In the lead up to Easter, Christians around the world reflect on the immense sacrifice made by Jesus Christ. A key part of this reflection is the crown of thorns, placed on His head during His Passion. This peculiar headdress carries deep symbolism about the Messiah’s suffering and the sins He bore on our behalf.
As we explore the crown of thorns and its Biblical origins, we uncover a rich theology that points to salvation through Christ.
The Mockery of the Soldiers
The crown of thorns first appears in the Gospels during Christ’s trial and crucifixion:
Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole garrison around Him. And they stripped Him and put a scarlet robe on Him. When they had twisted a crown of thorns, they put it on His head, and a reed in His right hand. And they bowed the knee before Him and mocked Him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” Then they spat on Him, and took the reed and struck Him on the head. (Matthew 27:27-30)
After repeatedly declaring Himself as the Messiah, the Son of God, Jesus is condemned by the Sanhedrin for blasphemy. He is brought before Pontius Pilate and accused of rebellion against Caesar.Seeking to humble the prisoner, Pilate’s soldiers dress Christ in royal garb as a joke. They kneel in false reverence before the “King of the Jews” and hail Him mockingly. The crown of thorns represents His supposed kingship, crafted by the soldiers to torture Jesus.The Gospel of John provides further details:
And the soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on His head, and they put on Him a purple robe. Then they said, “Hail, King of the Jews!” And they struck Him with their hands. (John 19:2-3)
The crown and robe were intended to mock Jesus’ claim of authority. Yet even in His humiliation at the hands of sinners, Christ maintained His composure as the true King.
Foreshadowed in the First Sin
The use of thorns as an instrument of torture has deep Biblical precedent. In fact, the thorns hint at the purpose behind Christ’s suffering.After the first sin, God curses the earth and mankind’s mortality:
Cursed is the ground for your sake;
In toil you shall eat of it
All the days of your life.
Both thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you,
And you shall eat the herb of the field.
In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread
Till you return to the ground,
For out of it you were taken;
For dust you are,
And to dust you shall return. (Genesis 3:17-19)
The curse of the thorns and thistles was part of mankind’s punishment for disobedience, representing the frailty of the human condition and sin itself. Christ’s crown of thorns is deeply connected with this curse.Isaiah 53 prophesies the suffering servant who would bear our iniquities:
Surely He has borne our griefs
And carried our sorrows;
Yet we esteemed Him stricken,
Smitten by God, and afflicted.
But He was wounded for our transgressions,
He was bruised for our iniquities;
The chastisement for our peace was upon Him,
And by His stripes we are healed. (Isaiah 53:4-5)
By wearing the crown and accepting the mockery and torture, Jesus bore our curse and sins so that we could have peace with God.
The Agony of the Piercing Thorns
The Gospel writers emphasize Jesus’ immense physical suffering from the crown. The woven branches with long thorns would have pierced Christ’s head, causing severe pain and bleeding.
Matthew highlights that after the mockery, the soldiers continued to strike Jesus on the head driving the thorns deeper into His scalp (Matthew 27:30). Pilate brings Jesus before the crowd saying “Behold the Man!” (John 19:5), showcasing the prisoner’s pitiful state from the torture.
The thorn is a Biblical symbol of sin, curse, and consequence. By pressing the crown into His brow, Jesus took our suffering and curses upon Himself according to God’s plan.
Christ understands human affliction more than anyone because He experienced extreme persecution for our sake. As the prophesied suffering servant, He willingly bore the penalty of sin though He was sinless (2 Corinthians 5:21).
The Surviving Holy Relic
According to tradition, Helena the mother of Constantine discovered the crown of thorns relic in Jerusalem in the 4th century AD. Around 1238, the French king Louis IX paid an enormous sum to acquire the crown from the Latin Empire and brought it to Paris. The relic was kept with the tunic of St. Louis in the Sainte-Chapelle chapel which was built specifically to house holy artifacts from Christ’s Passion.
While the vast majority of the thorns were distributed to churches across Europe, the remaining woven circlet resides in the Notre Dame Cathedral. Kept in a gilded case, it is brought out for veneration on the first Friday of each month and every Friday in Lent.
Despite the 2019 fire at the Notre Dame, the survival of the crown remains an ongoing miracle connecting Christians today to the historic suffering of Christ.
The Destiny of the King
The Gospel writers present the crown of thorns as an attempt to demean Jesus’ authority. However, Christ’s composure through the torture displayed true strength and obedience to God’s plan.In a cosmic twist, the crown designed to humiliate the King brought greater glory to His name. The willing sacrifice fulfilled the Messianic prophecies about the suffering servant who would bear our sins.
Today the crown of thorns represents Jesus’ love and mercy, saving us from the consequences of the first curse. By enduring mockery and pain for our sake, He makes salvation possible for all who put their faith in Him.
The Crown that Brings Us Life
The crown of thorns carries a profound theology of sacrifice and hope. Jesus transformed this instrument of torture into a promise of eternal life through faith.
As you reflect this Easter, meditate on the agony Christ endured to pay the price for our sins. And consider the glory Jesus revealed by turning such humiliation into the ultimate victory.
The crown designed to kill a king instead offers life to all people as Christ the risen King of kings.
Browse our crown of throne pin having inspiring symbol of the sacrifice made for us.
