PILATE was finding the case of Jesus a great problem. No doubt he wished it had never occurred. He was struggling to find a way through the trial which would enable him to keep is integrity and preserve his respect for himself, but not upset the Jews with all that may produce. What is so wonderful is how much glorious depth of truth comes out of this struggle, which glorifies our Saviour and nourishes our souls.

Pilate wants to be fair and just, and so having humiliated Jesus quite wrongly, he brings Jesus out before the Jews and declares that he can find no basis for a charge to be brought against Jesus. By this he condemns his own actions in causing Jesus to be flogged and humiliated, but no doubt he hoped that when the Jews saw how much Jesus had suffered, and had been humiliated, they might cease to press charges against him.

The fact that Pilate declares the innocence of Jesus is powerful. Pilate would have been much more happy if he had been able to find some basis for a charge, and then with a good conscience he could have condemned Jesus, and so please the Jews. His problem was that he could not find any wrong in Jesus.

What a glorious testimony! Here is the highest court of the land declaring Jesus to be without wrong. This declaration can’t be too strongly observed. Firstly, because it shows how evil was the act of the Jews in bringing Jesus to be condemned. Secondly, it was testimony from an unbiased source that Jesus was sinless and pure, and refuted the lies which the Jews would have had proclaimed. But thirdly and most importantly, it declares the fitness of Jesus to accomplish the work of atonement that his allowing himself to be given up to death was for.

Although the world and the Jews had no idea of this, Jesus was giving himself as a sacrifice for sin. This was the reason he was willing to allow himself to be put to death, and why he did not defend himself or exert his power to overcome his enemies. As a sacrifice for sin, he had to be without sin himself, for unless he was without sin himself, he could not pay the price of the sin of others. If Jesus had committed one sin, he could have only died to atone for his own sin. If Jesus had sinned his sacrifice could not have been vicarious, that is a sacrifice on behalf of others. John the Baptist pointed to Jesus and said “Behold, the Lamb of God which takes away the sin of the world”. As the Lamb to atone for the sin of the world by taking the penalty for the sin of the world, Jesus had to be a Lamb without blemish, that is without any stain of sin upon him. How wonderful that even the world could do nothing else than declare that Jesus was without blemish, and therefore a perfect lamb for sacrifice, and so able to be the Saviour of sinners.

As Pilate brings Jesus out to the crowd, he makes a timeless call “Here is the Man!” or “Behold the Man”. Little did Pilate understand what he was saying. He speaks of “the” man, and this is so right. Jesus was and is “the” man, that is the man to represent mankind. Jesus is the second Adam. As the first Adam represented all the human race which came from him, and brought sin and condemnation on all humanity, so Jesus is the representative man for all who become his people through faith. He is the Man who represents us before God, and takes our place, bearing our sin and condemnation so that we may be saved, forgiven and made new.

The question is do we heed this call to behold Jesus? and if we do what do we see when we look on Jesus? The Jews only saw one whom they hated and wanted to kill, and so they remained in their sins under condemnation and the sentence of death from the justice of God. On the other hand do we see Jesus as our sin-bearer, who took all our sin upon himself, and then gave his life for us that we might be forgiven and possess through him eternal life.

Behold the Man! Look on Jesus for he is your Saviour. Look into his pain torn countenance and see the love pouring forth from him for you. Hear him say to you all this I have done for you that you may be saved and have eternal life. Behold him so that you trust yourself to him, and like the repentant thief on the cross beside Jesus, place yourself into his hands that he might save you forever.

How tragic was the attitude of the Jews. Crucify! Crucify! is all they would say. It came from deep hate in their hearts. What it showed is one of the great tragedies of human life. It showed the bondage to sin and Satan that held them, and the terrible lost condition of their souls. Little did they realise that they were doing the work of Satan, and sealing up for themselves everlasting damnation.

Pilate was also in bondage and under the same condemnation. He tried to avoid this condemnation by seeking to pass the onus upon the Jews. He petulantly told them to go and crucify Jesus themselves because he could find not fault in Jesus. He sought to avoid the injustice of executing Jesus, but still he was in bondage because he had the power to let Jesus go, and for fear of the Jews he did not.

How sad is the bondage which rests on humanity. We who are free, how much should we be concerned for the lost, and seek their release through prayer, witness and labour for the Gospel.