The apostle writes years afterward of this wonderful silence of the God-man:

“When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats” (1 Peter 2:23).

His silence was Divine. No mere human could thus remain dumb and innocent and guiltless, allow Himself to be “led like a lamb to the slaughter,” to be as a sheep dumb in the hand of the shearers. This silence before Pilate and then the silence on the Cross in the midst of untold agony —silence, broken only seven times, with brief words of wondrous meaning—this silence of Jesus was the climax to a life of God-like silence in circumstances when men must speak; a life of silent waiting until He was thirty years of age ere He entered on public ministry and made His lamb-like way to the Cross; a life of silence over glory unspeakable with His Father and suffering untold at the hands of men; of tender silence over blessing to others and over Judas’ traitor path.

This is the pattern for all who would follow His steps; the pattern for the one who would walk as He walked, by His walking again in them. And how can it be? Only by seeing the calling and accepting it (1 Peter 1:15). And by taking His Cross as our Cross, “we having died” in Him and with Him can thus live unto God, and then the silence of Jesus can be known in truth, and we shall be:

Silent in our lowly service among others, not seeking to be seen of men.

Silent over the glory of the hours on the Mount, lest others think of us above that which is written.

Silent over the depths of the Calvary pathway that led us unto God.

Silent over the human instruments permitted of God to hand us over to the judgment hall and the forsaking of our nearest and our dearest.

Silent whilst we stoop to serve the very ones who have betrayed us.

Silent over the deep things of God revealed in the secret places of the Most High, impossible to utter to those who have not yet been baptized with that baptism without which they will be straightened in spiritual perception until it be accomplished.

Silent over questions only to be answered by God, the Holy Ghost, when that day dawns for the questioning heart, and silences all doubt by the glorious revelation of Him who is the answer to all our needs.

Silent when forced by others to some position where apparent rivalry with another much-used servant of God seems imminent, only to be hushed by utter self-effacement, and our silent withdrawal without explanation, irrespective of our rights.

Silent —yea, silent in the judgment hall of our co-religionists, when criticized and falsely accused of many things. TRACT

Live Thou this life in me.

The heavens are not clean in his sight. How much more abominable and filthy is man, which drinketh iniquity like water?

Yea, the stars are not pure in his sight. How much less man, that is a worm?

Who is like unto thee, O Lord, among the gods? who is like thee, glorious in holiness?

Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts.

As he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.—Partakers of his holiness.

The temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.—What manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, . . . without spot, and blameless?

Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying.

And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.

Ye know how we exhorted . . . and charged every one of you, that ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory.

Ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.

Ye were sometime darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.

Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.

Thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.

Draw not nigh hither; put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground . . . I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God.

To whom then will ye liken me, or shall I be equal? saith the Holy One.

I am the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour. I, even I, am the Lord ; and beside me there is no saviour.

As he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.

Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own.

Ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

Can two walk together, except they be agreed?

As he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation.

He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.

If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him.

Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God.

Whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.

Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think anything, as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God.

Teach me, O Lord, the way of thy statutes.

Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

The God of peace, make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ.

Holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.

Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.—There shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth.—There is no spot in thee.

Ye shall be holy: for I the Lord your God am holy.—As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: but as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.

And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear.

Put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and . . . put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

He hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love.

Thou are no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.

Reckon ye . . . yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin; but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.

As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: but as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.

Sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work.

Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in the turning away every one of you from his iniquities.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercies hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.—Saved by his life.

Our Saviour Jesus Christ . . . who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.—As he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; because it is written, Be ye holy for I am holy.

The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, . . . hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ.—In him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him.—Of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.

He that spared not his own son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?