What picture of Jesus’ crucifixion do you have in your mind? Do you see Him before Pilot? Is He walking along the road? Is Simeon helping carry the cross? Is He nailed there between the two thieves? I am a visual person, and I have many pictures in my head. This was most likely due to my catholic upbringing and the stations of the cross. The stations followed Jesus from sentencing to death. There were sculptures and paintings depicting Jesus at each of these stops (stations) along the way. But the image that sticks with me is Jesus’ face, and more specifically the crown of thorns he wore. What was the significance of that? I believe everything is the Bible is inspired by God and that there is a purpose for letting us knows about the crown of thorns, but what is that purpose? I do not know if this is the correct interpretation, but here is what I think. Let’s look at who crowned Him with the thorns. Was it the Jews? Was it the Chief Priest’s guards? Who added this to Jesus’ sufferings?

Mark 15: ¹⁶ the soldiers led Jesus away into the palace (that is, the Praetorian) and called together the whole company of soldiers. ¹⁷ They put a purple robe on him, then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on him. ¹⁸ And they began to call out to him, “Hail, king of the Jews!” ¹⁹ Again and again they struck him on the head with a staff and spit on him. Falling on their knees, they paid homage to him. ²⁰ And when they had mocked him, they took off the purple robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him out to crucify him.

Matt 27: ³² as they were going out, they met a man from Cyrene, named Simon, and they forced him to carry the cross. ³³ They came to a place called Golgotha (which means “the place of the skull”). ³⁴ There they offered Jesus wine to drink, mixed with gall; but after tasting it, he refused to drink it. ³⁵ When they had crucified him, they divided up his clothes by casting lots. ³⁶ And sitting down, they kept watch over him there. ³⁷ Above his head they placed the written charge against him: this is Jesus, the king of the Jews.

The Roman soldiers did this. Crowned Him “King of the Jews”. Blindfolded Him and beat Him. Asking Him to prophesy who was hitting Him. The final group of people we have in the world surrounding Jesus. The Jewish leaders we know did not want Jesus because He threatened their way of life. Did not fit their ideal of the Messiah. To Herod and Pilot, He was a political hot potato. And they did what was expedient. Pilot choosing what he knew was wrong to please the people.  But the soldiers, what stake did they have in the story? They neither knew God, nor cared. Harsh men with a harsh lifestyle. What place did they have in Jesus’ story? Let’s look at what happened later that day.

Matt 27: ⁵⁴ When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, “Surely he was the Son of God!”

Luke 23: ⁴⁷ the centurion, seeing what had happened praised God and said, “Surely this was a righteous man.”

Nothing in the Bible was placed there that did not have a purpose. A message for God’s people. I think the message of the crown of thorns shows the depths of God’s love. It showed how God affected the people who did not even know Him, who really did not care and actively harassed His Son. The cross, a message of hope and forgiveness to us that follow Him, but also a message of hope and forgiveness to those who have not yet begun to seek Him.