Healing Is a Part of Redemption
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“He opened not His mouth.” It repeats it for emphasis. It says it again. “He opened not His
mouth.”
Jesus went to the Cross. He paid the price. He took our beating for us, and He died in our place.
Say this out loud:
“He took my beating at the scourging post. He died for me at the Cross.”
In Acts 22, Paul was preaching in a particular place, and as frequently happened, they either had
a revival or a riot—frequently both. Here they were having a riot. Verse 22 tells us the people got
mad as he finished up trying to preach to them. “And they gave him audience unto this word, and
then lifted up their voices, and said, Away with such a fellow from the earth: for it is not fit that
he should live. And as they cried out, and cast off their clothes, and threw dust into the air,”
that’s the devil stirring people up, “The chief captain commanded him to be brought into the
castle, and bade that he should be examined by scourging.” That’s what they did to Jesus. So
they took him in “that he might know wherefore they cried so against him.”
Do you understand what they’re going to do? They’re going to scourge him, or what we would
say today, “torture” him. They’re going to strip him down, they’re going to tie him to the post,
they’re going to ask him some questions, and they’re going to beat him. And they’re going to ask
more questions and beat him, and ask questions and beat. He may live through this and he may
not—Paul, the apostle, the preacher. Verse 25 says, “And as they bound him with thongs…” Be
sure to get the picture. They’re tying him to the post just like they did Jesus.
When they tied Jesus to the post, what did He say? Isaiah said, “He opened not His mouth.”
(Isaiah 53:7)
Now they’re tying Paul to the post. What do you think Paul ought to do?
Some might say, “He ought to be like Jesus and not open his mouth.” Not if Jesus did it for you!
Get this now: What Jesus did as your Substitute is not your example. These are two different
things. There are things He did as our Example, but what He did as our Substitute is different;
it’s not our example. It’s in our place, on our behalf.
They’re tying the man of God to the scourging post exactly like they did to Jesus. It hasn’t been
that long since they did it to Jesus, and as they’re tying him to the post, Paul opens his mouth.
Picture this. They’re tying him up. They took off his coat and they’re tying him up to the post,
and he can hear that guy warming up his whip back there.
Paul said, “Hey! Hey!”
“Shut up! You’re about to be beat!”
Paul said, “Hey! Is it legal to beat a Roman citizen who is not convicted and found guilty of a
crime? Is it legal?” Paul knew it wasn’t legal. They knew it wasn’t legal. He opened his mouth.
Don’t you know Paul was glad he knew about his rights?
