Ecce Homo (Behold The Man)

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Nicolaus Ludwig Zinzendorf climbed the stone steps of the art gallery in Dusseldorf. The doorman bowed low, and Zinzendorf nodded in recognition of the gesture. It was May 20, 1719, and this was the fifth art gallery he had been to since setting out on the trip a week before. Zinzendorf strolled around, taking in the various masterpieces that were on display. With him were his new tutor, Herr Riederer, and his older half-brother, Fredrick, who had joined him for the early portion of the grand tour of Europe. The excursion to the art gallery was much like the others Zinzendorf had made on the trip, until he came to one particular painting. for some reason he felt attracted to it. He stopped and studied it closely. The painting, by Domenico Feti, was titled Ecce Homo (Behold the Man) and it showed Jesus with a crown of thorns on His head. At the bottom of the picture, the artist had painted the words: This I have done for you. What have you done for Me?

The question astonished Zinzendorf. It seemed to hang in the air as he pondered what, indeed, he had done for Christ. The usual answers came to mind. He had loved Him, read the Bible, prayed and sang hymns, but somehow these things seemed insignificant compared to all Christ had done by dying on the cross. Zinzendorf repeated the question to himself: What have you done for me? His mind went back to the dining room at the Paedagogium in Halle. He thought about the time he sat at the table listening to all that Bartholomaus Ziegenbalg, the missionary from India, had to say. Now, there was a man who was doing something for Christ!

"I will do more," Zinzendorf vowed quietly as he stood in front of the painting. "My life will not be spent in idle touring and visiting." "Don't you want to see the rest of the gallery?" Fredrick asked, his voice breaking into Zinzendorf's thoughts. "You've been standing here in a trance for fifteen minutes." "Oh, yes, I suppose I must go on," Zinzendorf replied, taking one last look at the painting. Zinzendorf went on to view the work of famous Dutch and German artists, but he could not get out of his mind the idea that it was time to do something for Christ. Shortly thereafter, he caught a vision of his life's work. What could he do for Christ? It was so obvious to him now: he could use his life and his money to try to bring all Christians together into one family - one fellowship that would accept and tolerate one another's differences. And so, that was what he did from that moment on.

I Gave My Life For Thee

I gave My life for thee,
My precious blood I shed,
That thou might ransomed be,
and raised up from the dead
I gave My life for thee,
what hast thou given for Me?

As a young woman, Frances Ridley Havergal traveled from her home in England to advance her education in Dusseldorf, Germany. While on the continent, in a pastor's study, she saw a motto printed beneath a painting titled "Ecce Homo". The portrayed scene is Christ at his trial, whipped mercilessly, wearing a crown of thorns and a purple robe meant for mockery. He's standing between a crowd demanding death and Pilate, who says, "Ecce Homo (Behold the Man)". This arresting depiction of Jesus' trial struck Havergal, who paused to contemplate the biblical event. Before leaving the scene, she copied the caption-phrase, translated: "I did this for you. What have you done for me?"

Later, back home in England, she noticed the line in her notebook, recalled her emotional response to the painting, and quickly embellished the caption. She wrote a poem of five stanzas, each ending with a pointed challenge: What have you given to . . . left for . . . borne for . .. brought to . . . the Christ?

Pausing to read through her completed verse, Havergal thought poorly of her endeavor, and threw the paper into the fireplace. Yes, into the fire. But it didn't burn. Retrieving the lines, she eventually showed them to her father, who suggested they be saved. Years later, she wrote what would become one of her most famous hymns, "Take My Life".

Have you lived your life fully for God as He did for you?