Verse Ref.:
He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.
;
Pilate saith unto them, What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ? They all say unto him, Let him be crucified.
;
And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them.
;
Pilate therefore went forth again, and saith unto them, Behold, I bring him forth to you, that ye may know that I find no fault in him.
;
And from thenceforth Pilate sought to release him: but the Jews cried out, saying, If thou let this man go, thou art not Caesar's friend: whosoever maketh himself a king speaketh against Caesar.
;
How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him.
;
Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.
Full Text of A Question You Must Answer
“What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ?” (Matthew 27:22).
Have you answered this question in a way that honors God and perfectly satisfies your own soul? Have you accepted Him as God’s love-gift to you, giving thanks to God for such a willing Saviour? If you still haven’t answered this question, stop and think, as the Spirit of God presses it on your conscience: “What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ?”
Receive Him or Reject Him: Which?
You and Jesus Christ are put together in the verse — by faith receive Him as yours. You will have a taste of what the saved will soon enjoy in heaven when they are face to face with Christ.
Why not answer the question now in your immortal soul? It reveals the fact that none are able to avoid personal dealings with Christ, either now in grace or soon in judgment. “Every eye shall see Him” (Revelation 1:7).
You’ve reached a crisis in your history. It was so with Pilate as he sat on the judgment seat, while the chief priests, the elders and the multitude stood around it. There was One in their midst who “was oppressed and afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth: He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so He opened not His mouth” (Isaiah 53:7). Every eye was fixed on Him, everyone spoke against Him, revealing the dark hatred of Christ-rejecting hearts.
How solemn the moment, how critical the question, to Pilate and all around him. “What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ?” The crowd decided at once, “Away with Him, let Him be crucified.” What about Pilate, who said, “I find no fault in Him” (John 19:4)? He hesitated, until he heard, “If thou let this man go, thou art not Caesar’s friend” (John 19:12). When he heard that, he chose Caesar’s friendship instead of Christ — his choice sealed his doom.
What Is Your Choice?
Unlike Pilate, a crowd may not press around you, waiting for your decision, yet in the quiet of your home, in the office, in your car or wherever you are, this question — raised in your soul by the Holy Spirit — must be answered by you: “What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ?”
God waits for your reply. You may accept Him now as your personal Saviour and know the forgiveness of sins, peace with God, and the fellowship of His heart, or you may reject Him now and choose the pleasures of sin for a short time. Your choice may seal your doom.
Do you pause between two opinions? Listen to the UNANSWERED QUESTION OF SCRIPTURE: “How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation?” (Hebrews 2:3). Jesus is God’s salvation for you. Trust Him as you are, for He “receiveth sinners, and eateth with them” (Luke 15:2).