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'Behold the Man'- Christ before Pilate

John 19:5

When Jesus appears wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe, Pilate said to them: “Here is the man!”

Full bible text

John 19 verse 1 to 6
1 Then Pilate took Jesus and had Him flogged.
2 The soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on His head. They clothed Him in a purple robe
3 and went up to Him again and again, saying: “Hail, king of the Jews!” And they slapped Him in the face.
4 Once more Pilate came out and said to the Jews gathered there: “Look, I am bringing Him out to you to let you know that I find no basis for a charge against Him".
5 When Jesus came out wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe, Pilate said to them: “Here is the man!”
6 As soon as the chief priests and their officials saw Him, they shouted: “Crucify! Crucify!”
But Pilate answered: “You take Him and crucify Him. As for me, I find no basis for a charge against Him".

About this painting

The Jewish chief priests and their officials falsely accuse Jesus with the purpose of having Him put to death by Pilate, the Roman governor. Immediately before that, the Sanhedrin - the High Council of Judaism- sentenced Jesus to death on charges of His calling Himself the Son of God, or Christ/ Messiah/ King.
Jesus did call Himself Messiah, and He was. But He was King of a Kingdom not of this world. John 18 verse 36.

The Roman rulers granted the Sanhedrin to impose the death penalty, but did not allow them to carry out the sentence. That’s why the chief priests want Pilate to execute Jesus.
At the Roman courthouse they accuse Jesus of calling Himself king of the Jews.
They hope Pilate will interpret this title politically, and kill Jesus because He represents a threat to the Roman Empire.
Pilate questions Jesus, and judges Him to be innocent. Nevertheless, he has Jesus flogged.
After the flogging Pilate brings Jesus out and says to the crowd: "Here is the man!"
He possibly wants to express: 'How could a miserable man like this be perilous in any way?'

However, Pilate’s words may bring us to consider this Man with our spiritual eyes:
But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on Him, and by His wounds we are healed.
Isaiah 53 verse 5.
See also:
Psalm 22 verse 7 and 12.
Psalm 27 verse 12.
Psalm 35 verse 11 en 12.
Psalm 41 verse 5 to 9.
Psalm 109 verse 1 to 6.

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