How does Isaiah 53:7 relate to Jesus' silence in Matthew 27:12? Reading the key passages • Isaiah 53:7 – “He was oppressed and afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth; He was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so He did not open His mouth.” • Matthew 27:12 – “And when He was accused by the chief priests and elders, He gave no answer.” The prophetic portrait in Isaiah 53:7 • A Servant who is “oppressed and afflicted” yet refuses self-defense • Twice repeated emphasis on silence—“He opened not His mouth… He did not open His mouth” • Imagery of a lamb: innocent, submissive, offered for sacrifice (cf. Exodus 12:3-6) Jesus stands silent in Matthew 27:12 • Before the most powerful religious leaders of His day, Jesus “gave no answer” • Matthew underscores the moment again two verses later: “Jesus gave no answer, not even to a single charge” (v. 14) • Parallel accounts: Mark 14:60-61; Luke 23:9; John 19:9—all record the same striking quietness Prophecy fulfilled: the direct connection • Isaiah foretold silence; the Gospels record silence—fulfillment is plain, literal, and deliberate • The lamb imagery meets reality as “Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed” (1 Corinthians 5:7) • Matthew, writing to a Jewish audience familiar with Isaiah, intentionally highlights the silence to say: “Look, the Servant has come.” Why the silence matters • Shows voluntary submission to the Father’s redemptive plan (John 10:18) • Demonstrates innocence; no need to rebut false charges (1 Peter 2:22-23) • Fulfills Scripture precisely, affirming God’s reliability • Exposes the injustice of the trial, magnifying the righteousness of the One who suffers Echoes in the rest of Scripture • Acts 8:32 quotes Isaiah 53:7 while describing Jesus to the Ethiopian official • 1 Peter 2:23—“When He was reviled, He did not retaliate; when He suffered, He made no threats.” • Revelation 5:6–9 pictures the resurrected “Lamb standing, as though it had been slain,” worshiped for redeeming believers—silence gives way to praise Practical takeaways for believers today • Trust Scripture: fulfilled prophecy confirms every promise God makes • Embrace Christ’s example of meekness under wrong, leaving vindication to God (Romans 12:19) • Worship the Lamb whose willing silence led Him to the cross and secured our salvation |
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