Dictionary of Bible Themes  »  5000 Humanity  »  5760 Human attitudes and behaviour  »  5950 silence

A stillness or absence of noise, often associated with the absence of life or people, but also associated with a sense of expectancy or reverence, especially in the presence of God. Scripture stresses that God is not silent, but has spoken his word to his creation. The silence of Jesus Christ before his accusers is seen as the fulfilment of OT prophecy.

The silence of God

His apparent silence in the face of sin

Psalm 50:21 See also Job 34:29; Isaiah 42:14; Isaiah 57:11

God will not remain silent in the face of sin

Psalm 50:3 See also Isaiah 62:1; Isaiah 65:6-7

Prayers that God will not be silent

Psalm 28:1 See also Psalm 35:22; Psalm 39:12; Psalm 83:1; Psalm 109:1; Isaiah 64:12; Habakkuk 1:13

God silences those who oppose him

1 Samuel 2:9 See also Psalm 8:2; Psalm 63:11; Psalm 107:42; Isaiah 25:5; Isaiah 47:5; Jeremiah 47:5; Jeremiah 48:2; Jeremiah 51:55

Jesus Christ's opponents were silenced by his miracles and wisdom:

Matthew 22:34; Mark 3:4; Luke 20:26 Acts 4:14; Romans 3:19

The silence of Jesus Christ

It was foretold in the OT

Isaiah 53:7 See also Acts 8:32

Its fulfilment in the NT

Matthew 26:63 pp Mark 14:61 before the Sanhedrin; Matthew 27:14 pp Mark 15:4-5 pp John 19:9 before Pilate; Luke 23:9 before Herod

Jesus Christ commands silence as a sign of his authority

Mark 1:25-26 pp Luke 4:35 Jesus Christ silenced evil spirits; Mark 4:39 Jesus Christ silenced the storm.

There are times when it is appropriate for God's people to be silent

The silence of expecting God to act

Joshua 6:10 See also Genesis 24:21; Exodus 14:14-15; 2 Kings 2:3,5; Revelation 8:1

The silence anticipating the wisdom of another person

Job 29:7-10,21

The silence of prudence

Proverbs 10:19; Ecclesiastes 3:7 See also 1 Samuel 10:27; Job 13:5; Job 33:31-33; Proverbs 11:12; Proverbs 17:28

The silence of suffering

Lamentations 3:28 See also Psalm 39:9

The silence of shame

Ezekiel 16:63

The silence of anger

Psalm 4:4 The psalmist is warning against hasty action when angry.

The silence of amazement at God's actions

See also Luke 9:36; Acts 15:12

A tongues-speaker should be silent if no interpreter is present

1 Corinthians 14:28 silence in the church; 1 Corinthians 14:30 A prophet should be silent if another receives a revelation.

Christian women are sometimes exorted to be silent

1 Timothy 2:11-12 See also 1 Corinthians 14:34-35; 1 Peter 3:1-4

There are times when it is inappropriate for God's people to be silent

When there is good news to tell

2 Kings 7:9; Psalm 40:9

When much depends upon a person's words

Esther 4:14 See also Jeremiah 4:19; Jeremiah 20:9; Acts 18:9-10

When God should be praised

Psalm 30:11-12 See also Luke 19:37-40

When sin is unconfessed

Psalm 32:3

When God's people feel they have a genuine complaint

Psalm 39:1-2 See also Job 7:11; Job 23:16-17

When prayer is urgently required

Isaiah 62:6-7

God's people are sometimes brought to silence

Job 31:34 Job fearing the crowd; Ezekiel 3:26 Ezekiel as a judgment on Israel; Mark 9:34 the disciples when their pride was exposed; Luke 1:20 Zechariah because of his unbelief

Silencing the wicked

Believers pray that the wicked will be silenced

Psalm 31:17-18; 1 Peter 2:23 See also Psalm 143:12

Believers so live that the wicked may be silenced

Titus 2:8; 1 Peter 2:15

False teachers must be silenced

Titus 1:10-11 “the circumcision group” believed that in order to be saved it was necessary to be circumcised and keep the Jewish ceremonial law.

Death is compared to silence

See also

Psalm 94:17; Psalm 115:17

See also

2585  Christ, trial
5147  deafness
5168  muteness
5196  voice
5546  speech
5784  amazement
8328  quietness
8333  reverence
8602  prayer