John 19:1-16
Pilate did not hate the truth the way the Jewish leaders did, but neither was he fully committed to it. Pilate wanted to find a middle way. A way that would keep Jesus’ supporters from rioting and would keep the Jews from causing political trouble for him with Rome. Pilate would have Jesus beaten, a good barracks room beating by angry frustrated soldiers, that would satisfy the Jews. He would also find some sliver of a reason to release Jesus, and all that would take would be a simple word or request or promise from Jesus. And after a Roman beating who would not ask for pity? Pilate has Jesus beaten and in the mockery of the soldiers Jesus is given a crown of thorns and a purple robe. When Jesus comes out before the crowd Pilate offers his enigmatic proclamation, “Behold the man”. What did Pilate mean with this statement? We can never read someone else’s mind and Pilate never tells us. Perhaps Pilate was saying, “Look at this poor man” as a way of eliciting pity for Jesus and getting the Jews to drop their demand for His crucifixion based on pity. Maybe he was saying, “This guy?” as a sort of “You are afraid of this pathetic guy?” Maybe Pilate said it in an ironic, racist, and contemptuous way: “This man is barely a man after what we have done” in an attempt to appeal to their ethnic loyalty anticipating that they would call for the release of one of their own. Maybe it is real respect on Pilate’s part, “That is a real man, with an unbroken spirit even after this beating”. Whatever he meant, Pilate wanted to do the right thing, but he did not want to do it enough to risk an unpopular decision.
“Ecce Homo” is an appeal to make the right thing popular so he would keep his conscience clear and maintain some sense of popularity. But there is no middle ground, there is no third way. To want to do right but to lack the conviction to follow through will have the same result as a willful desire to do evil!
“Lord, grant me the courage to live holy no matter the cost. AMEN”
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