The Crown of Thorns is our next Easter symbol as we examine all the symbols and images that we associate with Eastertide and Resurrection Sunday. We’ve learned about the Lamb, that in the Bible, the Lamb is a symbol of sacrifice, and it reminds us of the debt Jesus paid for our sins. We learned about the Cross, the most recognizable symbol of Easter and Christianity, and that it stands for VICTORY that we have through Jesus over the power of sin and death.
Today, we’ll talk about the Crown of Thorns. We’ll trace the symbolism of thorns throughout Scripture, and couple it with the symbolism of crowns, particularly the crown worn by Jesus before and during His crucifixion.
Let’s start with the thorns. Turn with me if you will to John 19:2-3, where we’ll read the description given in the gospels of the crown of thorns that many of us might be familiar with, “And the soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and placed it on His head, and put a purple cloak on Him; 3 and they repeatedly came up to Him and said, “Hail, King of the Jews!” and slapped Him in the face again and again.” (NASB) This is the crown of thorns, twisted together by the soldiers who were participating in mocking Him, punishing Him, beating Him, and ultimately, preparing Him for crucifixion.
These were not thorns that we might be familiar with today. They’re not like the thorns on rosebushes, or certain types of weeds. This crown of thorns was made from the thorns of the date palm. The date palm had spikes that were very thick and very hard, and in some cases they could grow up to twelve inches long. These were not your typical thorns. These are super thorns. Medically, the thorns of the date palm are known to possess toxins that can cause inflammation, bruising, and tissue damage. So we have Jesus, having been beaten, flogged, and already in excruciating pain, and then the soldiers made this crown with thorns up to 12 inches long that can cause tissue damage, and they shoved it on His head. It's a wonder that the abuse and beatings and all the punishment He endured before the crucifixion didn’t kill Him before He got to the cross.
We saw with the Cross last week that the people would’ve been familiar with the curse associated with those who hung on a tree. We saw that Jesus hanging on a cross symbolized that He had taken on the curse that rests upon us all. Look at Genesis 3:18, “Both thorns and thistles it shall grow for you; Yet you shall eat the plants of the field;” (NASB) This was one of the consequences of sin entering the world. Thorns and thistles on plants that were meant to bear food for us are a further sign of the CURSE. Here we have the Messiah, bearing the curse of sin and death for us at every part of the crucifixion account. The Crown of Thorns symbolizes that the curse of mankind quite literally rests upon Jesus’s head.
The thorns being associated with the curse was a familiar association for Jewish people. Proverbs 22:5 tells us this, “Corrupt people walk a thorny, treacherous road; whoever values life will avoid it.” (NLT) Thorns had come to represent those who had chosen the ways of sin, the ways of the world, over the Lord and His ways. Thorns represent the way of sin and corruption. Though the Roman soldiers may not have known this, when they crowned Jesus with a crown of thorns, not only were they placing the curse upon His head, but they were also signifying that He was taking on the sins of the world.
As we should, when we think about the crown of thorns, we should think about Jesus’s kingship, who He is as King of kings. After all, the crown is a symbol of royalty and has been for a very long time. We see all throughout the Old Testament that the Messiah’s kingdom was talked about as a kingdom without end, that His reign will go on for all of eternity. The people were told that His kingdom would be unlike any other earthly kingdom.
When Jesus was brought before Pontius Pilate, “Pilate questioned Him: “So You are the King of the Jews?” And He answered him, “It is as you say.” (Mark 15:2, NASB) Jesus proclaimed He is in fact the King of the Jews, the King that the people had been eagerly awaiting since before King David!
