- BEHOLD THE MAN

The Roman Procurator presented Jesus to the people from the balcony. Jesus had just endured the physical punishment of the flogging. He had somewhat recovered from the ordeal, but probably the pain was such that He could hardly stand straight.

The medical doctors in seeing what the Shroud reveals say that Jesus should have died under the scourging. On His head was the crown of thorns pushed down and tied with a rope to make sure He could not shake it off the head.

The thorns must have still been producing much bleeding. Drops of blood must have been still flowing on His face and even in His eyes. Jesus could not wipe away the blood, the sweat, the tears from His eyes since His hands were bound behind His back. So we may visualize Jesus on the balcony as unable to stand straight and with hesitation walking step by step as the blood, the sweat and the tears must have blurred His eyes. Next to Jesus was another prisoner, Barabbas.

Jesus was in such a pitiable state that the Procurator proclaimed to the people: "BEHOLD THE MAN! " From the balcony Jesus heard the people saying repeatedly: we prefer Barabbas; crucify the other one. Jesus, even in such poor condition, could not hear a word of sympathy; rather He heard words of hatred: "crucify him." Jesus was not only rejected, but without any mercy He was to be punished with the most painful and humiliating execution: the crucifixion.

The Gospel does not give us any information how Jesus reacted, nor could we read "feelings" in the Shroud. We could however imagine Jesus praying to the Father: "Father, many times I offered myself to you as the victim of expiation for the sins of the people, the conversion of unbelievers. The hour has come. At this very hour in your Temple the Priests are getting ready to offer the lambs as victims of expiation. Father, the thought of having to undergo today the humiliation and torture of the cross, frightens me. Yes, it does; but Thy will be done."

In the meantime the Procurator saw that he was making no impression, that in fact a riot was imminent. So he took some water, washed his hands in front of the crowd and said, "I am innocent of this man's blood. He released Barabbas for them. He handed over Jesus to be crucified." (Matt. 27.24-26)