The Man

The day spawned a crowd of thousands as they gathered around to watch this criminal be tried. The group stood around him and mocked him, spat on him, slapped his beautiful face, cried out for his life to be taken. The men pressed forward toward him and screamed in his face that he'd be tried for his crimes and brought to justice. But the beautiful man stood silent, never once defending his innocence, never once spoke of the charges against him, never once made any sound. He stood silent with sweat on his brow and blood on his face, the bruises throbbing underneath his broken skin. He'd been mangled and tormented all night long, abused by his captors, drug around like cattle. Through everything, he never defied his accusers or retaliated or spoke ill of his horrible treatment, no, he bore it all alone. With no one by his side, he was tried and convicted of crimes he'd never committed and sentenced to death as the crowd cheered. All the sins he was convicted of became his own and the sickness that accompanied such sin as well. As his sentence was carried out, he cried out and writhed in pain, his skin torn and ripped by the men who now killed him. His blood flowed from his body as his last breath came and went in front of silent and hurting men. The sky turned dark and the earth shook as his spirit was ripped from his body and sent away to damnation and those who'd accused him cried out in shame of what they'd done. This man was innocent and had served the sentence for the crimes of the very men who'd cried for his blood. They wept for what was and what could have been in the days that followed, wondering what he'd done to deserve the fate he went into knowingly. But then he appeared to them, comforting and very much alive. Every man rejoiced for their master had returned to them as was foretold by the ancient scrolls. They touched his wounds and were astonished- he'd been dead, he had! But it was true- Jesus of Nazareth, the Anointed One, Holy Son of God the Father, had been raised from the dead and atoned for the sins of man That no longer should he be separate from God, but together in eternal life.