The Crown of Thorns
The Hidden Symbolism and Meaning of Jesus' Crown of Thorns
The crown of thorns. I was listening to a live stream this morning that I will sometimes start my day with, and Pastor Chris mentioned the crown of thorns. You know when you have that moment the Holy Spirit nudges your spirit, saying, “THIS! FOCUS ON THIS!” It is those moments when the logos becomes the rhema in our hearts—the written word becomes a living, breathing word to impart life and revelation. At the time I heard this, I was cutting up carrots to put in the dehydrator for my dog’s treats (yes, he is well-cared for, lol). So I made a mental note this is what Holy Spirit was speaking to me today during this Passover week to be able to dig deeper when I got up in my office.
I finished prepping carrots and went into my office. After a time of prayer, I began to dig into the Scriptures about the crown of thorns. Nothing in Jesus’ life or the Word of God is by accident. Every word, every letter, every number, and every action points back to the purposes of God. Hidden in the meaning of the crown of thorns is a beautiful picture of our high priest becoming the sacrifice to make us complete so we can once again walk in dominion over the creation the Father put us in charge of in the Garden.
In Matthew 27, we see Jesus before Pilate. Pilate did not find any wrongdoing by Jesus. Still, in his desire to thwart a riot, he released Jesus to be flogged and crucified. In verses 27-29, we read,
Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole Roman cohort around Him. And they stripped Him, and put a scarlet robe on Him. And after weaving a crown of thorns, they put it on His head, and a reed in His right hand; and they kneeled down before Him and mocked Him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!”
When we look at Greek texts, we can trace the meanings and words back to Hebrew. Hebrew is God’s language that conveys His heart and His intentions. At the Pashat, or surface level, of this passage, the Roman soldiers placed an actual crown woven together out of thorns on Jesus’ head. This would have caused Jesus to bleed and be in pain even before He was flogged and crucified. The mental abuse from the mocking would have also been vexing to His soul. But we know that the Father allowed this to happen to His Son. Was there a deeper meaning to this act of placing a crown of thorns on Jesus’ head?
The word weaving, when traced back to the Hebrew, can mean a turn of affairs. This word sets the stage for what was actually happening. It did not look like it at that moment, but Jesus was actually turning everything around by allowing Himself to be mocked, tormented, and crucified! What had been lost through sin and the fall, a complete turnaround was in the making! This was the way. But why a crown of thorns?
In Greek, crown means a victor’s wreath. That simple definition alone is powerful; Jesus is the victor! In Him, we can also be the victor! However, when we trace this word for crown back into Hebrew, we get a much deeper picture. Four Hebrew words carry shades of meaning that are equivalent to this Greek word. One means the sash of the high priest (H73). Another word means a whole sacrifice that is entirely consumed (H3634). In the roots, it is the Hebrew word kalal. The letters that form the word kalal paint the picture of the open palm (kaf) of the Shepherd (lamed). It was the palms of the Shepherd that were pierced as He became the sacrifice! Another of the four words means to unite and be joined. And the last Hebrew word, equivalent to crown in Greek, means to encircle. Can you see this picture? The crown was symbolic of our high priest, who was also the entire sacrifice needed for us to be joined to the Father once again! It was the open palms of the Shepherd nailed to a cross.
Why thorns? Why did this crown have to be made of thorns? Do you know what happened in Genesis 3:17-18 to the ground because of sin? The ground became cursed, and thorns began to grow on it. Man would now have to work by the sweat of his brow to produce from the land. It was no longer done with ease as it was in Eden before the fall, where Man and Woman had dominion and authority over the earth and creation (Genesis 1:27-30). The Hebrew word for thorns used in Genesis 3:18 is equivalent to the Greek word used in Matthew 27:29. The head can be a picture of power and authority. As the crown of thorns was placed upon Jesus’ head, he died with the curse on his head. He was taking back authority over the curse that Man had lost.
The crown of thorns. It is a picture of our high priest, who also became the entire sacrifice needed to break the curse upon the earth so that God’s sons and daughters could step back into their dominion and authority given to us in Eden. David reminds us of our position before God when he writes,
What is man, that Thou dost take thought of him? And the son of man, that Thou dost care for him? Yet Thou hast made him a little lower than God, And dost crown him with glory and majesty! Thou dost make him to rule over the works of Thy hands; Thou hast put all things under his feet (Psalm 8:4-6).
This Passover, I reflect on the crown of thorns and the curse that has been broken so we can walk in dominion and authority once again. Romans 8:19 tell us the whole earth is groaning for the sons and daughters of God to arise. It is time for God’s sons and daughters to arise at this moment on the earth. It is time to step into what Jesus died for us to have as we reflect, meditate, and give praise for all He did for us and this world during this Passover week.