John 19:1-5
From now until Easter we are going to talk about the cross. I’m calling this series of messages “At The Cross.” I would like for us sing that wonderful refrain “At the Cross, at the cross, where I first saw the light. And the burden of my heart rolled away. It was there by faith I received my sight, and now I am happy all the day.”
Sometimes I think it would be an interesting career to be an archeologist. You may notice in the newspaper from time to time, that archeologists are working, digging in the ruins of previous civilizations. They are trying to learn something about the life and the activities of people who lived at a different time.
As civilizations progressed and build one upon another, there are layers of dirt that are placed in a particular area. As you dig down into them you can find different periods of time and by going through these ruins you can find something about that civilization and what life was in those days.
An archeologist is someone who digs in ruins and they find out about past human life and activity. Someone has said that an archeologist is someone whose career lies in ruins. So, they are reaching down all of the time.
Agatha Christie said, “I married an archeologist because the older I grow, the more he appreciates me.”
An archeologist appreciates old things because they learn a great deal of information from the objects they find in those strata of soil.
Well, I have been digging in John 19 which is a beautiful chapter about the cross of the Lord Jesus and what Jesus did for us that day on Calvary when He died on the cross. I’ve been digging around there and I have found some very interesting objects which tell us the purpose and the meaning of the cross of our Lord.
The most sacred spot on the earth is the place where Jesus died on the cross for our sins. At the cross, at the cross, indeed, where I first saw the light and the burden of my heart rolled away.
I want us to look at the first object I find as I dig into John 19. In the opening verses I read about the crown of thorns which Jesus wore as He was crucified on the cross of Calvary.
When you read your Bible you will find along the way that thorns are mentioned. They are mentioned for the first time in Genesis 3 in the Garden of Eden.
There sin entered in and we are told that because of sin there was a curse placed upon the ground and in thorns and thistles we would be able to get a living out of the soil.
As you move through the Bible you will find that thorns and thistles in the Bible are worthless. They are considered no good and are only to be thrown away and discarded.
Sometimes thorns were used as instruments of punishment. Sometimes they were used to inflict pain and judgment on other people. It is a rather interesting thing to notice that when the Lord of Glory, Jesus Christ Himself, died on the cross He was wearing a crown of thorns.
What is it about this crown of thorns that has been such an object of interest to Christian believers through the ages? We have many songs that depict the crown of thorns. I think about that beautiful hymn, “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross.”
There’s a line in there that says, “See from His head, His hands, His feet, sorrow and love
flow mingled down. Did ‘ere such love and sorrow meet, or thorns compose so rich a crown.”
What is the meaning of the cross which is conveyed to us in the crown of thorns which our Savior wore?
We do not know exactly how it came about but it may well be that one of the soldiers in this trial scene of the Lord Jesus went outside the building where they were, grabbed hold of some long, ugly, sharp thorns and quickly plaited those thorns into a
mock crown.
In that judgment hall, the soldier takes that crown of thorns and crushes it upon the brow of the Lord Jesus, puncturing the skin and puddles of blood begin to gather on the brow of our Lord. Blood begins to pour down into His eyes and nose and
mouth, then upon His body.
When I read that and think about it, I think about –
I. The CRUELTY of the Cross
These soldiers were determined to do damage to Jesus. They not only want to insult Him, but they want to injure Him also. They not only want to mock Him, but they intend to maim Him. When I read about that crown of thorns I think about the cruelty of the cross and the injury that Jesus received in and around the cross.
In this opening verse we are told that they took Jesus and they scourged Him. I don’t think any of us have ever seen nor can we imagine just really how awful a scourging in those days could be.
It was not the Jewish scourging of 39 stripes—13 on each shoulder and 13 in the loins. Rather it was what was known as the Roman halfway death.
It was administered by a man w ho was trained to do so—a lictor. He used an instrument called a cat-o-nine- tails, or a flagellum. It was a wooden handle. It had strips of leather on it and tied to the end were chunks of bone and rock and steel.
I can almost imagine how it was as Jesus, in that judgment hall, was prepared for the scourging He would receive. There were three stone pillars in that judgment hall with two rings on each side
of those pillars. They must have taken the Lord Jesus Christ and bent Him over one of those pillars and tied Him to those rings so that the skin of the back of the Lord Jesus would be very, very tight.
Then that lictor would take that cat-o-nine-tails and lift it and you could hear the whistling of the leather as it moved toward the back of Jesus. Then there was the dull thud of leather on skin. The first blow would have knocked the breath out of the Lord Jesus and caused His knees to buckle.
