Description
A close-up photograph of the sharp thorns that grow on the branches of the Ziziphus spina-christi, known as the Christ’s thorn jujube tree. (John 19:5) Thorny branches like these were twisted in a circular fashion to make a crown of thorns.
It is usually understood that the putting a crown of thorns on the head of prisoners was part of cruel Roman torture. However, there may be a parallel with Genesis 22:13 where a “ram caught in a bush with its horns” would also have had thorns in his head. In contrast to the binding of Isaac, who was a type of the risen Christ (Hebrews11:19), the ram became a symbol of the crucified Christ. (Matthew 27:29; Mark 15:17; John 19:2,5).