Behold The Man

 Temple Baptist Church - 10-30-2024

John 19:1-15

 

Introduction: 

 

A.  Tonight, we will see the “compromise” that Pontius Pilate offered and the Jews rejection of such. 

 

1.  Pontius had Jesus scourged so as to please Tiberius Caesar because with the accusation of sedition or insurrection, Tiberius would demand that judgement and punishment be implemented.

 

2.  Pontius brought the battered Christ and presented Him to the Jews a second time probably thinking that, in Jesus’ physical condition, the Jews would choose to let Him go because no one would follow a man beaten like as He was and, would at the same time not allow such a wicked man as Barrabas go free in society.

 

3.  Pontius was confounded when the crowd continued to cry “Crucify Him, crucify Him.”

 

B.  I want to take a look at the words of Pilate when he presented Christ to the crowd.  “Behold the man!”

 

1.  Behold – in the Bible, used as an interjection to show surprise!  To see something or someone that is beyond or out of the ordinary.  Used 1326 times in the King James Bible. 

 

2.  Two things need to be addressed at this point: a)  What they Beheld and b) What they failed to Behold.

 

1.  First, what did the crowd Behold?

 

a.  I have no doubt that the crowd was repulsed at what they beheld.  Hollywood always tries to portray Christ in an unbiblical manner.  The movie “The Passion” was the world’s view of the death of Christ.  I have not seen the movie, nor will I watch it, but I have seen the Trailer to the movie and Christ is shown wearing a crown of thorns with a little blood running down from its piercings. 

 

b.  To show mankind what these Jews saw would be so repulsive that few if any would pay to see it as it would be shocking and repulsive to them.

 

c.  The Jews saw a man whose face and body were more marred than any man they had ever seen! 

 

Isaiah 52:14  As many were astonied at thee; his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men:

 

Hebrews 12:3  For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.

 

 

1)  The Scourge, also called the Roman Flagrum or Flagellum was a short whip made with thongs of leather with balls, bits of bone, metal (normally zinc and iron), alo,ng with metal balls imbedded into the leather.  This instrument was used to inflict great bodily damage by removing the outward skin and much of the muscle which produced great blood loss.

 

2)  The soldiers placed a crown of thorns upon the head of Christ and mocked Him by saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” Then Christ was beaten beyond recognition by the soldiers. 

 

3)  They saw a man battered and torn – John 19:1

 

Hebrews 12:3  For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.

 

Isaiah 52:14  As many were astonied at thee; his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men:

 

4)  They saw a man mocked and derided – John 19:2-3

 

Psalms 35:15-16  But in mine adversity they rejoiced, and gathered themselves together: yea, the abjects gathered themselves together against me, and I knew it not; they did tear me, and ceased not:  With hypocritical mockers in feasts, they gnashed upon me with their teeth.

 

Galatians 6:7  Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.

 

d.  They saw a man rejected by the multitudes Who would virtually die alone – John 18:39-40

 

John 1:11  He came unto his own, and his own received him not.

 

Isaiah 53:3  He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

 

e.  They saw a man whom they condemned to death – John 19:6-7

 

Philippians 2:8  And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

 

Hebrews 12:2  Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of [our] faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

 

1 Peter 3:18  For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:

 

2.  What did the crowd not Behold!

 

a.  They never saw the fulfilment of prophecy.  The Seed of the Woman, Israel’s Messiah.

 

b.  They never saw the virgin born Son of God.  Jehovah God, the Great I AM, made flesh, dwelling among them.

 

c.  They never saw the Lamb of God, ready to be offered for the sin of the world.

 

d.  They never saw their sin and need of a Saviour! The Saviour of the World.

 

“Behold the man!”