The second blow would have torn the flesh of the Lord Jesus, making the initial tear. Then, in slow, methodical strokes that lictor would begin to beat upon the back of Jesus until flesh would be ripped from His bones. Veins and arteries would be exposed. Sometimes the beating would go so deep
that even vital organs were exposed.
Some men went raving mad in a scourging like that.
Some men actually died under that scourging.
It is the testimony, by the way, to the physical strength of the Lord Jesus that He was able to endure such a scourging and then to have a cross on His back and bear it out to Golgotha.
When we think about the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ, we think about the terrible injury He experienced. The crown of thorns is a part of that. Have you ever had your finger pricked?
One of the things that happens so often when you go to the doctor is that they will prick your finger.
You know how painful that is. Or maybe you have
reached for a rose on a bush and when you got the rose you also got a thorn. Every time you feel the prick of a thorn I want it to remind you and me of the pain and the injury that Jesus endured on the cross. They crushed that crown of thorns on the brow of the Lord Jesus.
Some have suggested that maybe this crown of thorns was poisonous. In fact, some speculate that the poison from the thorns could bring about death. Think about the cruelty of it.
Think about how cruel it was to do something like that to someone like Jesus who never did anybody anything but good. Not only do I think about the injury that He suffered, but think about the insult.
They not only set out to injury Him, but they are insulting Him by it. This crown of thorns represents insult. It represents a mock coronation. I’m sure the word had gotten around among the soldiers that the Lord Jesus Christ had claimed to be a king and his followers were worshiping Him as a king. “Oh, He’s a king, is he?”
I have a feeling that maybe they got their idea for this crown of thorns from the circlet they found on Roman coins depicting the crown of Tiberius Caesar. “If He’s a king, He has to have a robe.”
So, they get an old worn-out soldier’s robe of purple and thrown it around Jesus after His scourging.
“Oh, He’s a king. If He’s a king, he has to have a crown.” So, they take that crown of thorns and crush it on the brow of Jesus. The Bible says they slapped Him. It literally means that they just continually slapped Him. He was blindfolded for a period of that time of slapping.
They would say, “Okay, o king, prophesy, who slapped you?”
Then they put a reed in His hands and they would approach Him in mock bowing before Him.
As they bowed, they spit on the face of the Lord Jesus Christ until the Bible says He couldn’t even see out of His eyes because of the spit that was on His face.
Isn’t that a cruel thing? Isn’t that an awful scene today? Does that move your heart? Does that do something to you when you think about the cruelty of people?
Keep in mind these soldiers were men who lived in a cruel world. Cruelty was what they were all about. They moved from one bloody battle to another. The number one entertainment in the Roman Empire at that time was to see gladiators in arenas as they beat one another to a bloody pulp. It was a violent time.
It reminds me of our blood-filled, violent movies today. It reminds me of that bloody, violent element in so many of the sports activities of our day. It seems like we are in a society that is thirsty for blood and violence. It seems like the more violent, the more cruel, the more inhuman it is, the more people enjoy it today.
I think about what Jesus endured—the cruelty. You would think that these soldiers who were in a low-level of society would have had a little sympathy.
for someone who came Himself from the lowest levels of society. Jesus was a poor man. He
was what people would say, “born on the other side of the tracks.”
He was from the lowliest elements of society. He who was in the loftiest heights of glory came down to this earth to the lowest rung of society.
Wouldn’t you expect those down there for whom He had come to die would have a little pity and a little sympathy for the Lord Jesus?
But they didn’t. Not one whit.
If you think that’s not the sorry reality of human nature, then just visit an elementary school playground and listen to the children talk to each other. One of the ugliest and cruelest places in all the world is the neighborhood playground. Some of the the meanest and most hurtful of all human beings are children.
Why do you think some folks are called Red?
Why do you think some folks are called Four-eyes? Have you ever seen the way handicapped and retarded children are treated? I would say a word of caution and a word of encouragement to all of our boys and girls in school that you never be a part of cruelty at school.
I would say to teachers that you never in any way do anything cruel to your students.
People can be very cruel to one another. When I think about the cross of the Lord Jesus, this crown of thorns reminds me of the cruelty that Jesus endured.
They are still putting crowns of thorns on Jesus to this very day.
We are living in a society where the name of Jesus is used in profanity.
The ideas of Jesus Christ are laughed at and made fun of and they are just twisting a crown of thorns as they do so. They are twisting the thorns into a crown. We are living in a day when even in the realms of government they laugh at His laws and make fun of His standards.
