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. – Mark 14:60-61

In this scene, Jesus is being accused by many false witnesses with made up, twisted stories. He, the only person on earth who has ever been completely blameless, had people coming out of the woodwork to accuse him and misquote him and level all manner of lies against Him, and He stood silent.

I can’t even imagine that, only I can. I need to invoke my friend Anthony Fox and his family. If you follow the news, you may know that he is a former Jackson police officer accused of beating a man to death. All the evidence — literally ALL of it — spoke to his innocence, but false witnesses came in, describing seeing someone they believed was him among a group of officers they said beat this man to death.

For the record, the medical reports showed the man had not been beaten at all, though he scratched his forehead on the pavement when he was pulled from his vehicle.

This whole trial goes on, and by all appearances, even the judge and the District Attorney were biased. Fox was allowed to testify, but past that, the family was told by their attorneys that they needn’t say anything (partially for fear that the judge would retaliate).

But in the end, Fox’s conviction was overturned. As we know, in the end, Jesus’ conviction was more than overturned. In both cases, they said nothing except when they were questioned.

The reason I brought my friend into this is because of the reminder we see both in this passage and in his story. “Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.” – Matthew 5:11-12

God is there. He sees the allegations being brought against you, whether they’re by a jealous coworker, an acrimonious spouse in a divorce, or a former friend who’s now trying to take you down. He also sees the allegations brought against you by Satan himself.

^“The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.” -Exodus 14:14

And that battle is already won. He already did the fighting. He took the weight of the allegations against you — some false, mostly true — and He wiped them away by taking them on Himself out of His love for you.

Sometimes it may seem like the ones who shout against you are winning, but there is no reason to engage. The ultimate judge sees what happens in secret meetings and behind closed doors. He hears the whispered lies designed to tear you down. He’s sitting in the courtroom when it’s your turn to face your false accusers.

He will fight for you.

Woe to the ones who accuse you. ❤️