Ecce Homo

Ecce Homo: Behold The Man. This was statement Pontius Pilate said to crowds when He presented Jesus Christ after He had been flogged and crowned with thorns (Matthew 27:27-31). Pilate's words of "Behold the Man" (John 19:5), was suppose to illicit some compassion from crowds, who seeing Jesus' flesh torn and His body disfigured would perhaps be lineant and not demand His crucifixion. The scheme did not work, and thanks be to God no one listen to Pilate, or else Jesus who is God and Man (Titus 3:17, Colossians 2:9, 1 John 4:1-3, 2 John 1:7) would not have died for our sins! There are plenty of people capitalizing on the humanity of Jesus  or the historical Jesus, but this is a farce, because they fail to acknowledge Jesus for who He really is, and ignore His identity which is Messiah and Son of Living God (Matthew 16:13-20), God incarnate (John 1:1-18), and King of Kings and Lord of Lords (Revelation 19:16). When we engage the words, "Behold the Man" it should invoke a sense of wonder, and the following sentence, "Behold God became a Man." For Jesus though He was and is God, lowered himself, "You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges;he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being.When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God  and died a criminal’s death on a cross. Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Philippians 2:5-11).

Ecce Homo for us is to marvel at the miracle, that God in His infinite power and wisdom, humbled himself and became human, "The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth." (John 1:14). He chose out of love for us (John 3:16) to take on human flesh and suffer so that we might be saved from power of sin and Second Death (Romans, Revelation). Ecce Homo is reflection for us not on humanity of Christ in sense that we don't acknowledge his deity, but rather it is the mediation on that God became human and tasted death for us, "Now when it says “all things,” it means nothing is left out. But we have not yet seen all things put under their authority. What we do see is Jesus, who for a little while was given a position “a little lower than the angels”; and because he suffered death for us, he is now “crowned with glory and honor.” Yes, by God’s grace, Jesus tasted death for everyone. God, for whom and through whom everything was made, chose to bring many children into glory. And it was only right that he should make Jesus, through his suffering, a perfect leader, fit to bring them into their salvation." (Hebrews 2:8-10). Ecce Homo is to see both Divine and Human nature of Christ, and to be enraptured by the fact that the King of Universe (1 Timothy 1:17), The Creator of All Things including humans and the galaxies (John 1:3, Colossians 1:16) decided to humble Himself in shell and body of His creation so as to save creation from eternal death. While certainly we reflect on this at Christmas, Ecce Homo is too look upon the Godhead in body scared and torn for our sins, that His mission was to save us, show us the Kingdom, and lead us into His kingdom.

Ecce Homo means "Behold The Man" and if is typically in art any image of Jesus crowned with the Crown of Thorns. Ecce Homo is also considered The Mocking of Jesus, "Then Pilate had Jesus flogged with a lead-tipped whip. The soldiers wove a crown of thorns and put it on his head, and they put a purple robe on him. “Hail! King of the Jews!” they mocked, as they slapped him across the face," (John 19:1-3), and "Some of the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into their headquarters and called out the entire regiment. They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him. They wove thorn branches into a crown and put it on his head, and they placed a reed stick in his right hand as a scepter. Then they knelt before him in mockery and taunted, “Hail! King of the Jews!” And they spit on him and grabbed the stick and struck him on the head with it. When they were finally tired of mocking him, they took off the robe and put his own clothes on him again. Then they led him away to be crucified." (Matthew 27:27-31) when Roman Soldiers mutilated, mistreated, and marred Jesus' body with torture devices that were made into regal ornaments, i.e. the crown of thorns, scepter, and robe.In honor and memory of our God and Savior torment, I have decided to share the best Ecce Homo paintings and expounded upon their quality and meaning. This shall serve in similar fashion to The Crucifixion Collection and The Resurrection Collection.

This is Murillo's Bartolome Esteban's Masterpiece, of Christ crowned with thrones. This particular piece features Jesus staring downward in sullen and sad position. The weight of the world appears to be on his shoulders (Isaiah 9:6), and faint trails of blood come from his hair locks. He wars a red cape or robe paying homage to Matthew's account, "They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him" (Matthew 27:28). Murillo's piece captures a side of Christ's suffering that makes you woeful, you can feel the pain, the depression, and gravity of what is about to happen. Here Jesus even seems ready to faint from Scourging He has endured. Here the crown of thorns are rather thin, more like a thorn tree or bush branches. There is an alternate vantage point of this same portrait by Murillo, which is only different in that it is straight on than almost profile vantage point.

Lempetz's Ecce Homo portrait features a pale Jesus, perhaps denoting the loss of blood, and has distinct realism. The robe or cape here is blood red rather than scarlet or apple red, it seems like curtain of the amount of blood Christ has lost. Around His neck is a rope that acts as bounds to keep Him shackled, which is intriguing because Jesus said to Pilate, "No one can take my life from me. I sacrifice it voluntarily. For I have the authority to lay it down when I want to and also to take it up again. For this is what my Father has commanded." (John 10:18). Here in this particular painting one can see  Jesus holding a scepter, this was part of Roman Centurions mocking Jesus (), but it is fitting because of Christ's guilty charge for Crucifixion, "King of Jews" and fact He is the King of Universe and will rule with iron scepter when He returns (Revelation 2:27). The crown of thorns here is very thick, as if made from branches. Tears can also be discerned, rolling down His cheeks. For Here the Lord God Jesus knows that by His tears and death, He shall take tears away from all who believe in Him, "He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever." (Revelation 21:4).

