"The Crown and Vesture"

 "And the soldiers platted a crown of thorns, and put it on his head, and they put on him a purple robe," (John 19:2 KJV)

  "But I am a worm and not a man. I am scorned and despised by all! Everyone who sees me mocks me. They sneer and shake their heads, saying, "Is this the one who relies on the LORD? Then let the LORD save him! If the LORD loves him so much, let the LORD rescue him!"" (Psalm 22:6-8 NLT)

 There is so many things that we can take away from this, both spiritually and physically; but the main things that I feel need to be addressed, are the specific's that speak to man's suffering and condition. This requires the need to see what was done from the fall, both God's judgment, and man's need for a Savior! 

 This has been covered before; I don't remember when, but it was maybe eight years ago. We are looking at the crown of thorns, which is actually thorny and is making marks of blood on Jesus' head. If you recall, the curse that Adam received for having disobeyed God, it was that his labor to provide for his family would be challenged by thorns and thistles; and God said, 

  "Since you listened to your wife and ate from the tree whose fruit I commanded you not to eat, the ground is cursed because of you. All your life you will struggle to scratch a living from it. It will grow thorns and thistles for you, though you will eat of its grains. By the sweet of your brow will you have food to eat until you return to the ground from which you were made. For you were made from dust, and to dust you will return." (Genesis 3:17-19 NLT) 

 What I believe this crown of thorns represents is the curse that was placed upon the ground as Jesus was not only covering for sins, but He has taken on every single condition relevant to man's fallen condition. We can see much of this spoken by Jesus, as He gives many examples of the opposite to this curse: such as, "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give is light." (Matthew 11:28-30 NLT) 

 I'm not saying everything is easy, because Jesus never promised us that life world be easy! But what we are talking about is the soul! The punishment placed upon Adam was towards the flesh; that which God had formed from the dirt; then God breathed life into it, and man became a living soul! When Paul speaks about crucifying the flesh, he is not saying that his flesh has no more power, but that it has been placed under the power of the Holy Spirit. By which, we are now to be walking in the power of the Spirit, not the power of the flesh! (That is not easy, either!) 

 Life is still a battle, and it is hard to live godly lives; but the more we follow and abide in Christ Jesus, the easier and godlier it gets! As for the vesture, that is the sin! The royal robe, dipped in blood; the blood of the Crimson worm...

""Come now, let's settle this," says the LORD. "Though your sins are like scarlet, I will make them as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, I will make them as white as wool."" (Isaiah 1:18 NLT)