Tucked away in the story of Jesus’ bloody trail to the cross is that the soldiers who beat him wrapped him in a purple robe and placed a crown of thorns upon his head. They gave Jesus a crown of thorns to mock him because Jesus spoke openly to Pilate that he was a king, but his kingdom was not of this world (see  John 18:36. The soldiers meant to mock Jesus by placing a crown of thorns on his head, but perhaps there is more to the significance of the crown of thorns.