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| "The Crowning with Thorns" - from Hans Holbein's Grey Passion Series |
"...And when the thorns, by the pressure of their hands alone, could not be made to penetrate deeper in that divine head which they were piercing, with the self-same reed, and with all their might, they battered down that barbarous crown: And spitting upon Him, they took the reed, and struck His Head. O grateful thorns, do you thus torture your Creator? But what thorns? what thorns? You, ye wicked thoughts of mine; it is you that have pierced the head of my Redeemer.
O, my God! how the blood is now streaming down from that pierced head over the face and the breast of Jesus!
And Thou, my Saviour, dost not even utter a complaint of of such unjust cruelties! Thou art King of heaven and of earth: but now, my Jesus, Thou art brought down so low as to appear before us a king of derision and of sorrows, being made the laughing stock of all Jerusalem...
But no; these men for whom Thou art suffering have not yet their fill of torturing and making game of Thee. After having thus tortured Thee, and dressed Thee up as a mock king, they bend their knee before Thee, and scornfully address Thee: Hail to Thee, O king of the Jews. And the, with shouts of laughter, they deal out more blows upon Thee, thus rendering twofold the anguish of the head already pierced by the thorns: And bowing the knee before Him, they derided Him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews, and they gave Him blows. Do thou at least go, O my soul, and recognize Jesus for what He is, the King of kings, and Lord of lords; and return thanks to Him, and love Him, now that thou beholdest Him become for love of Thee, the king of sorrows..."
-The Passion and the Death of Jesus Christ
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