Silent Response to Mocking

Anyone who rebukes a mocker will get an insult in return.
Anyone who corrects the wicked will get hurt.
So don’t bother correcting mockers; they will only hate you.
Proverbs 9:7-8 NLT

Jesus received numerous mockings from those who hated Him throughout His entire life of ministry.  Whether He rebuked or corrected these individuals, the wicked hated Him regardless.  

The events that took place from Judas betraying Jesus to when He breathed His last breath are filled with insults from His enemies.  But how does Jesus respond to His accusers? – The way Proverbs 9-8a instructs us to – He remains silent.  Jesus not only trusted His Father with the outcome of His physical sufferings, but with His emotional sufferings too.  

There is no doubt that it is painful to be taunted – especially when we are innocent.  It is our tendency to defend ourselves.  But what did Jesus do with these emotions?  After all, Jesus had every right to protect His innocence.  But why didn’t He?

It goes back to His absolute trust in His Father.  The path from all eternity included suffering for Jesus (1 Peter 1:19-20).  We should not be surprised when our pathway to heaven is paved with suffering as well (Romans 5:3-5).  Jesus was “wounded for our transgressions” and “bruised for our iniquities” in both body and soul in order to secure our salvation (Isaiah 53:5).  We are heirs with Christ and therefore will experience suffering (Romans 8:17).

Jesus gets us (Hebrews 4:15). As we encounter dirt, gravel, thistles – mockings – on the path the Lord has laid out before us, let us draw our strength from Christ who endured (1 Peter 5:10). May we resist the temptation to defend ourselves and instead choose to remain silent, entrusting God has a perfect plan in our soul’s suffering (1 Corinthians 10:13).