Mark 15:5Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

They then gave Jesus up to the Romans, but were themselves given up by God into the hands of the Romans, that the Scriptures might be fulfilled, which say, Recompense them after the work of their hands. (Ps. 28:5) It goes on: And Pilate asked him, Art thou the King of the Jews?

Luke has also laid open the false charges which they brought against Him; for he thus relates it: And they began to accuse him, saying, We found this fellow perverting the nation, and forbidding to give tribute to Cæsar, saying that he himself is Christ a King. (Luke 23:2) There follows: And Pilate asked him, saying, Answerest thou nothing? behold how many things they witness against thee.

Our Lord served as the champion of truth, standing in silence before Pilate to represent the truth that was being suppressed (cf. Jn. 18:37-38). While others achieve success by defending themselves, Our Lord attained victory through His silence, for the reward of divine silence at His death was the triumph of authentic faith. He spoke to instruct, yet chose silence during judgment. He was vocal when it came to uplifting us, but refrained from retaliating against those who sought to provoke Him. The words of His accusers adorned Him like a crown, becoming a source of salvation. In His silence, they cried out even more fervently, and this provocation only enhanced the splendor of His crown.

What follows is a powerful narrative that instills in our hearts a firm endurance capable of withstanding the injustice faced during the Judgment of Jesus Christ (cf. Matt. 26:57 - 27:31; Mk. 14:53 - 15:19; Lk. 22:66 - 23:25; Jn. 18:19 - 19:15). The Lord stands accused yet remains silent. His silence signifies that He requires no defense. Those who seek assistance are often those who fear being overcome. Through His silence, He neither concurs with the accusations nor acknowledges them, revealing them as false through His refusal to resist. What cause for fear exists from one who is beyond the need for salvation? The Savior of all chose not to rescue Himself in order to secure salvation for humanity. But why focus solely on God?

On the day of His affliction, Jesus chose to remain silent, yet He will not hold His peace on the day of retribution. He is our God, though not fully revealed to everyone, but rather to those who are faithful and believe. At His second coming, He will make Himself known and will indeed speak out. While His initial coming was shrouded in humility and obscurity, He will now manifest in majesty and strength (cf. Matt. 16:27, Matt. 5:31; 1 Thess. 4:13-18; Rev. 1:7, Rev. 14:7).

The Jews had a custom of delivering him whom they had condemned to death, bound to the judge. Wherefore after the condemnation of Christ, the Evangelist adds: And straightway in the morning the Chief Priests held a consultation with the elders and Scribes and the whole council, and bound Jesus, and carried him away, and delivered him to Pilate. But it must be observed, that they did not then first bind Him, but they bound Him on first taking Him in the garden by night, as John declares.

As the Sanhedrin spoke ill of Jesus, He remained composed and unresponsive. The contrast between the demeanor of the accusers and that of the one accused was notably striking. 'Why do you not reply? Do you perceive the multitude of accusations made against You?' Pilate inquired. 'Jesus gave no answer, which caused Pilate to be astonished' (Matthew 27:13, 14). This silence from Jesus was understandable. The accusations from the Jews lacked substantiation and were not worth addressing, given what both the accusers and Pilate understood about Him (John 18:20). Pilate recognized the weight of Jesus' silence and was amazed by His tranquility and clarity of thought, even amidst the turbulence of anger surrounding Him.

Pilate, observing the relentless demands of the chief priests, proposed that at the very least, Jesus might be released, as it was customary to free a prisoner during Passover. This suggestion would allow the Sanhedrin's judgement to stand while keeping the accused alive. To appease their animosity toward Jesus, Pilate ordered Him to be scourged. However, the crowd, influenced by the chief priests, shouted for Barabbas instead of Jesus to be released. Conflicted about how to proceed, Pilate received a message from his wife, who had experienced a troubling dream that prompted her to plead for the Righteous One to be spared from condemnation (Matt. 27:19).

Ultimately, Pilate inquired, "Are you not aware of the multitude of witnesses testifying against you?" (Matthew 27:13) Yet, to this inquiry, Jesus remained silent. In fact, the charges brought against Him likely seemed trivial in Pilate's estimation, for he subsequently declared to the chief priests and the assembled crowd, "I find no reason for condemnation in this man."

The public declaration of innocence for the detainee, whom the elders despised and for whom great effort and sleepless nights had been devoted to his capture, only fueled further wrath among His adversaries. In reaction to Pilate's verdict of acquittal, they erupted in fury, asserting that it would be unreasonable to absolve such a person, branding Him a deceiver who was ‘stirring up the people, teaching in all Judea, from Galilee to this place’ (Luke 23:5). Amid this uproar from the accusers, the Prisoner stood in serene silence. Pilate found this remarkably surprising, questioning the Prisoner, ‘Hast thou not heard how many testify against Thee?’ Yet Christ maintained His tranquil silence. As Pilate’s secret sympathy for the Prisoner grew, and he sought a way to extricate himself from this challenging case, he opted to leverage the opportunity to transfer the Prisoner to the authorities of His home region (Luke 23:6).