(Mark 15:1-5 ESV)
We find the chief priests in a meeting, deciding what their next step should be.
They are meeting with the elders, scribes and the whole council. I was curious about who the whole council was so went looking for answers, learning the whole council was with the Sanhedrin. The Sanhedrin was the Jewish legal system, that could condemn someone, but couldn't take action beyond that. (source)
They needed to act quickly in the morning because the Roman court started early and if they were going to bring Jesus there to be sentenced according to their laws they needed to get a move on, first thing in the morning. (source) Due to the Roman occupation they could condemn someone but they couldn't punish them, that is where Pilate came in.
Pilate asked Jesus a question "Are you the King of the Jews".
Jesus merely replied "You have said so".
This led the Jewish chief priests to accuse Jesus of many things.
So Pilate wanted to know if Jesus had anything further to say in answer to those accusations, but Jesus merely kept his tongue.
This amazed Pilate.
And that is where we are left today.
The Priests are angry and accusatory.
Jesus is silent.
Pilate is amazed.
Somehow that just sets with me. Jesus' silence and Pilate's amazement.
After setting a spell pondering this, I asked
What has Jesus done that has amazed me?
It's not his silence (though that is amazing).
It amazes me that he LOVES ME. That I matter to him.
Me...who is so full of faults and sin and ill-will. Jesus loves me right where I am, and continually calls me to be something more.
Blows me away.
What amazes YOU about Jesus?