Crown of Thorns (Bible History Online) Bible History Online Crown of Thorns Illustration of the Crown of Thorns Jesus was mocked by Roman soldiers who placed a crown of thorns upon his head, similar to this painted illustration. Mark's gospel records that Jesus was mocked as a king 3 times. To the Roman soldiers the title of King was laughable. Pontius Pilate pronounced the final sentence upon Jesus of Nazareth some time between six and nine o'clock. He gave the orders to the Roman soldiers that Jesus was to be crucified. The soldiers led Jesus into the open court of the governor's Palace, and when they called the rest of the Roman cohort together to take part in a cruel scourging they stripped Jesus of clothing and put upon him a purple robe. The purple robe was to symbolize royalty, and they mocked him as King of the Jews. The scourging is performed with a whip called the "flagrum" and had pieces of sharp instruments embedded into the cord which was designed to remove flesh quickly.

As Jesus was bent over with a lacerated body they hailed him King of the Jews, and the soldiers put together a garland of flexible boughs (Aramaic "nubk") which were bushes filled with long sharp thorns, and they created a crown of thorns and placed it upon his already bruised head. To mock him even further they created a scepter made out of a reed and placed it in his right hand, and they began striking him similar to when he was stricken before the Sanhedrin. Matthew 27:27-31 27 - Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the common hall, and gathered unto him the whole band [of soldiers]. 28 - And they stripped him, and put on him a scarlet robe. 29 - And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put [it] upon 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! 30 - And they spit upon him, and took the reed, and smote him on the head.

31 - And after that they had mocked him, they took the robe off from him, and put his own raiment on him, and led him away to crucify [him]. Crown of Thorns in Smith's Bible Dictionary Mt 27:29 Our Lord was crowned with thorns in mockery by the Roman soldiers. Obviously some small flexile thorny shrub is meant perhaps Capparis spinosa. "Hasselquist, a Swedish naturalist, supposes a very common plant naba or nubka of the Arabs, with many small and sharp sines; soft, round and pliant branches; leaves much resembling ivy, of a very deep green, as if in designed mockery of a victor's wreath." Read Full Article Crown of Thorns in Easton's Bible Dictionary Our Lord was crowned with a Crown of Thorns, in mockery by the Romans (Matt. 27:29). The object of Pilate's guard in doing this was probably to insult, and not specially to inflict pain. There is nothing to show that the shrub thus used was, as has been supposed, the spina Christi, which could have been easily woven into a wreath.

It was probably the thorny nabk, which grew abundantly round about Jerusalem, and whose flexible, pliant, and round branches could easily be platted into the form of a crown. Read Full Article Crown of Thorns in the Bible Encyclopedia (ISBE) thornz (akdnthinos stephanos): Three of the four evangelists mention the crown of thorns, wherewith the rude Roman soldiers derided the captive Christ (Mt 27:29; Mk 15:17; Jn 19:2). All speak of the akanthine (Acanthus) crown, but there is no certainty about the peculiar plant, from the branches of which this crown of cruel mockery was plaited. The rabbinical books. mention no less than twenty-two words in the Bible signifying thorny plants, and the word akantha in the New Testament Greek is a generic and not a specific term. And this word or its adjective is used in the three Gospels, quoted above. It is therefore impossible definitely to determine what was the exact plant or tree, whose thorny branches were selected for this purpose.

Tobler (Denkbl., 113, 179) inclines to the Spina Christi, as did Hasselquist. Its botanical name is Zizyphus Spina Christi, It is very common in the East. Its spines are small and sharp, its branches soft, round and pliable, and the leaves look like ivy, with a dark, shiny green color, making them therefore very adaptable to the purpose of the soldiers. Others have designated the Paliurus aculeatus or the Lycium horridum. Both Geikie (Life of Christ, 549) and Farrar (Life of Christ, note 625) point to the Nubk (Zizyphus lotus). Says the latter, "The Nubk struck me, as it has all travelers in Palestine, as being most suitable both for mockery and pain, since its leaves are bright and its thorns singularly strong. But though the Nubk is very common on the shores of Galilee, I saw none of it near Jerusalem." The settlement of the question is manifestly impossible.

Read Full Article Crown of Thorns in Fausset's Bible Dictionary Christ's "crown of thorns" has been supposed to have been made of the Ramnus nabeca (Hasselquist) or the Lycium spinosum, probably the latter (Sieber). To mock rather than to pain Him was the soldiers' object, and they took whatever came to their hand first. The dark green was a parody of the triumphal ivy wreath. Read Full Article A Crown of Life Hail, King of the Jews Then the governor's soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole company of soldiers around him. They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, and then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head. They put a staff in his right hand and knelt in front of him and mocked him. "Hail, king of the Jews!" they said. They spit on him, and took the staff and struck him on the head again and again. Matt.

27:27-30 Mathew, Mark and John report in their gospels that when Pilate handed Jesus over to the soldiers, they brutally scourged him, probably using the infamous Roman Flagrum, a multi-thonged whip embedded with sharp pieces of lead, metal or bone designed to remove flesh. After the scourging, the soldiers had a bit of sadistic fun with the bleeding savior, mocking his claims of Kingship by dressing him up with a scarlet robe, placing a staff in his hand, as if it were a king?s scepter, and cruelly creating a crown from a thorn bush and pressing it into his scalp. They kneeled before Him in sarcasm saying, ?Hail, King of the Jews!? His crown of thorns, the crown that fallen humanity placed on his head was an awful symbol showing man?s complete contempt for all that God loves and values. It was also emblematic of our Saviors love for all of us and our minds which are deceived and pained by so much of this world?s lies.

Perhaps it is also a vicarious witness that he bore the very thorns created by man?s original sin and rebellion in the garden, so that we might one day wear the crown of life and glory. (James 1:12, Rev. 2:10, 1 Peter 5:4) I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. 15Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. "He will rule them with an iron scepter." He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS. Rev.

19:11-16 The Bible mentions a lot regarding the word "crown": Exodus 25:11 - And thou shalt overlay it with pure gold, within and without shalt thou overlay it, and shalt make upon it a crown of gold round about. Philippians 4:1 - Therefore, my brethren dearly beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, [my] dearly beloved. Exodus 37:26 - And he overlaid it with pure gold, [both] the top of it, and the sides thereof round about, and the horns of it: also he made unto it a crown of gold round about. Genesis 49:26 - The blessings of thy father have prevailed above the blessings of my progenitors unto the utmost bound of the everlasting hills: they shall be on the head of Joseph, and on the crown of the head of him that was separate from his brethren.

