双语灵修（葛培理牧师）4月1日 耶稣的沉默

耶稣完全可以开口为自己辩护，但是祂却没有那样做。当祂被诬陷是亵渎上帝的恶人，祂没有反抗。当祂被鞭打和折磨时，当祂被戏弄和嘲讽时，当祂被戴上荆棘冠冕和穿上朱红袍子时，祂只是默默地承受。祂甚至背着那个十字架，走向将要处死自己的刑场。

为什么耶稣不去为自己辩护？祂很清楚那些人为什么恼怒和愤恨。祂很清楚自己将面临酷刑和死亡。祂很清楚那些人就是要公开羞辱祂。那些控告祂的人甚至讥诮祂的沉默：“谁敢打你呢？”他们叫嚷着，“你怎么不叫天使来救你呢？”

如果耶稣没有沉默，如果耶稣选择了反抗和报复，这个世界也就没有救赎。任何诬告者都无法对抗全能上帝的权柄。耶稣，为了保守和救赎人类，选择了一言不发，默默承受。

今日祷告：

主耶稣，感谢祢！为我默然承受刑罚，使我得到拯救。阿们。

April 1

Quiet Posture

He was oppressed and treated harshly, yet he never said a word. He was led like a lamb to the slaughter. And as a sheep is silent before the shearers, he did not open his mouth.

——Isaiah 53:7

Jesus could have talked back, but he didn’t. He didn’t retaliate when he was accused of blasphemy and evil. He just took it when he was whipped and beaten, and when he was mockingly forced to wear a robe and crown (which was crudely made out of thorns and pressed down on his head). He even carried the cross down the road on the way to his own execution.

Why didn’t he defend himself? He knew where their anger and hatred was leading. He knew it meant his torture and eventual death. He knew they were about to make him a spectacle of shame. His accusers even mocked him for his quiet posture. “Who hit you?” they screamed. “Why don’t you call down your angels to save you?”

Had Jesus reacted in revenge against their rejection, the world would not have been saved. No false accuser would withstand the unrestrained power of Almighty God. So Jesus, in order to defend and rescue humanity, chose a quiet posture and said nothing.

Pray for the Day:

Lord Jesus, thank you for not retaliating. My rescue depended on it. Amen.