What great patience this is that he who is adored in heaven is not yet avenged on earth! Let us think of his patience, beloved brothers and sisters, in our persecutions and sufferings. Let us show forth the full obedience that is inspired by our expectation of his coming. Let us not hasten with the impious and shameless haste of a servant to defend ourselves before the Lord. Let us rather persevere and let us labor, and be watchful with all our heart and steadfast even to total resignation. Let us guard the precepts of the Lord, so that when the day of wrath and vengeance comes,^[1] we may not be punished with the impious and sinners but may be honored with the just and those who fear God.

A lamb, he is silent^[1]—yet he is word,^[2] proclaimed by the voice of one crying in the wilderness.^[3] He is weakened, wounded^[4]—yet he cures every disease and every weakness.^[5] He is brought up to the tree^[6] and nailed to it^[7]—yet by the tree of life he restores us.^[8]

The Lord became the defender of truth, and came in silence before Pilate, on behalf of truth which had been oppressed.^[1] Others gain victory through making defenses, but our Lord gained victory through his silence, because the recompense of his death through divine silence was the victory of true teaching. He spoke in order to teach, but kept silent in the tribunal. He was not silent over that which was exalting us, but he did not struggle against those who were provoking him. The words of his calumniators, like a crown on his head, were a source of redemption. He kept silent so that his silence would make them shout even louder, and so that his crown would be made more beautiful through all this clamor.

He is the One who, although he was silent in his passion, will not be silent finally in the day of reckoning. He is our God, even if unrecognized. He is already known among the faithful and all who believe. When he comes manifesting himself in his second coming, he will not be silent. For although he was formerly hidden in humility, he will come manifested in power.^[1]

This silence of our Lord Jesus Christ took place more than once. It occurred before the chief priest, and before Herod, and before Pilate himself.^[1] So it was not in vain that the prophecy regarding him had preceded: As the lamb before its shearer was dumb, so he opened not his mouth,^[2] especially on those occasions when he did not answer his questioners. Usually he replied to questions addressed to him, but in this case he declined to make any reply. The metaphor of the lamb is used to indicate that his silence does not imply guilt but innocence. When he did not open his mouth as he passed through the process of judgment, it was in the character of a lamb that he did so; that is, not as one with an evil conscience who was convicted of his sins, but as one who in his meekness was sacrificed for the sins of others.

Those who cried out that he should be crucified were the Lord’s real crucifiers, rather than those who simply discharged their service to their chief according to their duty.

Mark, who studies brevity more than any of the Evangelists, has given a concise indication of Pilate’s desire and of his efforts to save the Lord’s life. For, after giving us the statement, And they cried again, ‘Crucify him’ (which makes it clear that they had cried out before for Barabbas to be released), he has appended these words: Then Pilate continued to say^[1] to them, Why, what evil has he done?^[2] Thus by one short sentence he has given us an idea of matters which took a long time for their transaction.

The criminal escaped; Christ was condemned.^[1] The one guilty of many crimes received a pardon; he who had remitted the crimes of all who confess was condemned. And yet the cross itself also, if you reflect upon it, was a courtroom. In the middle of it stood the final judge.

He himself suffered the lash, in whose name his servants now scourge the devil and his angels.^[1] He who now crowns the martyrs with eternal garlands was himself crowned with thorns.^[2]

[The daughter of Zion] repaid him with evil for the immensity of his grace. The Father had washed her from her blood, but she defiled his Son with her spitting.^[1] The Father had clothed her with fine linen and purple, but she clothed him with garments of mockery.^[2] He had placed a crown of glory on her head, but she plaited a crown of thorns for him.^[3] He had nourished her with choicest food^[4] and honey, but she gave him gall.^[5] He had given her pure wine, but she offered him vinegar in a sponge.^[6] The One who had introduced her into cities, she drove out into the desert. The One who had put shoes on her feet, she made hasten barefoot towards Golgotha.^[7] The One who had girded her loins with sapphire, she pierced in the side with a lance.^[8] When she had outraged the servants [of God] and killed the prophets, she was led into captivity to Babylon, and when the time of her punishment was completed, her return [from captivity] took place.

For Christ was not separated from the ungodly, but was judged with the ungodly; for it was said about him, He was counted among the wicked.^[1]

He who now gives true palms to the victors was beaten in the face with hostile palms;^[1] he who clothes all others with the garment of immortality was stripped of his earthly garment.^[2]

When they clothed him in purple,^[1] it was in mockery, yet ironically it was a fulfillment of prophecy, for he indeed was a king, so even their parody indirectly served divine revelation. Even though they did it in a spirit of derision, still they did it, and his regal dignity was by that symbolically heralded. So, likewise, though it was with thorns they crowned him, it was still a crown.^[2]

In that very hour of his passion and cross, before they had come to the cruel act of his slaughter and the shedding of his blood, what violent abuses he listened to with patience, and what shameful insults he endured! He was even covered with the spittle of his revilers,^[1] when, but a short time before, with his own spittle he had cured the eyes of the blind man.^[2]

He who has given the food of heaven was fed with gall;^[1] he who has offered us the cup of salvation was given vinegar to drink.^[2] He the innocent, he the just, nay rather, innocence itself and justice itself is counted among criminals,^[3] and truth is concealed by false testimonies. He who is to judge is judged and the Word of God, silent, is led to the cross. The elements are disturbed, the earth trembles, night blots out the day,^[4] the sun withdraws both its rays^[5] and its eyes lest it be forced to gaze upon the crime of the people.^[6] Though the stars are confounded at the crucifixion of the Lord, he does not speak, nor is he moved, nor does he proclaim his majesty, even during the suffering itself. He endures all things even to the end with constant perseverance so that in Christ a full and perfect patience may find its realization.