Know When to Speak or Not to Speak
Rev. Enoch Thompson | October 27 2024 | John 19:6-11
KEY VERSE:
” ⁸ When Pilate heard this, he was even more afraid, ⁹ and he went back inside the palace. "Where do you come from?" he asked Jesus, but Jesus gave him no answer. ” John 19:8-9 (NIV)
MESSAGE:
Self-assertion and speaking up to make our case, especially when we are despised and maltreated, seems to be the normal and necessary thing to do. Biblical wisdom teaches us to be measured when we speak up in self-defence and when we should hold back from speaking; “⁴ Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you will be like him yourself. ⁵ Answer a fool according to his folly, or he will be wise in his own eyes.” Prov 26:4-5 (NIV). This is a great skill for intelligent wise relationships with people, and we must learn and master it, like our Master did during His life and the trial before Pilate.
The Lord Jesus chose not to answer Pilate’s question, not out of disrespect or because He did not know what to answer, but because He was aware of who was asking the question and how unprepared Pilate was to hear the response. Pilate had become afraid upon merely hearing that the Lord Jesus claimed to be the Son of God. If the Lord went ahead to affirm the matter to him, His divine identity and His heavenly origins, that would have put Pilate in a place where he, in line with his Roman beliefs in the gods taking on human form from time to time, would have insisted more on releasing Christ.
However, we read in Mark 14:61-62 (NIV), “Again the high priest asked him, "Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?" ⁶² "I am," said Jesus. "And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven." The Lord answered directly to the Jewish leadership because they had knowledge of the prophecies concerning the Messiah, and needed to be confronted with the truth because they had failed to assess Him in the light of the revelation God had given them. Weigh people and know how to answer them.
FEET AND HANDS FOR THE MESSAGE:
Are you able to weigh your responses to the speech and conduct of people around you? Take charge of your responses, under God, and you will be in charge of your circumstances.
PRAYER:
Dear Lord Jesus, thank you for the golden example you gave in your life and dealings with different people. Please help me to apply your wisdom in my interactions with those I meet along the way. For your dear Name’s sake, Amen.
THERE SHALL BE SHOWERS OF BLESSING.
SHOWERS! BLESSINGS!!
DAILY word study: ANSWER The word "answer" comes from the Greek apokrinomai (ἀποκρίνομαι), meaning to respond or reply. It suggests a deliberate choice of response, whether verbal or non-verbal.
Jesus chooses not to answer Pilate’s question, a moment that shows His discernment in understanding the readiness of His listener. His silence was a purposeful response, a non-verbal answer that spoke volumes. Jesus' action reminds us that not every situation calls for an immediate or direct answer; rather, we should discern the right approach, seeking to honour God in how we respond. Reflections: Are you intentional in your responses, discerning when to speak and when to listen? How can you apply Jesus’ wisdom in your interactions today?
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