Jesus Never Reacted in the Flesh

Yesterday we turned to Isaiah 53:7-9 with this question in mind, “What did Jesus do?” Last week we saw the first six verses tell us who He was, but what did He do? I shared with you the spiritual agony and physical agony of Jesus. We often focus on the physical, but I’m not sure we adequately give thought to the spiritual agony He experienced the entire time He walked this earth.

We also saw the response of Jesus, “He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth.” When we are abused verbally what do we want to do? We want to fight back, but Jesus didn’t do that.

When He was insulted and abused with words—he didn’t respond in the flesh. He did not revile in return when He was accused by the religious leaders, not when the guards spit on Him, not when they mocked Him—not before Herod, not before Pilate, and not before the religious leaders. He opened not His mouth because He knew why He was there—He knew that this was the reason He came to the earth!

They put the cross on his back and forced Him to carry it—a lamb being led to slaughter—he speaks to the daughters of Jerusalem, but never utters a word as they strip Him, never utters a word as they nail His hands, never utters a word as they nail His feet, never utters a word as they mock Him as He hangs on the cross, never utters a word as the two men on either side mock Him, and then for the first time He speaks from the cross and He says, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” His next words are to the thief who had been mocking Him, “Today you will be with me in paradise.” Then He speaks to take care of His mother. Then He cries the cry of mystery, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?”

He suffered, He was reviled, He was threatened and yet He never reacted in the flesh. Lambs are led to the slaughter and the shearer not knowing what is going on—they just go uncomprehendingly, but Jesus knew what was going on and still He went. “Amazing love—how can it be that Thou my God would die for me!” What did Jesus do? He suffered and died for us.

Before we move to verses 8 and 9 I want to invite you to turn over to John 18. Let me set the scene—Jesus has shared the Passover with the disciples, washed their feet, sang with them, gone to the garden and he has been betrayed by Judas. You come to 18:12 and you see the first of several illegal trials—He is taken to the house of Annas—Annas is the father in law of the High Priest, but he is the real power in Jerusalem. He is over the temple sales and he hates Jesus. They try him, but they have to take him to Caiaphas to have him executed. Caiaphas is the High Priest appointed by Rome and he is the one who said, “It is better for you that one man should die for the people, not that the whole nation should perish.” Let me just say it this way—Jesus is not going to get a fair trial—the outcome is already determined by two very powerful men and they hate Him—that is the outcome on the fleshly level, but on a Spiritual level it was determined long before time began!

At Caiaphas’ home Jesus is tried illegally—first, Jewish law demanded that trials were to be in the day, second, the High Priest was not to speak—he carried too much power and influence, and third, the person on trial was not to be questioned—the case was to be based on the evidence of witnesses. Finally, the trial and sentence was not to be on the same day. They break all of this. They find Jesus guilty and sentence Him to death, but they cannot carry out the deed so they take him to Pilate. Let’s look at him tomorrow.