They are twisting the crown of thorns into a mock crown. Every believer who professes to know Jesus, who brings discredit to His name, are crushing a crown of thorns on the head of the Lord Jesus.
It was heyday in hell when they put all their cruelty against the Lord Jesus Christ. If there is every anything that should convince you and me that we need a Savior it is the cruelty that we display to one another in the words that we do and in the deeds that we do.
Every time we feel the prick of the thorn it ought to remind us of our cruelty which tells us we desperately need a Savior like Jesus.
The crown of thorns reminds me of –
II. The NECESSITY of the Cross.
The symbolism of this crown of thorns has gripped the hearts of God’s people, Christian believers, all through the centuries. The necessity of the cross is revealed in this crown of thorns.
This crown of thorns presents to us our predicament. It shows us our problem. This crown of thorns is representative of the curse. Turn back to Genesis 3:17-18. God put Adam and Eve in the beautiful Garden of Eden. What a gorgeous place it was. A erfect environment; no pollution; beautiful trees for food and to be delightful to the sight.
There was not one thorn on one rose bush in Eden’s garden. Not one thorn to be found anywhere. But you know what happened. God
said to Adam and Eve, thou shalt not eat of this tree because in the day you eat thereof you shall surely die.
We know the sad story. Adam and Eve disobeyed God and they took the forbidden fruit. The Bible says, wherefore as by one man sin entered into the
world and death by sin. That means that the reason you and I are sinners is because we were born with a sinful nature.
You do not become a thief because you steal; you steal because you are a thief. It is our nature to sin.
So, when sin entered and spoiled the Garden of Eden God said to Adam in verse 17, because you have hearkened unto the voice of your wife and eaten of the tree of which I commanded thou shall not eat of it, cursed is the ground for thy sake.
In sorrow shall thy eat of it all the days of thy life.
Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee and thou shall eat the herb of the field.
The thorn is a result of the curse of sin. The thorn is a picture of what sin has done to our universe. How sin has damaged the creation. The thorn is a picture of the curse of sin.
I see that crown of thorns as it is crushed upon the Lord Jesus Christ. It reminds me that the thorns were necessary because of the entrance of sin into the world. Every time you feel the prick of the thorn it is a sermon to you that you are a sinner and you need Jesus as your Savior.
Listen, sin always hurts, doesn’t it? Every finger that touches that thorn feels the pain. Every piece of clothing that brushes up against that thorn is torn. Some of you are feeling the thorns of your sin. It started off so very pretty and attractive. But those old ugly thorns of sin are grinning at you now and you are feeling the pain and the disappointment and the poison and the heartache of sin.
Every time you see a thorn it reminds you and me that we are sinners and we need a Savior. It points not only to our problem—the curse, but it also points to God’s provision—the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ.
The Bible says when Jesus died on the cross He was made a curse for you and me. Gal. 3:13 says, cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree. That same verse says that Jesus Christ became our curse.
So, when that crown of thorns was crushed down upon the head of the Lord Jesus Christ it means that Jesus was bearing our curse. It’s God’s provision. It is the only way that sin can be dealt with.
You have to come to the cross. It is at the cross where the crown of thorns was upon the face of our Lord, and where the blood of our Lord poured down His body and to the ground.
It is at the cross where the blood of Christ was shed for your sins and my sins. You say, “Preacher, my sin is great.” Well, the blood of Jesus is greater. “Preacher, my sin is deep.” The blood of Jesus is deeper. “My sin is far.” The blood of Jesus Christ is
farther. “My sin is deeply stained.” The blood of Jesus Christ removes the stain from sin.
I have good news for you.
The necessity of the cross makes it possible for anybody who wants to be forgiven and saved and have the sting of sin removed from their life. Isaiah 53 says, He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities. The chastisement of our peace was upon Him and by His stripes we are healed.”
Remember the lie you told? He was wounded for your transgressions. Remember that temper tantrum you threw? He was bruised for your iniquities. That heavy burden and weight of sin that’s upon your heart today like a bed of thorns pricking you and tormenting you and filling your life with guilt. By His stripes you are healed.
The thorns can be removed when you come to the Lord Jesus Christ. The crown of thorns reminds me of the cruelty of the cross. That crown of thorns
reminds me of the necessity of the cross.
That crown of thorns reminds me of –
III. The ROYALTY of the Cross.
When Jesus came forth, verse 5 says, wearing that crown of thorns, Pilate said unto them, Behold, the man. Oh, what a man He was. Not just an ordinary man was this Lord Jesus. He was the God-man. He was the perfect man. He was a man who was the express image of the Father’s person, the brightness of the Father’s glory.