Esther 6:8 - Let the royal apparel be brought which the king [useth] to wear, and the horse that the king rideth upon, and the crown royal which is set upon his head: Psalms 89:39 - Thou hast made void the covenant of thy servant: thou hast profaned his crown [by casting it] to the ground. Revelation 2:10 - Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast [some] of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. 2 Samuel 12:30 - And he took their king's crown from off his head, the weight whereof [was] a talent of gold with the precious stones: and it was [set] on David's head. And he brought forth the spoil of the city in great abundance.

1 Chronicles 20:2 - And David took the crown of their king from off his head, and found it to weigh a talent of gold, and [there were] precious stones in it; and it was set upon David's head: and he brought also exceeding much spoil out of the city. Jeremiah 48:45 - They that fled stood under the shadow of Heshbon because of the force: but a fire shall come forth out of Heshbon, and a flame from the midst of Sihon, and shall devour the corner of Moab, and the crown of the head of the tumultuous ones. Esther 8:15 - And Mordecai went out from the presence of the king in royal apparel of blue and white, and with a great crown of gold, and with a garment of fine linen and purple: and the city of Shushan rejoiced and was glad. Leviticus 21:12 - Neither shall he go out of the sanctuary, nor profane the sanctuary of his God; for the crown of the anointing oil of his God [is] upon him: I [am] the LORD.

Proverbs 17:6 - Children's children [are] the crown of old men; and the glory of children [are] their fathers. Exodus 37:27 - And he made two rings of gold for it under the crown thereof, by the two corners of it, upon the two sides thereof, to be places for the staves to bear it withal. 2 Kings 11:12 - And he brought forth the king's son, and put the crown upon him, and [gave him] the testimony; and they made him king, and anointed him; and they clapped their hands, and said, God save the king. 2 Chronicles 23:11 - Then they brought out the king's son, and put upon him the crown, and [gave him] the testimony, and made him king. And Jehoiada and his sons anointed him, and said, God save the king. Exodus 29:6 - And thou shalt put the mitre upon his head, and put the holy crown upon the mitre.

Leviticus 8:9 - And he put the mitre upon his head; also upon the mitre, [even] upon his forefront, did he put the golden plate, the holy crown; as the LORD commanded Moses. Isaiah 3:17 - Therefore the Lord will smite with a scab the crown of the head of the daughters of Zion, and the LORD will discover their secret parts. Revelation 14:14 - And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud [one] sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle. Psalms 21:3 - For thou preventest him with the blessings of goodness: thou settest a crown of pure gold on his head. Isaiah 62:3 - Thou shalt also be a crown of glory in the hand of the LORD, and a royal diadem in the hand of thy God. Ezekiel 16:12 - And I put a jewel on thy forehead, and earrings in thine ears, and a beautiful crown upon thine head.

Reconstructions & Sketches of the Ancient World New Illustrated Bible History A growing database of images and sketches of the ancient world. Paintings and Sketches by Bjanikka Ben, Galina Nelson, Maliyah Weston and more Ancient Customs crucifixion - Why did Jesus wear the crown of thorns? - Christianity Stack Exchange Why did Jesus wear the crown of thorns? up vote 26 down vote favorite 2 Right before his crucifixion, Jesus was made to carry his cross and to wear a crown of thorns. Why was he made to wear the crown of thorns? As Ray asserted, the crown was mockingly placed on Him because Jesus was charged with the crime of being "the King of the Jews", while the Jews already had a king, at least according to the Romans. There is, however, an important symbolism that is also present in this. In Genesis 3, thorns and thistles are part of the curse of the first sin.

And to Adam he said, “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you, ‘You shall not eat of it,’ cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life; 18 thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you; and you shall eat the plants of the field. The prophet Isaiah specifically predicted that God would lay upon the Messiah the sin of the world. Isaiah 53:6 says, "We all, like sheep, have gone astray. Each of us has turned to his own way, and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all." Thus, as the soldier placed a crown of thorns on the head of Jesus, this actually symbolized the spiritual reality that God was placing upon Jesus the curse of sin. 7 I think this is a good case of the literal (to mock him as "king" and bring him pain) and symbolic (thorns are a metaphor for sin) both being correct and valid answers! – mxyzplk Aug 31 '11 at 21:26 At first i was like "What?

Why am i reading where thorns came from?". Then i read the punchline. +1 – DForck42 Aug 31 '11 at 21:27 up vote 2 down vote I recently heard a remarkable interpretation of the symbolic significance. The crown of thorns needs to be viewed in a Roman military context: from Wikipedia : The grass crown (Latin: corona obsidionalis or corona graminea), was the highest and rarest of all military decorations. It was presented only to a general or commander who broke the blockade of a beleaguered Roman Army. It's important to note that "it was presented to the general by the army he had saved". Since the Roman company of soldiers mockingly presented this to Jesus, they unknowingly declared that he has saved them. Pliny wrote about the grass crown: (…), but as for the crown of grass, it was never conferred except at a crisis of extreme desperation, never voted except by the acclamation of the whole army, and never to any one but to him who had been its preserver. Other crowns were awarded by the generals to the soldiers, this alone by the soldiers, and to the general.

This crown is known also as the “obsidional” crown, from the circumstance of a beleaguered army being delivered, and so preserved from fearful disaster. If we are to regard as a glorious and a hallowed reward the civic crown, presented for preserving the life of a single citizen, and him, perhaps, of the very humblest rank, what, pray, ought to be thought of a whole army being saved, and indebted for its preservation to the valour of a single individual? The crown of thorns can be viewed as a grass crown in that: (a) the whole company presented it to Jesus, same as the whole army presenting a grass crown, and (b) it's the only award that can be given by the soldiers to the commander. up vote 0 down vote Important to note is the fact that when the Angel of the Lord(possibly Jesus Himself)and supplied a ram that was stuck in a thorn bush is reminder not only of the everlasting covenant given to Abraham but was through this lineage that Jesus was born. Take note,as Isaac was a type of Jesus being Abraham's only son,he also like Jesus CARRIED THE WOOD.Jesus carried the cross.

