1 Then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged. 2 The soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head. They clothed him in a purple robe 3 and went up to him again and again, saying, "Hail, king of the Jews!" And they struck him in the face.
3 He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Isaiah 53:3 (NIV)
5 But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. Isaiah 53:5 (NIV)
“He, the innocent sin-bearer, wore the crown of thorns, that we, the guilty, might wear a crown of glory. Vast is the contrast which there will be between the crown of glory that Christ will wear at His second advent, and the crown of thorns which He wore at His first coming.” John Charles Ryle
These verses certainly point to the endless depth of meaning in the expression of Paul when he writes in Ephesians of Christ’s love which “surpasses knowledge”. The eternal Son of God, whom the Father’s countless angels stood at the ready delighting to honor, steps down out of His glory to be the perfect and needed sacrifice for my sins and yours. We discover our Lord here willingly scourged by His own people, unjustly condemned by a judge who proclaimed he found no fault in Him and finally delivered up to the most painful death with all the sins of the world heaped upon His bleeding and disfigured body. Who loves like this? Only God - His love is a love that stands alone. Paul tells us in Philippians:
5 Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, 7 but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death-- even death on a cross! 9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Phil 2:5-11 (NIV)
These verses make our persistent whining over the “thorns” in our lives seem like two year old behavior at best. We are called to diligently follow our Lord’s example of His patience in all the trials and afflictions of life – especially those brought upon us for our faith in Him. He gives us the grace the power and the strength to meet each need He allows in our lives so that we may successfully live for His glory and our good. We do not need to live defeated lives as Christians –unfortunately, we often choose to.
“”Whatever the circumstances, whatever the call, whatever the duty, whatever the price, whatever the sacrifice – His strength will be your strength in your hour of need.” Billy Graham
“Want of trust is at the root of almost all our sins and all our weaknesses, and how shall we escape it but by looking to Him and observing His faithfulness. The man who holds God’s faithfulness will not be foolhardy or reckless, but will be ready for every emergency.” Hudson Taylor
39 The salvation of the righteous comes from the LORD; he is their stronghold in time of trouble. Psalms 37:39 (NIV)
Peter tells us we are to entrust our lives to Him who judges justly. Of this you can be sure – one day God will right every wrong:
19 For it is commendable if a man bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because he is conscious of God. 20 But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. 21 To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. 22 "He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth." 23 When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. 24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed. 1 Peter 2:19-24 (NIV)
Interestingly, our Lord had specifically foretold of His flogging to His disciples in Luke yet they remained clueless:
31 Jesus took the Twelve aside and told them, "We are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written by the prophets about the Son of Man will be fulfilled. 32 He will be handed over to the Gentiles. They will mock him, insult him, spit on him, flog him and kill him. 33 On the third day he will rise again." 34 The disciples did not understand any of this. Its meaning was hidden from them, and they did not know what he was talking about. Luke 18:31-34 (NIV)