“Jesus then came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. And Pilate said to them, “Behold, the Man!”
John 19:5 (NASB)
After Jesus was arrested, judged guilty from an unjust trial, beaten, spat upon, and whipped thirty nine times, He stood next to Pilate, who then presented Him to the crowd, saying “ Behold the man.” The soldiers put the crown of thorns and purple robe on Him, to mock His claim of being the son of God. The crown of thorns was piercing his brow, and blood was streaming down His face. Every part of His body hurt, His flesh was torn from the scourging with open wounds all over, and there He stood next to Pilate, weak and trembling in pain. Ever since seeing this scene for the first time in the Passion of Christ movie, the image of Jesus standing there, trembling next to Pilate, has stayed with me ever since. I keep it somewhere in my heart, and it comes to the surface at times, but especially during Holy Week. We hear the Easter story every year, and we focus on each aspect of it during these forty days. We give our attention to the details of Christ’s suffering, on Palm Sunday, Good Friday, and then we celebrate His Resurrection next Sunday. Of all the details and images of His passion, this is the image that stirs me the deepest. I don’t have a profound spiritual explanation of why this scene touches me so much, I only know that it has stayed with me for 19 years, since first seeing the film. It is still fresh in my mind today as it was then. Beyond the visual image, I can hear Pilate saying, “Behold the man”, or “This is the man.” Through that image, and those words, God is speaking to whoever has been abandoned in some way, or suffered mockery and injustice, and wherever there is deep sorrow or piercing pain, a person can look at this scene, and know “this is the man” who understands it all. Jesus is the fully divine man, who in His fully human body, forever identifies and connects to anyone who suffers. If they would look at Jesus and see Him in the crown of thorns and the purple robe, trembling in pain, they would see Him as their personal lamb of God, who bore their sins and suffered all their pain, abandonment and sorrow in that trembling body. Today He is our high priest, who lives to intercede for us, giving us deep inner healing and a new life. He’s not suffering anymore, and intercedes for all who are. Some may ask why we would want to dwell on that painful image of Jesus, instead of a more positive one. What could be more positive than Almighty God, who sent His only Son to become the one who understands you at the most intimate level, who paid off the entire debt of your sins in that trembling body? He is forever your personal mediator, who now stands with His arms reaching out for you, to take you to the next step of His divine plan for your life. He leads us in His divine purpose, as we abide in Him, taking us only one step at a time, not revealing everything at once. He gave it all for us and is always hoping we will cling to Him with all our heart, soul, mind and strength.
Thank you Jesus for your love and your sacrifice in suffering and dying for us. We reach our hand up to yours in complete trust, as you lead us one day at a time. Bless each reader with your divine Presence throughout this Holy Week.