So in essence the crown was the reminder of Him being that ULTIMATE SACRIFICIAL LAMB that Abraham sacrificed to God. Abraham at this time or after his offering to God had the vision as stated in Galations 3:8 that he was the first to receive the gospel. Wow! God is so clever. Bless you all as you gain momentum in a real hot pursuit after God's heart. Crown of Thorns Information CROWN OF THORNS Because of all the requests I receive from web surfers for a realistic crown of thorn -- I have RELUCTANTLY added them to my line. Please carefully consider the following information before ordering. Of all the realistic reproductions I offer - this crown of thorns reproduction is the only one I cannot give you many historical facts about. In all of my research for what kind of thorns the Romans made "The King of the Jews" a crown with, NO ONE can be 100% certain what kind of thorns the Romans used.

What I am certian of (this comes from the Catholic monks who have lived in the Jerusalem area since the time of the crusades) the ONLY TYPE OF THORN BUSH/SMALL TREE NATIVE TO THE JERUSALEM AREA is a locust tree. Unlike most thorn trees or bushes, this thorn bush/small locust tree has a distinct double thorn pattern (the locust tree's seeds are where carob comes from - probably what John the Baptist was eating as well as locust insects). Each thorn is approximately ½ -1 inch long. The thorns are extremely sharp. SO MUCH FOR ALL THE PICTURES CROWNS OF THORNS WE HAVE ALL SEEN WITH LONG 2-3 INCH THORNS!!! Do you think the monks are lying? I don't. All though some researchers are very confident that this double thorn bush is surely the type the Romans used to make Jesus Christ's crown of thorns - others are not so certain. Consider these other factors. It is EXTREMELY unlikely that any thorn bushes were growing inside the city of Jerusalem itself. They would have been chopped down and used for firewood for hundreds of years.

It is also very unlikely that a Roman soldier would leave the military courtyard (on the spur of the moment) in the middle of scourging, mocking, spitting on, and torturing Jesus of Nazareth. He would have to run at least ½ mile to get outside the city walls in order to find some thorns to make a special crown for the man who calls himself "The King of the Jews". The probability of that happening is very remote, especially when the Romans soldiers had rose bushes full of thorns branches growing right there in Pilate's beautiful courtyards. The Romans were very big into flowery courtyards where roses were in fact one of their favorite flowers. If you have ever trimmed rose bushes you know how their thorns have a tendency to grab and hold whatever bit of skin they snag. Would it not be ironic that the one who is referred to in scripture as "the rose of Sharon" might have been tortured by the very thorns from the kind of flower mankind has continually used to say I love you with? I will be happy to use rose bush thorns in your crown if you prefer them. Better yet, why not save yourself some money and make yourself one from some rose bushes near you?

BE SURE TO USE LEATHER GLOVES! In case you have not noticed, I would rather give you the facts and let you make up your own mind than try to mislead you just so I can make another sale. In case you did know it -- Jesus Christ took a very dim view to those who used deception to profit financially. Another fact that must be considered when wondering what kind of thorns branches were the ones used in Jesus Christ' crown of thorns -- they MUST be freshly cut. All dried branches (the kind collected for making everyday cooking fires) break apart when bent into a head size circle. Try making a crown of thorns yourself sometime and you will quickly understand. I had to learn these things the hard way. (with lots of trial, error, cuts and scrapes) Be careful when letting others feel the thorns. As the weeks, months and years go by and this crown is thoroughly dried, the thorns break off quite easily if pressed sideways very hard. Whatever type of thorn it was, I trust that this crown of thorns will help you get a better idea of what it might have felt like to wear one. The cost is $25 plus $10 packing and shipping.

jesus - What was the actual thorn plant that was used in Christ's crown of thorns? John 19:2 - Biblical Hermeneutics Stack Exchange What was the actual thorn plant that was used in Christ's crown of thorns? John 19:2 We do not really know but bramble is a common thorn in Palestine: From The Plants of the Bible there are a few other options to choose from as well: THE Hebrew words atad, koz, chedek, choach, naazuz, shait, shamir, sillon, sirim, sirpad, zinnim, and eight others, have been translated variously “thorns,” “briers,” and “brambles” in the Old Testament; and the word akantha is the “thorn” of the New Testament. It is impossible to say whether or not a particular species of plant was intended by each of these terms. Most of them apply generally to thorny plants, of which there are many in Palestine at the present day.

Commentators mention among the thorny plants of the Holy Land species of Zizyphus, such as Zizyphus spina-Christi, also Paliurus aculeatus, Acanthus spinosus, Ononis spinosa, Solanum spinosum, Tribulus terrestris, Lycium europæum, and species of Rhamnus, Centaurea, and Astragalus. Since man’s fall, thorns of all kinds have come up on the ground, which was cursed (Gen. 3:18); and God in chastening Israel often refers to the curse of thorns. Thus Isaiah says, “Upon the land of my people shall come up thorns and briers” (32:13); and Hosea prophesies that “the thorn and the thistle shall come up on their altars” (10:8). The common bramble occurs in many parts of Palestine. (Balfour, J. H. (1885). The Plants of the Bible (p. 128). London; Edinburgh; New York: T.

Nelson and Sons.) up vote 2 down vote The thorn plant that was used to make the "crown of thorns" which was placed upon the head of Jesus, is believed to be a plant called Euphorbia milii. I actually have a cutting of this plant which is in a pot (and growing). It is about 50mm in height, has yellow flowers and the thorns are already appearing up the whole stem, and measure about 5mm. They are also very pointed and sharp.The plant is a climbing variety and will grow to a height of 1.8 metre. At this height,one can assume that the thorns must be at least 30mm long and "very sharp." Below is information I retrieved from silive.com : Euphorbia milii, commonly known as Crown of Thorns, is a member of the Euphorbia, or Spurge family, which includes the poinsettia and castor bean plants. Grown as a garden plant in warmer climates, in our area it is strictly a houseplant. What we think of as flowers on Crown of Thorns plants actually are bracts, brightly colored modified leaves found beneath the small, inconspicuous flowers.

