
The brook Kedron was that into which all the filth of the sacrifices of the temple was cast, and Christ, as though He were a foul and filthy thing, must be led to the black stream. He was led into Jerusalem by the sheep-gate, the gate through which the lambs of the Passover and the sheep for sacrifice were always driven. Little did they understand, that in so doing they were again following out to the very letter the significant types which God had ordained in the law of Moses. They led this Lamb of God through the sheep-gate, and they hastened Him on to the house of Annas, the ex-high priest, who, either from his relationship to Caiaphas, from his natural ability, or his prominence in opposing the Savior, stood high in the opinion of the rulers. Here they made a temporary call, to gratify the bloodthirsty Annas with the sight of his victim; and then, hastening on, they brought Him to the house of Caiaphas, some little distance off; where, though it was but a little past the dead of night, many members of the Sanhedrim were assembled… Brethren, as the Lord gave commandment concerning even the ashes and offal of the sacrifices, we ought to think no matter trivial which stands in connection with our great burnt offering. My admonition is, “Gather up the fragments which remain, that nothing be lost.” As goldsmiths sweep their shops, to save even the filings of the gold, so every word of Jesus should be treasured up as very precious…Things which were purposed of old, prophesied by seers, witnessed by apostles, written by evangelists, and published by the ambassadors of God, are not matters of secondary interest, but deserve our solemn and devout attention. ~ C.H. Spurgeon
https://www.blueletterbible.org/comm/spurgeon_charles/sermons/0495.cfm
The Very Core of Christianity
For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul. – Leviticus 17:11
“For this is My blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.” – Matthew 26:28
Beloved, we know from Holy Scripture that the death of Christ is the very core of Christianity. Leave out the cross, and you have killed the religion of Jesus. Atonement by the blood of Jesus is not an arm of Christian truth; it is the heart of it. “Even as the Lord said of the animal, ‘The blood is its life,’ so it is true of the gospel, the sacrificial death of Jesus is the vital point of our profession. I know nothing of Christianity without the blood of Christ. No teaching is healthy which throws the cross into the background. The doctrine of Christ crucified is always with me. As the Roman sentinel in Pompeii stood to his post even when the city was destroyed, so do I stand to the truth of the atonement though the church is being buried beneath the boiling mud-showers of modern heresy. Everything else can wait, but this one truth must be proclaimed with a voice of thunder.
If the light of the atonement is put under a bushel, the darkness will be dense. In omitting the cross you have cut the Achilles’ tendon of the church: it cannot move, nor even stand, when this is gone. Holy work falls to the ground: it faints and dies when the blood of Jesus is taken away. The cross must be put into the forefront more than ever by the faithful, because so many are unfaithful. Let us endeavour to make amends for the dishonour done to our divine Master by those who deny or dishonour His vicarious sacrifice. Let us remain steadfast in this faith while others waver, and preach Christ crucified if all others forbear. Grace, mercy, and peace be to all who exalt Christ crucified! ~ Charles H. Spurgeon
Be Very Watchful
Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy. – 1 Peter 1:16
Let us be very watchful against all impurity. Anything like uncleanness in a Christian will soon send the Master away from the church. You know what it was that brought the evil upon the house of Eli. It was because his sons made themselves vile even at the tabernacle door. The young people in that case were the immediate cause of the mischief, but it was the fault of the elder ones that they restrained them not. Watch against all evil passions and corrupt desires. Be ye holy even as your Father which is in heaven is holy.
And then, again, a want of prayer will send Him away. There are members of some churches who never come to the prayer-meetings, and I should be afraid that their private prayers cannot be any too earnest. Of course we speak not of those who have good excuse; but there are some who habitually and wilfully neglect the assembling of themselves together; these are worthy of condemnation. Oh, let us continue a prayerful church as we have hitherto been, otherwise the Master may say, “They do not value the blessing, for they will not even ask for it; they evidently do not care about My Spirit, for they will not meet together and cry for Him.” Do not grieve Him by any such negligence of prayer.
So, too, we may grieve the Spirit by worldliness. If any of you who are rich get to imitate the fashions of the world and act as worldlings do, you cannot expect the Lord to bless us. You are Achans in the camp, if such is the case. And if you who are poor get to be envious of others and speak harshly of others to whom God has given more substance than to you, that again will grieve the Lord…Let me ask you to be more in prayer; let me pray you to live nearer to Him; let me entreat you for the church’s sake, and for the world’s sake, to be more thoroughly Christ’s than you ever have been and may the power of the Holy Spirit enable you in this. ~ C.H. Spurgeon
https://www.blueletterbible.org/comm/spurgeon_charles/sermons/1035.cfm
He Hath Said 