JUNE 10, 2014
Crowns
Of Honor
Read: John
19:1-8
The soldiers twisted a crown of thorns and put it on His head. —John 19:2
The Crown Jewels of
the United Kingdom are stored securely and protected within the Tower of London
under 24-hour guard. Each year, millions visit the display area to “ooh and
aah” over these ornate treasures. The Crown Jewels symbolize the power of the kingdom,
as well as the prestige and position of those who use them.
Part of the Crown
Jewels are the crowns themselves. There are three different types: the
coronation crown, which is worn when an individual is crowned monarch; the
state crown (or coronet), which is worn for various functions; and the consort
crown worn by the wife of a reigning king. Different crowns serve different
purposes.
The King of heaven,
who was worthy of the greatest crown and the highest honor, wore a very
different crown. In the hours of humiliation and suffering that Christ
experienced before He was crucified, “the soldiers twisted a crown of thorns
and put it on His head, and they put on Him a purple robe” (John 19:2). That
day, the crown, which is normally a symbol of royalty and honor, was turned
into a tool of mockery and hate. Yet our Savior willingly wore that crown for
us, bearing our sin and shame.
The One who deserved
the best of all crowns took the worst for us.
Crown Him the Lord of
life:
Who triumphed o’er the
grave;
Who rose victorious in
the strife
For those He came to
save. —Bridges/Thring
Without the cross,
there could be no crown.
Insight
No details are given
about the scourging of Jesus (John 19:1). Nevertheless, it was a horrifying and
significant event in the passion of Christ. Jewish law prohibited a prisoner
from being struck more than 40 times (Deut. 25:3), so, to be safe, common
Jewish practice was to give one fewer—39 blows. Roman law had no such
limitations, allowing the scourging to continue as long as those inflicting it
desired. Because of this, prisoners sometimes died under the lash before they
could receive the remainder of their punishment. It is another reminder of the
extent of Christ’s suffering on our behalf.
Source:
Our Daily Bread 2012
