DEVOTION / Jesus wore a crown of thorns
A rose is a rose
William Shakespeare, in his play Romeo and Juliet, wrote, “A rose by any other name would smell as sweet”.
Horticulturalists estimate there may be as many as 30,000 cultivated rose varieties and 150 wild rose varieties. The rose is certainly a beautiful flower. It is the most purchased flower on Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, and many other occasions. Roses come in a wide variety of colors, shapes, sizes, and fragrances. How ironic it is that one of the world’s most beautiful flowers has thorny stems that can cause pain and infection to anyone who is careless.
Thorns and thistles are mentioned numerous times in the Bible. Sometimes they are called nettles, prickles, brambles, cockles, and briars. They are first mentioned after the fall of Adam and Eve. They came about as a result of their sin. Genesis 3:18 (ESV) says, [The ground] will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field.
Thorns and thistles have been a constant concern for the farmer as they overrun his crops. Some are so prolific that they must be burned up before plowing. As Hebrews 6:8 says, Land that produces thorns and thistles is worthless.
Jesus’ thorns became a crown!
God’s enemies are often compared to thorns. In Judges 2:3 (ESV) God warns his people, Now I say, I will not drive them out before you, but they shall become thorns in your sides, and their gods shall be a snare to you, and 2 Samuel 23:6 says, Evil men are all to be cast aside like thorns.
For God’s people, thorns have taken on a whole new meaning. We are familiar with the thorns that pierced Jesus’ head as he was about to suffer and die for our sins. The soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head (John 19:2). Those thorns soon became Jesus’ crown of glory as he defeated sin and its consequences forever! How thankful we are that the blood that dripped from Christ’s crown of thorns has covered us with his righteousness.
by Reynold R. Kremer