You Have Said So

June 12, 2025 — Krystal Craven
A man in an interrogation room in an orange jumper seated with his hands cuffed together on a table while a man standing next to him is leaning towards him and speaking with his fist against the wall with the words "You Have Said So" overlaying the image.

Then the whole company of them arose and brought him before Pilate. And they began to accuse him, saying, “We found this man misleading our nation and forbidding us to give tribute to Caesar, and saying that he himself is Christ, a king.” And Pilate asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” And he answered him, “You have said so.” Then Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds, “I find no guilt in this man.” (Luke 23:1-4)

Jesus stood before Pilate, innocent yet accused. The religious leaders had stirred up false charges, twisting His words and motives to paint Him as a political threat. They claimed He incited rebellion and denied taxes to Caesar – neither of which was true. Yet in the face of their lies, Jesus didn’t fight back. When questioned directly, He simply responded, “You have said so.”

Jesus didn’t launch into long-winded defense monologues, no scrambling to clear His name, no dramatic pleas for justice, no blame-shifting or arguments – just quiet strength and truth. Jesus’ response is deeply countercultural, and deeply instructive for us.

A Different Way

When we’re falsely accused, misrepresented, or misunderstood, our natural reaction is to explain, defend, or justify. We want to correct the record, protect our reputation, and convince others of our innocence. Often, we use many words in these situations – not always to clarify, but sometimes to deflect or shift the blame. But Jesus, the only truly innocent man, modeled a different way. He stood in truth and entrusted Himself to the One who judges justly (1 Peter 2:23). He knew the outcome was not in Pilate’s hands, nor in the hands of the angry crowd. It was in the hands of His Father, and for Him, that was enough.

This doesn’t mean we’ll never face painful or unfair situations; Jesus was falsely accused and crucified. But it does mean that we can release the pressure to constantly defend ourselves. God is our defender - He sees, He knows, and He is working all things for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28).

When we resist the urge to over-explain or vindicate ourselves and instead walk in quiet confidence, we mirror Christ’s trust in the Father’s sovereignty. Sometimes the most powerful response is not a long defense, but a simple word of truth – spoken in peace, not in panic.

Our reputation is not in our hands, it’s in God’s. And when we surrender the outcome to Him, we find freedom from fear and striving. Jesus knew where His story was headed – even if others didn’t. Yet He knew the cross wasn’t the end but the path to redemption and glory.

When we’re falsely accused or misunderstood, may we not strive to prove and defend ourselves, but instead to walk quietly in the confidence we have in God, remembering that He is our defender.

A man in an interrogation room in an orange jumper seated with his hands cuffed together on a table while a man standing next to him is leaning towards him and speaking with his fist against the wall with the words from Luke 23:1-4 "Then the whole company of them arose and brought him before Pilate. And they began to accuse him, saying, “We found this man misleading our nation and forbidding us to give tribute to Caesar, and saying that he himself is Christ, a king.” And Pilate asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” And he answered him, “You have said so.” Then Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds, “I find no guilt in this man.”" overlaying the image.