Most of these succulents have red bracts, but many varieties can be found in all the warm colors, including pink, coral and yellow. The word “Spurge” comes from purge or expurgate, which refers to the fact that it is poisonous if the sticky white sap, or latex, is taken internally in large amounts. Since some people are susceptible to this latex and may develop a rash similar to that caused by poison ivy, it’s advisable to wear disposable gloves when handling the plant. The sap, as well as its sharp thorns, protects the Crown of Thorns from animals that otherwise would devour the plant entirely. The plant’s name alludes to the legend that at His crucifixion, a wreath or crown made from stems of this plant was placed on the head of Christ. As they are pliable, the stems conceivably could be intertwined and shaped into a circle. Native to Madagascar, Euphorbia milii (formerly named Euphorbia splendens) was brought to the Middle East before the time of Christ, so it is quite possible the legend could be true. (bold added) Here is a picture of the plant.

up vote 1 down vote A shrub or evergreen tree has much better properties for producing wreaths and crowns. The most common varieties used were bay Laurel (Laurus nobilis) for making wreaths, the unrelated cherry or common Laurel (Prunus laurocerasus), and also the Mouse Thorn (Ruscus hypoglossum). Bay Laurel wreaths were often worn in Ancient Rome and also very popular in Ancient Greece. Bay Laurel leaves may stimulate the mind and memory. It is said that leaves were sometimes plucked from a bay laurel (Laurus nobilis) wreath and chewed by senators to reinvigorate their faculties during long debates. During the ancient Olympics laurel wreaths were presented to winners of athletic competitions. The cherry laurel was used by Emperor Nero to poison the wells of his enemies as it contains hydrocyanic acid. Caesar had a Mouse Thorn wreath or Ruscus hypoglossum, hypo meaning under and glossus tongue. Christ's Thorn Jujube (Ziziphus spina-christi) was made into crowns and sold to pilgrims visiting Jerusalem.

There are quite a few shrubs and climbers with common names relating to Crown of Thorns or Thorns of Jesus. Crown of Thorns (Euphorbia milii) is a good candidate. Branches cut from shrubs are easier to weave together as they are flexible and strong. Brambles and briers will crease much easier when bent, lacking the stronger wooden core belonging to shrubs and trees. There are canes that have better properties, though the Crown of Thorns is often pictured with longer pronounced thorns similar to those of a shrub or tree, assuming the depictions still remain accurate. Was Jesus' cross made out of dogwood? What is the legend of the dogwood tree? Was Jesus' cross made out of dogwood? What is the legend of the dogwood tree? The legend of the dogwood tree comes from a poem, author unknown, about the relationship between the tree and the cross on which Jesus was crucified: In Jesus' time, the dogwood grew To a stately size and a lovely hue. 'Twas strong and firm, its branches interwoven. For the cross of Christ its timbers were chosen.

Seeing the distress at this use of their wood Christ made a promise which still holds good: "Never again shall the dogwood grow Large enough to be used so. Slender and twisted, it shall be With blossoms like the cross for all to see. As blood stains the petals marked in brown, The blossom's center wears a thorny crown. All who see it will remember Me Crucified on a cross from the dogwood tree. Cherished and protected, this tree shall be A reminder to all of My agony." The dogwood is a genus of between thirty and sixty plants including shrubs, evergreens, and flowering trees. Dogwoods are most common in China, Japan, and the US, but can also be found in Eurasia, although not naturally. The wood is very hard, but, as the poem suggests, trees large enough to provide lumber for a cross are rare. The Bible does not say what kind of wood was used for the cross. In fact, the word "cross" comes from a generic Latin term meaning a piece of wood used as a tool of execution. It's unlikely the cross was actually made from a dogwood tree, but we don't really know.

Related Truth: What is the symbolism behind the Crown of Thorns in the Passion of Christ Good Friday - The Crucifixion of Jesus Christ View the largest collection of Good Friday Videos , Good Friday PowerPoint Sermon Templates , Good Friday Bulletin Covers , Good Friday Flyers and Cross Clipart . "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!'" (Matthew 27:27-29) Like a lamb to the slaughter, Jesus was led into the arena that he had been preparing himself for his entire life. It was him against the raging mob of Jerusalem, and there was no contest. He knew why he was there, and he knew the glory that awaited him when his work was finished. But the pain that he suffered was very real. The accusations were bitter, the hatred cutting down to his soul with every fierce blow. Jesus endured hours of torture, Roman style.

Flogged by the cat of nine tails, blindfolded and beaten, spit on, struck in the face, lacerated on nearly every part of his body. The prophet Isaiah spoke well when he declared that "his face was so disfigured he seemed hardly human, and from his appearance, one would scarcely know he was a man." (52:14 NLT) Then, as a last act of humiliation against Jesus, the Roman officers twisted a crown of thorns and placed it on his head. Taking up the reed they had given him as a mock scepter, they repeatedly struck him in the head with it. Then they bowed in mockery to the King of the Jews, and led him away to be crucified. The crown they had placed on his head was not just a twisted garland of prickly barbs, like that of a blackberry bush. Rather, it was a brutal instrument that caused much anguish. The crown is said to be made from the branches of a Jujube tree, a deciduous tree found near Jerusalem, with thorns measuring an inch long or more. And with each blow to the head, the reed repeatedly drove the thorns into his flesh with excruciating pain.

Thorns were a product of the fall of man, a consequence of the entrance of sin into the world. As a result of the pain caused by the crown of thorns, God cursed the ground, declaring that it would forever produce thorns and thistles.(Genesis 3:18) The crown of thorns represented that part of the curse that Jesus took upon himself in his crucifixion. There truly was no part of humanity and its ruin that he did not experience. And yet, though Jesus suffered for a time beneath the curse, his death and resurrection paved the way for those that believe on him to be set free from the power of sin. At his ascension, Jesus took his rightful place, seated at the right hand of God. The Roman soldiers may have inaugurated him in mockery, but Jesus truly was a King. Those wanting to be a part of his Kingdom must be joined with the crucified Christ, even in his suffering. He will one day return as King of kings and Lord of lords. But he will not be wearing a crown of thorns. Rather, Jesus will be crowned with glory and honor, gathering to himself those who suffered with him, and offering each a crown of life.

Our Product Ambassadors are ready to introduce you to our full product offering 888-317-4018 THE MYSTERIES OF THE CROWN OF THORNS The Mystery of the Crown of Thorns by a Passionist Father Published by Preserving Christian Publications, Inc. "In that day the Lord of hosts shall be a crown of glory and a garland of joy to the residue of His people." (Is. 28:5) In two different ways, namely, in a merely human, or in a truly Christian point of view, can we consider the sufferings and humiliations of Jesus, our Lord. If we look at them, with a merely human eye like the carnal Jews, and the proud Pagans, we shall like them, incur the danger of being scandalized at their apparent foolishness. The excess of the sufferings of our dear Redeemer, the depth of His humiliations, His apparent complete helplessness, have often been a stumbling block of scandal to proud men. Hence St. Paul could say: "We preached Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block, and to the Gentiles foolishness." (1 Cor.