No ordinary man is this Lord Jesus Christ. He is the God-man. In fact, he is not only a man. Look at
verse 14. …He saith unto the Jews, Behold your King! He’s a man who is a king.
Have you ever noticed there are some people who are so attractive that whatever they wear looks good on them.
The same thing is true about this crown of thorns of the Lord Jesus Christ. This crown of thorns becomes the Lord Jesus Christ. It looks beautiful on Him. Jesus took this wreath of wickedness and turned it into a crown of conquest.
As Jesus dies on that cross, He indeed is crowned with thorns because He indeed is a king. Jesus is a king!
Earlier on Pilate said to Jesus, “Are you a king?” Jesus said, “You say it.”
Basically He is saying, “You have spoken it out of your own mouth. Jesus later on said to them in response to their question, where did you come from? Jesus said, “For this cause came I into this world.” He said, “I was born for this very purpose.” He was born to be a king.
Kings receive their kingship by birth. Jesus received his kingship because of his birth. He was born to be a king.
When Jesus Christ was born in that little manger in Bethlehem, no wonder it says that there were three wise men who came and worshipped Him and brought Him gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. Gold is a gift fit for a king. He’s a king! That’s who this Jesus is. He’s every inch a king!
Jesus Christ is the king over national life. Jesus Christ is the king over America. I know this world doesn’t like to hear that. I know a godless society doesn’t like to hear it. They resent it when you say that His laws and His ideas are the absolute standards by which all laws of our nation are derived. But His laws are the laws of an eternal king. He’s king over American life. He’s the king over national life.
And He’s the king over international life. Saddam Hussein needs to know that, and George Bush better not forget it! It’s all in His Reign.
Look down at verse 10. This is so interesting. Pilate is the typical politician. All that crowd in Washington ought to study the life of Pilate and see themselves.
In verse 10 Pilate said to him, speakest thou not to me? Knowest thou not that I have power to crucify thee, and have power to release thee? Pontius Pilate was popping his suspenders. “I got power!
I’m a man of power!”
Look at what Jesus said in verse 11. Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above… Jesus was saying that any power you have is a derived power. God has put you where you are. God is the one who sets them up and God is the One who sets them down. You think you have power? You don’t have any power.
Compared to the power of King Jesus, they’re all just a bunch of sissies!
There is no power other than the power of King Jesus! He is the King over national life right here in America. He is the King over international life in all the universe.
He is also a king over personal life. Jesus taught us to pray, thy kingdom come. Ultimately that will be fulfilled in the eternal realm, but when any individual in this life receives the good news of the Gospel and repents of their sin and receives Jesus Christ as
their Lord and Savior—at that moment the Lord Jesus Christ comes to rule and to reign in that life.
That individual can say, “He is my King of Kings and my Lord of Lords.” Is Jesus your king this morning? Have you crowned Jesus king this morning?
It’s a spiritual kingdom. It’s a kingdom of truth and righteousness and holiness and love and grace. It is a kingdom that transforms personal life. It is a kingdom that can cause you to be purer and better and kinder and nobler.
King Jesus can come into your life and transform your life from a crown of thorns to a crown of glory. He rules over national life. He rules over international life He rules over personal life.
And He rules over eternal life. One of these days the Bible says He indeed is going to be a king. He’s King in heaven right now. Myriad of angels bow before the throne of the Lord Jesus Christ at this very moment.
One of these days, in the eternal state, the kingdoms of this world will become the kingdoms of our God and of His Christ.
When Revelation 14:14 it talks about Jesus Christ coming, “the son of man with a golden crown.” In revelation 19 it talks about the return of our Lord. It says, “There are many crowns upon His head. In that return of our Lord we will proclaim Him as King of Kings and Lord of Lords”
One of these days everything is going to bow the
knee to Jesus.
Remember that old transmission commercial? It’s about getting your transmission serviced or not, and the guy says, “Pay me now or pay me later.”
The Bible teaches that either now or later every knee is going to bow. And every knee is going to
acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. He’s the king.
I see that crown of thorns. It reminds me of the cruelty of the cross. It reminds me of the necessity of the cross. It reminds me of the royalty of the cross. Jesus wore a crown of thorns so that you might wear a crown of life.
One of these days, you and I are going to cast our crowns before His feet and sing, “Crown Him with many crowns, the Lamb upon the throne.”
Do you know this Jesus? Have you crowned Him king of your life? Have you bowed the knee to Jesus?
Will you today?
