Mrs Pilate: I Will Not Be Silent

Matthew 27:15-30

While Pilate was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent word to him, "Have nothing to do with that innocent man, for today I have suffered a great deal because of a dream about him." (Matthew 27:19)

I could say that wrong is right,
do injustice to have my way,
close my eyes and close my ears
to truth and justice.

I could join in the injustice,
just because all others do it,
shout along with all the crowd:
CRUCIFY HIM.

I could stand there doing nothing
in the face of open wrong,
wash my hands in innocence,
refuse responsibility.

What can I do?
I'm powerless.
The powerful
do nothing, or ill.
What can I do?
I'm only a woman.
What can I do?

I can speak up for what is right,
stand up for justice, for this righteous man.
I will speak, though it be pointless.
Silent is what I will not be.

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[24. April 2013]

On reading Matthew 27:15-30, what I noticed were different people's reactions to the injustice that was happening: Jesus, an obviously innocent man, being sentenced to die. Everyone let the injustice happen - one person spoke up: a heathen woman. I think that's showing something. Yes, Jesus HAD to die, He came to die. But what happened there, all the injustice, was not okay and it's shocking how everyone just let it happen. It's shocking how in the world today injustices still happen, innocent people still suffer, and no one does anything against it. Let's be like Mrs Pilate: even if you are just one lonely voice, and even if no one listens to you and nothing changes, be the one to stand up against injustice and say something.

Each stanza (except for the "what can I do" one) represents one of the groups or people appearing in the text, and their way of dealing with injustice:
1. The chief priests and elders, who did injustice out of self-interest (v.18)
2. The crowd - people in the crowd are just doing what everyone else is doing (v.20-23)
3. Pilate, who knows Jesus is innocent, but doesn't stand up for Him although he has the power, and who doesn't take responsibility (v.23-24)
4. Pilate's wife, who warns her husband and speaks up for Jesus (v.19)

Picture by Alphonse François