There was another toward whom John’s watchful eyes turned during the long and painful watches of that night.  The picture of him is not complete without this Apostle’s records.

“Art thou the King of the Jews?” asked Pilate of Jesus.  Such John had thought Him to be.  For three years he had waited to see Him assume His throne.  He has preserved the Lord’s answer,—­“My kingdom is not of this world.”  This declaration contained a truth to which even the favored disciple had been partly blind.  Was he not ready to ask with Pilate, though with different spirit and purpose, “Art thou a King then?” The Lord’s answer must have meant more to the listening Apostle than to the captious and heedless Governor.  It was a declaration of the true kingship of the Messiah-King,—­“To this end have I been born, and to this end am I come into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth.”

“What is truth?” asked Pilate in a careless manner, not caring for an answer.  “What is truth?” was the great question whose answer the Apostle continued to seek, concerning the King and the kingdom of Him whom He had heard say, “I am the Truth.”

In that night he saw the Messiah-King crowned, but with thorns.  He saw the purple robe upon Him, but it was the cast-off garment of a Roman Governor.  A reed, given Him for a sceptre, was snatched from His hand to smite Him on His head.  Instead of pouring holy oil of kingly consecration, as upon David’s head, His enemies “spit upon Him.”  It was in mockery that they bowed the knee before Him saying, “Hail King of the Jews.”

There are two scenes with which John alone has made us familiar.  One is described in these words:—­“Then came Jesus forth, wearing the crown of thorns, and the purple robe.  And Pilate saith, Behold the man!” Did not that word “Behold,” recall to John another scene—­that on the Jordan when he looked upon this same Jesus as the Lamb of God, whom His enemies were about to offer unwittingly, when He offered Himself not unwillingly a sacrifice upon the cross?  The Baptist’s exclamation had been in adoration and joyfulness:  Pilate’s was in pity and sadness.  It was an appeal to humanity, but in vain.  There was no pity in that maddened throng.  Pilate turned in bitterness toward those whom he hated, but whose evil deeds he did not dare to oppose.  So in irony “Pilate ... brought forth Jesus ... and he saith unto the Jews, Behold your King!”

John was the only one who heard the three cries of “Behold”—­one at the beginning, the others at the close of the Lord’s ministry.  How much he had beheld and heard and learned between, concerning “the Lamb,” “the Man,” and “the King.”