1:23) If, however, with the enlightened eye of Christian faith we try to penetrate into the deep mysteries of our Savior's Passion, we shall discover the wonders of God's power, and the merciful designs of His Divine wisdom. "To them that are called, that is, to sincere and reflecting Christians, Christ is the power of God, and the wisdom of God." (1 Cor. 1:24) In the light of Christian faith we will therefore consider the mysteries of the Crown of Thorns. In the present chapter we shall have an opportunity of admiring the designs of the wisdom and mercy of our Divine Lord. We shall soon be able to discover important meanings, and learn practical lessons from the thorns, reed, and mockeries used by His cruel and malicious enemies against our Savior. FIRST SECTION THE CROWN OF THORNS The thorns, with which the adorable head of our Lord was crowned, were not planted upon earth by the paternal hand of God, but they were maliciously sowed by a treacherous enemy. From the Gospel we learn that this enemy was the Devil, and the sin of our first parents, Adam and Eve was the noxious seed. The curse of God made them grow long and sharp.

These thorns and thistles were more intended to prick the sinner's conscience than the callous hand of the industrious laborer. This is the wise reflection of St. John Chrysostom: "when God said to our fallen parents: Cursed is the earth in thy work; thorns and thistles shall it bring forth to thee." He intended to signify: thy conscience O sinner, shall never cease producing thorns and stings which will prick thy guilty soul. (St. John Chrys. in Mark 10:19) The thorns of this accursed earth are therefore the figures of our sins. They are the brand of God's malediction impressed on the forehead of sinners. Even the learned Protestant Grotius discovered this truth and said: "The curse of sin was the origin of thorns." "Maledictio in spinis Coepit." (Grot. comm.

in Mark 15:17) Now our Lord Jesus Christ, being the second Person of the most adorable Trinity, essential holiness in human flesh, Verbum Caro factum and the most cherished object of the eternal predilection of His heavenly Father, could never be defiled by the least shadow of sin and consequently He never could be subject to the malediction of God. In His infinite mercy He could however consent to experience the temporary effects of both. Jesus could assume and wear for our sake the infamous badge of sin. He could in mercy for us taste and drink the loathsome bitterness of the cup filled up to the brim with the gall and vinegar of God's malediction. Our Divine Redeemer did in fact consent to wear during His whole mortal life, the sinner's garb and He daily drank in large doses the disgusting potion squeezed from the corrupted hearts of sinful men as from sour grapes by the weight of God's anathema. But because the large and deep vessel containing the poison of sin was not exhausted, being daily and hourly replenished by new crimes; so our dear Lord was obliged to make a most painful effort in order to drain it all at once and completely during His bitter Passion.

This heroic act was accomplished in the garden of Gethsemani wherein He was so copiously drenched with the large chalice of sin that He was cast into a deadly swoon and His life's Blood was forced out from every pore of His agonizing Body. Now we should attentively observe that the same plan was followed by our merciful Redeemer in wearing the filthy badge of sin. Having once assumed it in His incarnation with our human nature, He had to wear it continually during His whole mortal life. At the time, however, of His Passion our Lord had to be publicly and solemnly installed as the King of Sinners and Sorrows. Oh! the grand and sublime mystery of the Crown of Thorns. It was then in the city of Jerusalem, the capital of Judea, it was in the hall of Pilate, the Roman Governor, that our Divine Lord chose to be crowned with thorns and to assume the full uniform of sinner and the infamous wreath of sin. It was on this memorable occasion that the great and eternal Son of God the Incarnate Word was installed as the King of Sinners and consequently as the man deepest in infamy and greatest in sorrow: "Despised and the most abject of men!

..." Our sins are Jesus' Crown of Thorns. "Corona ex spinis peccata sunt... (Theopil. in Matt. 27) Thorns being the offshoot and the stigma of God's malediction against sin, hence, by consenting to be crowned with thorns, our merciful Lord voluntarily became the responsible head and the willing victim of God's anathema directed and intended for sinners only. It is thus according to St. Paul that "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us." (Gal. 3:13) Hence, by wearing the Crown of Thorns, our most holy Redeemer received upon His adorable head the curse pronounced by the irritated justice of God against our sinful race, and through this act of mercy He shielded us from its terrible blow. "In corona spinea maledictum solvit antiquum," says Origen. Our merciful Savior effected still more in our behalf. Thorns and thistles, as we have remarked, are the principal offshoot of God's curse against sin. Now by consenting to take these sharp thorns upon His adorable head, He removed this malediction and changed it into a blessing for mankind.

In this way our Lord Jesus Christ diminished the quantity and the intensity of our temporal sufferings; and through His blessing, grace and example, He rendered all our labors and toils meritorous of eternal reward. Children of sinful parents, conceived and born in sin, we have indeed much to suffer yet; but had not our blessed Lord come to our relief our temporal sufferings should have been by far more numerous in quantity and more intense in quality as daily experience testifies among Infidel and Pagan nations. Moreover we should have been condemned to pass from temporal to eternal misery. Through His merciful Crown of Thorns our Savior has removed from mankind the brand of everlasting infamy and has secured for His faithful servants the diadem of heavenly glory. "In that day, the prophet Isaias says, the Lord of Hosts shall be a crown of glory, and a garland of joy to the residue of His people." (Is. 28:5) Hence St. Jerome could with reason say that: Through the merit of the thorny crown of Jesus' head we have acquired a right to the diadem of the heavenly kingdom. "Corona spinea capitis ejus diadema regni adepti sumus." (In Marc.

15) In all our sufferings then let us look up to the King of Sorrows crowned with thorns. This should be done more especially when by irksome neuralgia, and severe headaches, we are invited to bear a share of the thorny crown of our Divine Master. St. Bernard justly remarks that: "Christians should be ashamed to be too delicate members of a Divine head crowned with thorns." We should however acknowledge that persons afflicted with these sufferings deserve more charitable compassion than they do generally receive. These afflictions being internal and invisible do not excite to commiseration those especially who had never experienced their painful and saddening effects. We should also reflect that headaches are often caused by an overflow of blood to the head which produces a flush on the face and this is mistaken by many superficial observers for a sign of vigorous health. Hence compliments are offered which to the ears of the sufferer sound like irony. Moreover these painful attacks of the head are naturally the cause of mistakes and of awkward failures, which bring upon their victim ridicule and undeserved humiliations.