Just days before being brought before Pilate, as Jesus had entered the city on the colt, we read this in Matthew 21:8-9, “Most of the crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others were cutting branches from the trees and spreading them on the road. 9 Now the crowds going ahead of Him, and those who followed, were shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David; Blessed is the One who comes in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest!” (NASB)
Just days before being crucified, they had gathered to praise Jesus as the conquering King. That’s why they said, “Hosanna to the Son of David;”, they were recognizing the Kingship of Jesus, that He was in the royal line of King David’s lineage. The crowds that had just gathered to praise Him as conquering King, would soon mock His kingship; and the very palm branches that they had just used to celebrate Him would soon lend their thorns to make the cruel crown that mocked His kingship even more.
The crowd that just celebrated the return of the King over God’s people soon had this to say, “Now it was the day of preparation for the Passover; it was about the sixth hour. And he said to the Jews, “Look, your King!” 15 So they shouted, “Away with Him, away with Him, crucify Him!” Pilate said to them, “Shall I crucify your King?” The chief priests answered, “We have no KING except Caesar.” (John 19:14-15, NASB)
The final insult was the sign hung above Jesus on the cross, John 19:19 records this, “Now Pilate also wrote an inscription and put it on the cross. It was written: “JESUS THE NAZARENE, THE KING OF THE JEWS.” (NASB) This was a sign for all to see that not only did Jesus bear the curse meant for all of us, not only had He taken on the crown of thorns representing a life of sin, and our actual sin, but this sign also called into question His Kingship. How could God let His beloved Son, the conquering King, the King of the Jews, the King of kings, die in such a terrible way?
There was a trade of that Jesus made though, that we must understand because Jesus made this trade willingly, full well-knowing what He was giving up and what it meant. Let's hear Paul’s words in Philippians 2:6-7, “Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to His own advantage; 7 rather, He made Himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.” (NIV)
Jesus willingly traded all the advantages of being heaven’s royalty, of being the Son of the Most High. He emptied Himself of all of His divine rights. He let go of all of it, and traded His heavenly crown of glory for a broken human body so that He could take on our sin and guilt and free us.
Hebrews 2:9 says this, “But we do see Him who was made for a little while lower than the angels, namely, Jesus, because of His suffering death crowned with glory and honor, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone.” (NASB) The suffering and death that He experienced crowned Him with honor and glory, and the most amazing thing is, that even though we don’t deserve it because we are guilty, that because of His suffering death, He crowns us with honor and glory too.
So, the Crown of Thorns, meant to be a cruel mocking punishment, that symbolically placed the curse and sins that He was innocent of on Jesus’s head…becomes a symbol of HUMILITY. Humility, as Jesus chose to willingly give up His divine rights as the Son of God and King of kings, and to become a human, to take on the likeness of sinful man, to bear our sins and to be punished and mocked and crucified for those sins. Humility as He chose to have His kingship mocked and questioned. Humility as He didn’t lift a finger to stop the abuse, and said nothing to defend Himself. Christ was willing to trade His crown of glory for a crown of thorns…for us.
So when Philippians 2:6-7 reminds us of how Jesus, in humility, gave all His heavenly rights up for us, and then in verse 5 tells us this, “In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:” (NIV) what Paul is talking about is the humility of Christ. Have the same humility as Jesus did in your relationships with one another. Lay down your crown, exchange everything you think you have a right to, and lay it down for the sake of Jesus. Take on the heart of a servant. Put aside your self-centered attitudes and let Jesus be the King of your life, completely and fully. Lay down your crown of self, for the crown of life Jesus offers because He was crowned with suffering and death. Humility, that’s what the Crown of Thorns means to us.
Questions to form your quiet times this week:
1. Look up Isaiah 9:7; Jeremiah 30:9; 2 Samuel 7:12-13; 1 Timothy 6:14-16; Hebrews 1:8; Revelation 15:3 and 17:14. What do these verses say about Christ’s Kingdom?
2. Look at James 1:12; 1 Peter 5:4; and Revelation 3:11. What awaits those who faithfully serve Jesus on earth? What does faithful service look like, according to Galatians 2:20?
3. What does Revelation 4:10-11 say about the elders response to the King? What does this imply about our response to the King while we serve Him on earth?