“Behold” | Jolene Nolte

Behold the man:
Purple-robed, thorn-
crowned, lash-torn,
yet in full possession
of the tongue he does 
not use to defend himself.

Behold the king bearing
the cross beam, stripped 
of his seamless tunic,
who even in his torment
cares to say to his mother,
“Behold your son,”
and to his disciple,
“Behold your mother.”

Hear the fount of Living 
Water say, “I thirst;” 
the Resurrection and the Life 
cry, “It is finished.”

Behold, the man, the king, the I AM
lifeless in the garden tomb.