Silence of the Lamb

Have you ever been accused falsely? Perhaps like me, you have also experienced that the motivation to defend and speak out for ourselves is very strong under such circumstances. Let us look at Jesus, who was falsely accused and had evidence that was falsely fabricated against Him. The intent of the accusers was not to know the Truth but to get their will done which was to crucify Jesus. In the midst of all the false accusations, Jesus remained silent. The only time Jesus answered anything was when He was asked who He was. Jesus could not deny Himself, His own identity.
Mark 14:55-62
The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for evidence against Jesus so that they could put him to death, but they did not find any. Many testified falsely against him, but their statements did not agree. Then some stood up and gave this false testimony against him: "We heard him say, 'I will destroy this man-made temple and in three days will build another, not made by man.' " Yet even then their testimony did not agree. Then the high priest stood up before them and asked Jesus, "Are you not going to answer? What is this testimony that these men are bringing against you?" But Jesus remained silent and gave no answer. Again the high priest asked him, "Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?". "I am," said Jesus. "And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven."

Jesus had come to fulfill a mission - to pave a way through His subsitutional death for us to reconcile man to God. He could have answered His accusers and not taken the path of the cross but He did not choose that path because He had us in His mind and wanted to save us. He fulfilled the prophecy that Isaiah made - that as a sheep before her shearers, Christ will be silent as He is led to His sacrificial slaughter.
Isaiah 53:7
He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open 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.
We wonder and marvel and find it difficult to accept Jesus' silence because it is not easy to accept our own weakness and our own suffering and to forfeit our control if we are silent.

Scripture teaches us that if God is our portion, then we need to wait in silence for His salvation! Our rebuttal and vengeance in such situations will show our lack of trust in God. When we retaliate, we forfeit the blessing and reward that suffering is meant to bring. It shows that we lack the confidence we ought to have in God's ability to make things right in His own time, which will include clearing our name and bringing all things to light.
Lamentations 3:24-26
I say to myself, "The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for him."
The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD.
Peter too clearly says that we are to model Christ in this aspect, especially when we are falsely accused.
1 Peter 2:19-23
For it is commendable if a man bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because he is conscious of God. But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. "He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth." When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly.

Are you currently going through a situation where you are wrongly accused? Do you feel compelled to talk to others or confront others so that your name is cleared? Reflect on Jesus' silence when He was accused falsely and ask God to give you wisdom to know whether you need to wait quietly and trust in Him instead of taking the matter into your own hands.