John 18:36 Jesus replied, “My kingdom is not from this world. If my kingdom were from this world, my servants would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jewish authorities. But as it is, my kingdom is not from here.”
The crown of thorns, a common representation of Christ’s suffering that he experienced by surrendering to the human authorities that handled his case. In fact, Jesus experienced mocking, spitting, striked, and humiliation. Then they handed over the crown to him, as though Jesus, a self-proclaimed, odd King, for back then, they did not understand what Christ meant that He is from a Kingdom that is above all.
In this world, we see celebrations of crowning people, whose crowns were shimmering in its glory, whereas Christ’s crown, when worn, carries pain. But this crown of thorns, on the head of Christ, eventually declared his Kingship that is victorious, ending the sting of death, and redeemed humanity from the despair of eternal damnation.
In this world, there are still many crowns being offered to us. Crowns of success, crowns of applause, crowns of human government, but nothing compares to the glory of the crown of life that the Lord will bestow to His children (James 1:12, Revelation 2:10). Through that crown of thorns, we also will receive the crown of life, as the Lord empowers us, all made possible because of Christ’s righteousness.
As we reflect this Holy Week, may you be encouraged to look at the highest crown, the kingdom of heaven, the eternity that we joyfully await, that you may stand against the temptation of the crowns of this world. Pray that the Lord will continue to help us understand and plant the beauty of His kingdom that is to come and one day, we will crown the Lord Jesus Christ, the lamb that is worthy to be praised. Take heart, just like Jesus, he also went through persecution and pain in this life, but we will overcome as we set our hopes on Him (John 16:33).