At first glance this is visually similar to Lemptzeg's masterpiece, but with major differences. Firstly, unlike most Ecce Homo portraits, Jesus is starring at the viewer and the depths of our Lord's pain can be seen through His eyes. Another feature that is unique is the golden rays around Christ's head, this denotes His Deity (Colossians 2:9) and so this isn't by a humanist painter, but a Roman Catholic. There is some Catholic modestly, in that Jesus in this painting is covering His chest with His robe and places His bound hands over his nipples.

This painting of Jesus features our Lord looking upward as if to speak to Father. Here it appears He is pleading, not as in Gethsemane for the Cup of Suffering to pass (Luke 22:42), but rather He is asking for the strength to make it to the cross after such a terrible scourging and flogging. Perhaps one can infer from this portrait of Immanuel a subtle humorous exchange, as if He is saying, "You said these people were crazy, now I believe you." A faint red ring halo surrounds Christ's head to denote His deity. The bound hands are not seen, and this is perhaps the most modest example, with only neck line exposed.

Here Ecce Homo features not humor, but anger. Christ's mouth is pursed, and He looks displeased. Here our Lord and Savior almost looks ready to wield the sword of His mouth and slay the wicked (Revelation 19:11-16) rather than go and be slain. Here the King is displeased, perhaps with the fact that the very people crying Crucify Him were same ones who said Hosanna earlier. In truth this does not really capture what one thinks of Christ before the crowds, but maybe he was stern and rather disgruntled at the people being paid to call for His death (Matthew 27:20). This could also be the expression Emmanuel reserves for hypocrites and Pharisees who will lead way into hell (Matthew 23:15).

Andres Salorio's Ecce Homo features Christ shedding tears, and tender face. Here the Man of Sorrows and Acquainted with Grief (Isaiah 54) is seen. This portrait features not hands, no bear chest, or anything to distract from details and expression of Jesus' face. Here the Lord seems resigned to His Mission, to die for sins of world (1 John 2:2). There is acceptance and pain in His face, and an ounce of compassion. Pity seems behind lids of his eyes, the tears perhaps being both from suffering or capturing, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." (Luke 23:34).

This close up Ecce Homo is difficult too gaze upon. Christ's eyes are red, which actually happens from crying too much. Two of most noticeable features is the disc or halo of gold behind Jesus head that features IHS and XPS, these are abbreviations for Jesus which is IHS from ΙΗΣΟΥΣ in Greek and XPS is Christus. IHS XPS is the Latin version of Christogram, which in the Eastern Churches is IC XC. On the golden halo is also as red cross, something commonly found in Roman Catholic art. The robe of Jesus in this particular case is embellished by Artist, who has added a neckline of gold and gems, something akin to the Ghent Altarpiece. In fact, this probably is Belgian artist because it features so many ornaments and gems.

This Ecce Homo is profile, giving a glimpse of God Man waiting to be presented to people in Pontius Pilate's private chambers. Here the expression on Emmanuel's face is one of expectancy and perhaps eagerness, that He desires to finish it and shout "It is Finished." (John 19:30)

Here is an Ecce Homo that features Jesus outside the private chambers after His flogging. Here is where Pontius Pilate seen at angle behind Jesus cleanly shaven, and slightly obese, says, "behold the man." (John 19:15). Here the crowds can be seen crying, "Crucify Him! Crucify Him!" (Luke 23:21). Here the Roman Centurions and Chief Priests of Temple are seen strewn around the Savior, and everyone is in proper garb and clothing for the time period, instead of the artistic license of Renaissance used sometimes by Da Vinci and other masters.

Antonio Ciseri's Ecce Homo features the actual scene when Pilate says, "Behold The Man" (John 19:5). Here Jesus is disrobed to show His wounds, although ironically Ciseri has not included the stripes and wounds here. There is a small crowd of people at Pilate's Dias or Gabbatha (Stone Pavement, see John 19:13-14). Part of City of Jerusalem can be seen in distance, and the large crowds assembled is realistic, because Jesus was crucified at Passover, and so thousands if even perhaps hundreds of thousands of Jews from all over world were there on pilgrimage for Passover as they were at Pentecost (Acts 2 thru 5).

Ecce Homo is when we remind ourselves of what Jesus who is God and Man (Colossians 2:9, 1 John 4:1-3) had to suffer in addition to being Crucified. It is sobering reminder that our Savior and god (Titus 3:17) went through great pains to deliver us from eternal pain. This Holy Week spend some time looking at these images, particularly on Good Friday. Remind yourself of what your Redeemer did for you, and if you aren't saved already, choose Christ Jesus now, "If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord (God of Israel) and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by openly declaring your faith that you are saved. " (Romans 10:9-10). Look at those images of Immanuel (Jesus) and be stirred by the Savior's Suffering! For His love was so deep for all humans, that He suffered and died for our sins, to save us from our evil nature and hell fire. Believe in Jesus Christ! If you already believe and are a brother or sister in Christ, then remember until He comes Again (1 Corinthians 11:26).