For so many years I wondered why the Roman soldiers used rolled up thorns to make a crown to place on the head of Jesus. (John 14) Thorns? Why not sticks, or rope? I totally understand that thorns would hurt and cause some bleeding, which I know was their goal. Yet, as a tender-headed girl, the pain He endured from that alone broke my heart and left me wondering, why thorns? In the end, I accepted causing pain as the only purpose to using thorns.

Recently, I received a teaching on this very subject.

To refresh our memories, Jesus left His place in heaven to experience life as a Son of Man while still being the Son of God. At the age of thirty He began teaching and performing public miracles, until it was time to fulfill the reason He came to be among men. His purpose – to be killed in a way so that man could be freed from sin (sin nature). In order to do this, He had to bear all the sins from all time, even getting down to the root of sin.

The root of sin brings in an interesting point. Check out Genesis 3. Did you notice that thorns didn’t appear in the garden until after Adam and Eve allowed sin in? That was something I missed – God announcing part of man’s punishment would include now battling against thorns and thistles. So, in essence, thorns represent sin.

The Roman soldiers may not have known there was a reason thorns were the perfect crown, but God the Father did. He made sure that every aspect of sin was carried by Jesus to His human death. Nothing was left out. Every detail was taken care of, including the fact that the Pharisees caused his death on the cross.

Jesus is called the Passover Lamb because He died on Passover. Check out Exodus 12 to understand the reason for the blood that was shed at the first Passover. But Jesus didn’t come just to cover the people as the death angel passed through the land. He came to defeat sin nature and death. In following that purpose, God the Father made sure all the details needed to fulfill the sacrifice process were complete. Leviticus 16:6-10 and Hebrews 9 speak to this sacrifice and it’s results.

The Pharisees may not have realized what they were doing was following the steps of the Day of Atonement sacrifice, but that’s what they were doing. The Roman soldiers did their part with the crown of thorns. And, completed the picture when they placed Jesus, a sinless man, on a wooden cross causing him to become sin. (Galatians 3:13; Deuteronomy 21:23) Then to seal the deal, Pilate had the soldiers place a sign over Jesus’s head that read Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews. (John 19:19-20; Matthew 27:37; Mark 15:26; Luke 23:38)

The curious thing is the initials of the words read YHWH. Which basically is GOD, or rather His sacred name. That’s why the Pharisees wanted the sign removed. (John 19:21)

I still don’t like to see him with a crown of thorns on His head but now I know, from start to finish Jesus bore every thing needed. At His human death He carried sin into Hades and won back what rightfully belongs to Him and man.

Jesus died for me and you. If you haven’t thanked Him for that, don’t wait until it’s too late.