Behold The Man!
By John Hendrix
Then Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. And Pilate said to them, "Behold the Man!" (John 19:5)
He must have been quite a sight. He had been through a lot: a sleepless night, a humiliating arrest, hours of interrogation. He had faced false charges, bitter scorn, slaps and punches, and a Roman scourging. Then he stood before the crowd with a crown of thorns smashed into His scalp, wearing a ridiculous purple robe in mockery of His claim to Kingship.
Pilate showed the people this dangerous "King of the Jews." Not even Pilate, notoriously brutal, wanted to put this pitiful Jew to death. He paraded Jesus before the blood-hungry multitude and tried to gain some pity from them. Look at him! He's not a threat to anyone.
Pilate's words encourage us to take another look, to pause and rethink our own attitude about Jesus, to look deeper into the gospel story and see what the Bible really says about Him.
Behold the man. What did they see? Who was this man that stood before them in disgrace and dishonor?
Pilate saw yet another Jewish teacher - one more visionary in a nation where passions always ran high - guilty only of being more popular than the Jerusalem elite (Mark 15:10). To the chief priests He was a dangerous heretic who might cost them their position of authority (John 11:48). Who knows what the stirred-up mob was thinking. He was a disappointment, that was sure (John 6:60-66). Not even His closest disciples - who had seen Him perform many wonderful works-not even they were sure anymore (Mark 14:50).
He stands before us even now. We still look on with wonder and debate. What will we make of Him?
"Who do men say that I am?" (Mark 8:27)
Behold the man. What had the people of Galilee, Samaria, and Judea seen?
He was an outspoken rabbi who stood up to the hypocritical teachers of their day (Matthew 23:13). He was a poor man (Matthew 8:20), but He did not seek wealth, nor did He offer any plan for economic prosperity (Matthew 6:19). He was bold (John 18:23), but He was not looking for earthly rule (John 6:15). To some He was a meal-ticket - He burst their bubble on that (John 6:26-27). He was a healer that was often taken for granted (Luke 17:17). He was a handy mediator - could He be used to take money from a brother (Luke 12:13)? No.
He was a hard teacher, sometimes very hard to understand (John 2:19). He was highly demanding (Matthew 19:21). He could be harsh, even to His closest followers (Matthew 16:23).
To some He was the hope for the nation (Luke 24:21), to others He was the country's enemy (John 11:48).
"But who do you say that I am?" (Mark 8:29)
Behold the man. Are you sure that He is what you think?
You know the catchy billboard slogan: "Jesus is the answer." Well, I suppose that depends upon the question. For most people of His day He was not the answer to their desires: no warrior-priest (Acts 1:6), no grand philosopher (1 Corinthians 1:23), no gateway to personal glory (Matthew 18:1).
He is not what most people want today. They may fool themselves - call themselves Christians - but He does not fulfill their wish or fit their mold. He was not a great political reformer. He had little interest in the political situation of His day:
Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here." (John 18:36)
He was not for "do your own thing." He demanded self-sacrifice:
Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it." (Matthew 16:24-25)
He was not for the feel-good, "don't worry about sin" pop-psychology of today. He demanded that people turn away from their evil deeds:
Afterward Jesus found him in the temple, and said to him, "See, you have been made well. Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you." (John 5:14)
And He was not a preacher of Faith Only. He demanded action in the lives of His followers:
"But why do you call Me 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do the things which I say?" (Luke 6:46)
"But who do you say that I am?" (Mark 8:29)
We need Him for what He truly is. Behold the man with the crown of thorns, the robe, the bruises. Behold the man who would not answer in His own defense. Behold the man who came from Heaven for the one purpose of suffering like this.
Who is He really?
He is the true friend of every man that will obey Him:
Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends. You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. (John 15:13-14)
He is the greatest comforter to all who feel afflicted by life and their sins:
"Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light." (Matthew 11:28-30)
He is the self-sacrificing Savior of all who believe:
". . . just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many." (Matthew 20:28)
He is the Master who expects obedience:
But why do you call Me "Lord, Lord," and do not do the things which I say? (Luke 6:46)
He is the example of the self-denial that we must imitate:
Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it." (Matthew 16:24-25)
He is the one example of true greatness and His life teaches us how to achieve God's favor:
Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name .... (Philippians 2:5-9)
Before you take the name of Christ make sure He is what you think, make sure He is what you want, make sure He is the answer to your hopes and dreams. It is quite a responsibility to claim His name.
Take another look at the scriptures.
Behold the man.