The best and perhaps the only comfort and consolation on these mortifying occasions, will be a devout glance at Jesus crowned with thorns and mocked in the hall of Pilate. He is fully aware of our sufferings and trials. He suffered more than we do both in physical pain and in humiliations. Our Lord can compassionate our misery and will abundantly reward our humility, meekness and patience. In the lives of the Fathers of the Desert, we read that St. Pacomius towards the end of his life, while suffering intense pain in his head and oppressed with interior anguish of mind, had recourse to prayer to obtain some relief and consolation from God. On this occasion our Lord appeared to him accompanied by many holy Angels and wearing a Crown of Thorns but at the same time shining with dazzling glory. Surprised at the heavenly vision the suffering servant of God prostrated himself with his face to the ground when one of the Angels very affectionately raised him up and informed him that Jesus Christ had come to console him in his affliction.

Our Lord then spoke to Pacomius words of heavenly comfort encouraging him to bear his trials and sufferings with resignation, assuring him that they were intended for the purification of his soul, and for a great increase of merit which was soon to be crowned with corresponding glory and bliss for all eternity in Heaven. SECOND SECTION THE SCARLET CLOAK "They put a scarlet cloak about him." (Mt. 27:28) We will now proceed to examine for a short time the meaning of the scarlet cloak which the malicious enemies of our Lord, Jesus Christ threw in derision over His bruised and bleeding shoulders. In order to understand the mysterious significance of this extraordinary event, we should reflect that our first parents in the terrestial paradise had no need of any material dress so long as they were clad and adorned with the beautiful robe of original grace and innocence. The same should have been the happy condition of their posterity, had they persevered in their state of holiness. Innocent childhood alone partially enjoys this privilege now, and this only for a very short space of time. But the prevarication of Adam and Eve caused the rebellion of the flesh against the spirit and produced a general feeling of shame.

All this combined with their expulsion from the Garden of Eden, and their perpetual exile to this cold region of the earth, imposed upon mankind the necessity of external dress. Dress then should be considered both the badge and the punishment of sinners. Here we may begin to understand the profound meaning of the scarlet cloak thrown over the shoulders of our Divine Savior. Being essential holiness He could not assume the guilt, nor, strictly speaking feel the remorse of sin. But in His infinite mercy He could assume its appearance, and experience its temporal effects. Hence our Lord was first stripped of that sacred garment which He had received from the immaculate hands of His most holy Mother. Thus He was in appearance deprived of the essential attribute of His inseparable holiness. Then a soiled and worn out red cloak of a Pagan soldier was temporarily cast over His sacred shoulders. This cruel and humiliating insult was permitted by Divine Wisdom to enable us to understand that our merciful Savior wished, through this action, to signify that He consented to assume the filthy dress of sin, deeply dyed in the blood and crimes of mankind during the long period of four thousand years.

This is the admirable expression of the great Origen who said: "Suscipiens Dominus clamydem coccineam in se, sanguinem mundi, idest peccata suscepit." (Homil. 35 in Matt. 27:29) In assuming and wearing before Heaven and earth the degrading livery of sin, our dear Lord had also to bear the burning shame and confusion due to all sinners. He had moreover to endure a special mortification, and to feel a deep blush at the conduct of those worldly persons that boldly carry vice in triumph in the extravagance of public luxury in dress, in the ridiculous whims of modern fashions, and in the scandalous immodesty of unblushing vanity. Oh! If Christian men, and more especially if Christian women were able to reflect occasionally on the deep shame and confusion their criminal vanity and extravagance in dress caused our suffering Savior: they should remember that at the Baptismal font they were solemnly pledged to renounce worldly pomps and empty vanities and bound to appear in public, as St.

Paul directs, "in decent apparel, adorning themselves with modesty and sobriety, and not with plaited hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array." (1 Tim. 2:9) But alas! That modishness has affected the brain, and corrupted the heart of modern society, which disdains to listen to the voice of truth ... Some courage and firmness of determination is certainly necessary to withstand the frothy, sweeping current of modern fashion, which carries away headlong so many thoughtless victims to the abyss of temporal ruin and eternal misery. But let more serious Christians reflect that our Lord Jesus Christ, by the shame and ignominy which He underwent in Pilate's hall, has sanctified modesty and has acquired for Christian society the necessary grace and strength for resisting the seductions of worldly vanity. By bearing the humiliation and the blushing shame of the old scarlet cloak, our blessed Savior has hallowed evangelical poverty, simplicity, humility and modesty in dress. This is one of the principal reasons why the poor, humble and modest habit of religious persons is generally honored and respected not only among real Christians but also by Pagans and by savages as daily experience teaches.

Let us conclude with the opportune words addressed by the Prince of the Apostles to all Christian women. "Considering your chaste conversation with fear: whose adorning let it not be in the outward plaiting of the hair, or the wearing of gold, or the putting on of apparel; but in the hidden man of the heart,. in the incorruptibility of a quiet and meek spirit, which is rich in the sight of God." (1 Pet. 3:2) The Fathers of the Church in their enlightened zeal frequently inculcated these salutary lessons with such warmth of eloquent power, that made a deep and lasting impression on the minds of their Christian auditors. The effects of their sermons were evident on the modesty of Christian society. All our female Saints and great servants of God, have been remarkable for their strict modesty and evangelical simplicity in dress. The bright example of the holy Empress, St. Pulcheria, the daughter, sister and wife of an emperor, that of St. Elizabeth, Queen of Portugal, of St. Margaret, Queen of Scotland, of St. Elizabeth of Hungary, of St. Bridget, Duchess of Sweden, of St.

Frances of Rome, in short of all Christian female Saints should convince us that modesty in dress is the most valuable ornament of a Christian lady. "Favor is deceitful," the Holy Ghost says, "and beauty is vain: The woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised. Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her works praise her in the gates." (Prov. 31:30) May all men of the present frivolous age understand and appreciate the worth and beauty of Christian modesty. It will adorn them in life, it will comfort them in death, and finally it will clothe them with a mantle of glory during an ever blessed eternity, "when the Lord will reform the body of our lowliness, and make it like the body of His glory, " as St. Paul teaches. (Philip. 3:21) THIRD SECTION THE REED IN THE HAND OF JESUS "They put a reed in his right hand." (Mt.

