Station 6: Jesus Crowned With Thorns
Painting by: Caravaggio in 1607
Today’s station continues to tell the story of Jesus’s encounter with Pilate. In John’s gospel, which we are reading from today, we are given a prolonged discussion, between Jesus and Pilate, about who Jesus is. You can read that whole encounter here.
Following Pilate’s interrogation of Jesus, both Pilate and his soldiers decide to take some creative liberties in punishing Jesus. Pilate orders his soldiers to flog Jesus which is to say that he orders his soldiers to beat Jesus with a stick.
Following this indignity, the soldiers make a crown for Jesus out of thorns. This is a not so subtle way to mock Jesus for being the so-called King of the Jews. Their mockery, however, does not end there.
Jesus is then clothed in a purple robe. Purple in those days was the color of royalty is the dye needed to make purple was very expensive. Kings, priests, magistrates, and the like would have been the only people you would ever see in purple. Once again they are mocking Jesus’s so-called royalty.
Finally, the soldiers come up to Jesus to proclaim him the King of the Jews and then strike him in the face. This marks the second time John’s gospel that Jesus was struck for the claims he made. He was also struck when he was talking to high priests.
With all of this in mind, take a minute to pray. The great hymn How Deep the Father’s Love for Us has a line “Ashamed I hear my mocking voice call out among the scoffers.” Pray as for forgiveness as you read this passage of scripture that outlines in detail the ways that Jesus was mocked and belittled. Ask God to forgive you for the ways that you have mocked him. Then read the passage below.
Pilate took Jesus and had him scourged. And the soldiers wove a crown out of thorns and placed it on his head, and clothed him in a purple cloak, and they came to him and said,"Hail, King of the Jews!" And they struck him repeatedly.
(John 19: 1-3)
Take a sheet of paper or open the notes app on your phone and draw a crown of thorns. As you do consider how the king of the universe endure the mockery of his creation so that he could save that very creation. Invite God to draw near you to today and help you trade mockery for praise. Close with the following prayer.
Lord Jesus Christ, we are ashamed to hear our mocking voice call out among the scoffers. You who have endured much for us help us to endure for you. Forgive us for the way we have treated you and the way we have treated our neighbor. Help us to trade our mockery for praise that our lives may be marked repentance. Amen.
