{But they held their peace} (hoi de esi(9370)(936e)). Imperfect
tense. In sullen silence and helplessness before the merciless
questions of Jesus as the poor man stood there before them all.
Jesus by his pitiless alternatives between doing good
(agathopoie(935c), late Greek word in LXX and N.T.) and doing evil
(kakopoie(935c), ancient Greek word), to this man, for instance, {to
save a life or to kill} (psuch(886e) s(9373)ai (8820)apokteinai), as in
this case. It was a terrible exposure.