27:29) As the scarlet cloak was the figure of our sinfulness, as the thorns were the sign of our barrenness and sterility; so the reed is a striking emblem of human frailty, emptiness and inconstancy. A reed is an empty, hollow, frail, light and inconstant plant. It has no solidity. It is moved about in every direction by the least breath of wind. This despicable plant was never more honored than when it was in derision put in the Divine hand of our Lord. What an admirable figure is this of our fallen human nature! What can be more hollow and empty than the reed of a poor sinful man? Sin strips him of every supernatural grace, virtue and merit. Like the merchant of Jericho, he is robbed of all his wealth and he is left prostrate upon the ground wounded and bleeding to death. Like the eminent man of the Apocalypse who in his greedy and ridiculous vanity flatters himself that he is rich, wealthy and wants nothing, sin has made him "wretched and miserable, poor, blind and naked." (Apoc. 3:17) Then what is more weak and frail than a sinner?

Stripped of the supernatural strength of grace, left to his own innate weakness, urged by temptation, impelled by his own evil passions, he totters and falls at every step. Like a frail reed he bends to every whim of fancy and to the slightest whisper of seduction. Such is the reed of fallen human nature left to itself. But since our Blessed Lord took this reed in His hand it has been completely changed; its hollowness has been filled with the solidity of His grace and love. In the hand of our Savior we become firmer and stronger than the cedars of Lebanon. Through faith and confidence in Him we can resist the most violent temptations of Hell and the fiercest storms of human persecutions. By assuming our frail nature the Son of God has endowed us with the power and strength of His Divine Omnipotence, and we like St. Paul "can do everything in the power of Him Who strengtheneth." (Phil. 4: 13) St.

Ambrose says: "Our Lord has taken the reed of our humanity in His hand in order to hinder the frailty of our fallen nature from being tossed by every wind of false doctrine and to render it firm and steady by the truth of faith and solid by the fullness of virtuous works." (S. Ambrose. com. in. S. Matt. chap. 27) So long then as we remain in the hand of Jesus we are invincible. He changes us from frail and empty reeds into golden scepters of His power. With these scepters, if we remain faithful, He will make us kings of his heavenly kingdom as Origen says: "Pro calamo illo priori, dedit nobis sceptrum Regni caelestis." (Orig. Homil. 35 in Matt.) FOURTH SECTION JESUS IS MOCKED AND OUTRAGED The insults and mockeries of the Crown of Thorns remain to be considered. St. Matthew says: "And bowing the knee before Him, they mocked Him saying: Hail King of the Jews. And spitting upon Him, they took the reed and struck His head." (Mt. 27:30).

From these words we learn that our Divine Lord received on this memorable occasion four different marks of contempt. First. These impious men bowed the knee in derision before Him. Second. They saluted Him in mockery, King of the Jews. Third. They struck His thorn-crowned head with a reed. Fourth. They spat upon His face. These are the four kinds of insults that the majesty of God daily receives from men and which our suffering Savior on this occasion undertook to expiate. 1. The first insult is offered to God by Pagans in their idolatrous worship, when they bow their knees to abominable idols. Reason alone is capable of seeing, and able to demonstrate that there can be but one God, self-existent, eternal in duration, infinite in His perfections, immense in His nature, Creator of the world, supreme Lord and absolute master of all creatures. For this one and only God, Pagans have substituted an endless variety of dumb and material idols which they have shaped with their own hands according to the suggestion of their whims and fancies. Before them they bow their knee, these they worship, to them they offer incense and immolate their victims.

It is evident that by so doing, Pagans discard the true living God, and they insult His Divine majesty by every act of their idolatrous worship. It is no less evident that some condign expiation is demanded by the offended majesty of God. A Divine victim only can duly expiate outrages offered directly to God, in His highest attribute of supreme Lord of Creation. Behold then what our most holy Savior is doing now in Pilate's hall. Reflect that Pilate is a Pagan, his soldiers are Pagans, like himself. This hall is turned by these men into a temporary temple. The hard and cold stone, upon which our Lord is seated, serves as His altar. Victims of sacrifice are by Pagan hands garlanded with roses about their heads. Jesus is, by them crowned with thorns. They bow down their knee before Him in mock worship. That this act was intended by the Pagan soldiers as derisive and ironical worship towards our Lord, we learn from St. Mark who expressly says: "that bowing their knees, they worshipped Him. " (Mk.

15:19) Jesus being the Person of the Incarnate Word of God by Whom all things were made, truly deserves Divine worship. But by receiving impious mockeries and sacrilegious insults, instead of adoration, He fully expiates before His eternal Father for all the impieties of Paganism, abolishes more effectively Pagan idolatry, and through His profound humiliations, merits for all idolaters the light of faith and the grace of conversion to Christianity. 2. The second insult offered to our Savior was to salute Him in derision King of the Jews. Jesus was by every right and title the true King of the Jews. He was their supreme Lord in His Divine nature. He was their King by Divine appointment because God bestowed the kingdom of Judea on the descendants of David, and our Lord in His human nature belongs to the family of David. Moreover the Angel said to Mary His Mother: "The Lord, God shall give unto Him the throne of David, His father, and He shall reign in the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there shall be no end." (Lk. 1:32) But the Jews have repudiated Him.

They have just protested before the Roman Governor, that they have no king but Caesar. (Jn. 19:15) Our blessed Lord heard these words. Now the Pagan soldiers to humble and degrade Him more, and to gratify the Jews who witnessed these outrages with immense satisfaction, ridicule and mock Him by ironically saluting Him, King of the Jews. By rejecting Jesus as their King, the Jews reject Him as their Messias. Because in His person these two titles are inseparable. By rejecting the Son they reject the Father, because the Son and the Father are one. (Jn. 10:30) The Jews have arrived at this depth of impiety by performing their religious acts of worship in the temple, in their synagogues and on every other occasion without any spirit of devotion but by mere routine in a mechanical and material way. As St. Paul says they stuck to the letter, which killeth, and abandoned the true spirit of religious worship which alone can give life to the individual soul and to the entire nation.

