Day 9 -- The Cross He Bore

Today the physical abuse and scorn increases against Christ with one object that has transcended the last two thousand years.....the crown of thorns.

"Then came Jesus forth, wearing the crown of thorns." ~ John 19.5

By putting this 'crown of thorns' on Christ, it was an aggravated attempt to make Jesus look like a fool. It was an attempt for mockery. It was a complete effort to make the King of Kings look like nothing more than a stupid, crazed lunatic who would be here one day and gone tomorrow. He would become 'non-existent'.

So is there any deeper significance within the meaning of the crown of thorns, other than just an attempt at mockery? Is there a greater purpose that stands behind just a few thorns intertwined together to make Jesus look like a complete idiot?

"If we are to receive the crown of life, Christ must receive the crown of thorns. In the crown of his deity alone, Christ could only say to a dying thief, 'Be thou accursed'; but in the crown of thorns he can say, 'This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise.' In the crown of his deity alone, he can only say to a Magdalene or a publican, 'Depart from me'; but in the crown of thorns he can say, 'Go in peace, your sins are forgiven you.'"

"Behold the man", cried Pilate. To the natural eye all it would see is a bloodied, swollen faced, ripped apart human being, that was deserving of every bit of suffering for his arrogant blasphemies.

But with the eye of faith we:

"can see the wonder of God's grace in such circumstances. And lo, as we look, the shame is gone; it is lifted off Him.....His outflashing glory has scorched away every speck of disgrace, and tipped the crown of thorns with a hundred points of flaming brightness. The brow that once wore the cruel crown of thorns is now adorned with the diadem of the universe, for all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Christ."

With the eye of faith we don't glance and turn away, but we engage in 'beholding this man'! We long to behold the Christ! With every ounce of being within us we anticipate the day when we see our Christ face to face and then fall in worship before Him!

And with the eye and heart of faith we shout just as loud as the prophet John,

"Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!"
~ John 1.29