Behold The Man

Jn. 19:5 [5] Then came Jesus forth, wearing the crown of thorns, and the purple robe. And Pilate saith unto them, Behold the man!

The “man” of whom Pilate spoke was Jesus the Christ Pilate had made some 4 attempts to release Jesus Pilate had him mocked, scourged, and humiliated publicly

Pilate was weak – he had attempted to release Jesus but had failed – Now he brings Jesus out to the crowd and says, “Behold the man” and the crowd cries out for his crucifixion

Let us look at “the man” also He was man/humanity and Deity in One person He was the Son of Man and the Son of God

Heb. 4:15 [15] For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

Mt. 26:39 – This hour was a bitter one for Him to endure [39] And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.

HE WAS A MAN:

1. Forsaken

Mt. 26:15 [15] And said unto them, What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver.

…Then all the disciples forsook him, and fled. Mt. 26:56 …Then all the disciples forsook him, and fled.

Mt. 26:74-75 [74] Then began he to curse and to swear, saying, I know not the man. And immediately the cock crew. [75] And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, which said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly.

Jesus Christ was facing this ordeal alone Loneliness is one of mankind’s most difficult burdens of life

2. Innocent

Mt. 26:59-60 [59] Now the chief priests, and elders, and all the council, sought false witness against Jesus, to put him to death; [60] But found none: yea, though many false witnesses came, yet found they none. At the last came two false witnesses,

Mt. 27:4 [4] Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And they said, What is that to us? see thou to that.

Acts 8:33 [33] In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken from the earth.

All accusations against him were false During His stay here on earth He had done nothing but good toward others

3. Ridiculed

“The vilest and meanest method of fighting an enemy is by the use of ridicule.” James Boyd

Mt. 27:27-31 [27] Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the common hall, and gathered unto him the whole band of soldiers. [28] And they stripped him, and put on him a scarlet robe. [29] And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand: and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews!

[30] And they spit upon him, and took the reed, and smote him on the head. [31] And after that they had mocked him, they took the robe off from him, and put his own raiment on him, and led him away to crucify him.

4. Silent

Is. 53:7 …as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth …And as a sheep before its shearers is silent, So He opened not His mouth.

He did not refute the charges against Him He made no defense whatsoever He could have defended himself with 12 legions of angels

It was God’s will and plan that He die for the sin of all mankind He fulfilled the mission He was sent to accomplish in silence

5. Self-Sacrificing

Mk. 10:45 [45] For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

Phil. 2:6-8 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.

8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

HE WILLINGLY SACRIFICED HIMSELF Jn.15:13 [13] Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

He sacrificed Himself - He was the Good Shepherd who laid down His life for His sheep

He was forsaken, found innocent, ridiculed, remained silent and self-sacrificing But that is not the end of the story – the story does not end with the cross HE WAS VICTORIOUS

He came forth from the grave and conquered death Having died for our sins He is now alive to give hope of a resurrection and life to those who will follow him

Mt. 11:28-30 [28] Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. [29] Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. [30] For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.