In bearing these humiliations and insults, our blessed Lord expiates the irreverences of the Jews in their acts of religion towards God, and for their rejection of Him as their Messias and King. It is through these sufferings and deep humiliations that He confirms to the Jewish nation the privileged honor of the Apostolate; for all the Apostles were selected exclusively from them. He merits and obtains for many thousands of them the grace of conversion to Christianity as the first fruit of His Passion; and towards the end of the world he will see prostrate at His feet like the penitent Magdalene the entire Jewish nation worshiping Him, in spirit and in truth, in deep sorrow and sincere repentance as their true Messias and only King. 3. The third outrage offered to our Lord was the striking of His thorn-crowned head with a reed. This represents the malice of heretical Christians. Heresy is essentially an individual choice in belief. Heresy necessarily rebels at least indirectly against the authority of the Church. Obedience and heresy is a contradiction in terms. No heretic as such has ever been found in practice docile to the decisions of the Church of God.

The authority of the Church has by Jesus Christ been concentrated in the person of Peter when He said to him: Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build My Church. (Mt. 16:18) Feed My lambs, feed My sheep. (Jn. 21) Heresy changes lambs into rams that butt against the Shepherd. All heretics rebel against the Pope and make war against his authority. Hence they strike Jesus on the head. And as we have learned from St. Paul, the head of Christ is God; so our suffering Lord had also to atone for this insult and merit for many deluded heretics the grace of their return to Catholic faith and unity. 4. The last and most shocking insult offered to our Savior crowned with thorns was that of spitting upon His sacred countenance. St. Gregory remarks that we know a person by his face. This vulgar insult comes then from those who know our Lord. These then are bad Catholics. They spit upon His face by their bad example by which they scandalize their fellow-Christians, they dishonor their religion and make the enemies of God blaspheme His holy name.

This terrible insult is in a special manner offered to our Lord by those hypocritical Catholics who practice some external acts of religion through human motives, self-interest and vain-glory. But above all, those truly spit upon our Lord who receive Him, like Judas, sacrilegiously in Holy Communion with mortal sin in their souls. As our most merciful Lord suffered and prayed on the Cross for His executioners, so in the hall of Pilate He prays and atones for these unworthy members of His Church. These are the principal mysteries of the Crown of Thorns. They are mysteries of the wisdom and power of God. We have so far considered the wonders of our Savior's wisdom and mercy in the mystery of His crowning with thorns. In the next chapter we will admire the triumph of His Divine power. What is the meaning and significance of the crown of thorns? What is the meaning and significance of the crown of thorns?

Subscribe to our Question of the Week : Question: "What is the meaning and significance of the crown of thorns?" Answer: After Jesus’ sham trials and subsequent flogging, and before He was crucified, the Roman soldiers “twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on His head. They put a staff in His right hand and knelt in front of Him and mocked Him. ‘Hail, king of the Jews!’ they said” (Matthew 27:29; see also John 19:2-5). While a crown of thorns would be exceedingly painful, the crown of thorns was more about mockery than it was about pain. Here was the “King of the Jews” being beaten, spit upon, and insulted by presumably low-level Roman soldiers. The crown of thorns was the finalizing of their mockery, taking a symbol of royalty and majesty, a crown, and turning it into something painful and degrading. For Christians, the crown of thorns is a reminder of two things: (1) Jesus was, and is, indeed a king.

One day, the entire universe will bow to Jesus as the “King of kings and Lord of lords” (Revelation 19:16). What the Roman soldiers meant as a mockery, was in fact a picture of Christ’s two roles, first of suffering servant (Isaiah 53), and second of conquering Messiah-King (Revelation 19). (2) Jesus was willing to endure the pain, the insults, and the shame, all on our account. The crown of thorns, and the suffering that went with it, are long gone, and Jesus has now received the crown of which He is worthy. “But we see Him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone” (Hebrews 2:9, emphasis added). There is further symbolism embodied in the crown of thorns.

When Adam and Eve sinned, bringing evil and a curse upon the world, part of the curse upon humanity was “…cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life; thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you…” (Genesis 3:17-18, emphasis added). The Roman soldiers unknowingly took an object of the curse and fashioned it into a crown for the one who would deliver us from that curse. “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, ‘Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree’” (Galatians 3:13). Christ, in His perfect atoning sacrifice, has delivered us from the curse of sin, of which a thorn is a symbol. While intended to be a mockery, the crown of thorns was, in fact, an excellent symbol of who Jesus is and what He came to accomplish. What tree was Christ crucified on? - Amazing Bible Timeline with World History Amazing Bible Timeline with World History Easily See 6017 Years of Biblical and World History Together! Menu What tree was Christ crucified on?

A Reader asks: The cross that Jesus was crucified on, was it made from the Dogwood tree? Also, the wreath of thorns that Jesus wore, what was it made from? And could you please direct me as to where it is located if anyplace in the Bible . [This article continues after a message from the authors] These Articles are Written by the Publishers of The Amazing Bible Timeline Quickly See 6000 Years of Bible and World History Together Unique Circular Format – see more in less space. Learn facts that you can’t learn just from reading the Bible Attractive design ideal for your home, office, church … Limited Time Offer! Find out more now! > None of the well-known Bible Dictionaries speculates on the type of wood used for the cross. The Bible does not state what type of wood was used to make the cross. Nor does it state what type of plant was used for the crown of thorns. Smith’s Bible Dictionary has this to say about the crown of thorns: Crown of thorns, Matthew Our Lord was crowned with thorns in mockery by the Roman soldiers. Obviously, with some small flexible thorny shrub, perhaps Capparis spinosa.

“Hasselquist, a Swedish naturalist, supposes a very common plant naba or nubka of the Arabs , with many small and sharp sines; soft, round and pliant branches; leaves much-resembling ivy, of a very deep green, as if in designed mockery of a victor’s wreath.” –Alford. None of the well-known Bible Dictionaries speculates on the type of wood used for the cross. You Will Be Surprised To Learn These 5 Facts From The Bible! Watch This Short Video Now! Take advantage of our Limited Time Offer Amazing Bible Timeline and Free Maps was $29.97 now $19.97 Save Even More Buy one get a second one for just $10 (Free bonuses included)! 1. Order Now! And get Interactive Maps of the Holy Land (a $15.00 value) Free! 2. Second Free Bonus - Digital Amazing Bible Timeline (also a $15.00 value)! 3. Additional Surprise bonuses over the next month. It truly is the gift that keeps on giving.

Question: What was Jesus's crown made of?
Answer: Thorns