Silent

Sometimes we look on and ask - why doesn't he say something? That question has never been more appropriate than in today's reading.

He was oppressed and afflicted,yet he did not open his mouth;he was led like a lamb to the slaughterand as a sheep before its shearers is silent,so he did not open his mouth.By oppression and judgement he was taken away.Yet who of his generation protested?For he was cut off from the land of the living;for the transgression of my people he was punished.Isaiah 53:7-8

You don't have to be taught to defend yourself. We don't have to explain how to make excuses. It really does come naturally too us. We always protest our innocence; explain away our behaviour. When we are young we do it loudly; we may even do it violently. When we are older we become more refined with our words, or subtle with our attacks. But we always, always fend ourselves. Our inner defense lawyer never gets a day off.

That is why we are amazed as we read this passage, and see it played out by Jesus. He stood silent. He walked silently to the cross. He did not seek to get out of it. He did not mount a defense. He stood, walked, stretched out his arms silently. Why?

'for the trangression of my people he was punished.'

He was silent for me.