Let’s read of this crown of thorns in John 19:1-5, “Then Pilate therefore took Jesus, and scourged him. And the soldiers platted a crown of thorns, and put it on his head, and they put on him a purple robe, And said, Hail, King of the Jews! and they smote him with their hands. Pilate therefore went forth again, and saith unto them, Behold, I bring him forth to you, that ye may know that I find no fault in him. Then came Jesus forth, wearing the crown of thorns, and the purple robe. And Pilate saith unto them, Behold the man!” (Matthew 27:29 and Mark 15:17 also mention this crown of thorns.) 

What a sad scene these verses depict.  The accusation the Jews brought against the Lord to Pilate derided the Lord for His claim of being king.  We read in Luke 23:2, “And they began to accuse him, saying, We found this fellow perverting the nation, and forbidding to give tribute to Caesar, saying that he himself is Christ a King.”  Pilate asked Him, “Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.” (John 18:37).

So, in mocking the Lord Jesus as a king, the soldiers made him a crown out of thorns, they stripped Him of His own clothes (Matthew 27:28) and put a purple robe on Him, and sarcastically said “Hail, King of the Jews.”  Having done all that, they began to strike Him.  King Herod had first put this robe on the Lord Jesus, as he also mocked the Lord, as we read in Luke 23:11, “And Herod with his men of war set him at nought, and mocked him, and arrayed him in a gorgeous robe, and sent him again to Pilate.”

In contempt, Pilate announced to the Jews in John 19:14, “And it was the preparation of the passover, and about the sixth hour: and he saith unto the Jews, Behold your King!” Surely Pilate knew his words would only enrage the Jews even more against the Lord Jesus.  We then read in John 19:19, “And Pilate wrote a title, and put it on the cross. And the writing was, JESUS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS.”  What contempt against the One who is truly “KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.” (Revelation 19:16).

You asked about this crown of thorns and the tree it came from. The Gospel accounts describe the crown as being platted or twisted together from thorn branches.  From what I could gather, historical and botanical accounts suggest Jesus’ crown of thorns was likely made from the branches of the Ziziphus spina-christi tree, commonly known as Christ’s thorn jujube.

Let’s read the account of man’s original sin in Genesis 3:17-18, “And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; THORNS also and THISTLES shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field.”

So, thorns and thistles (briars) were the curse of the earth, sent because of Adam’s disobedience.  There is a great and proper symbolism in Christ wearing a crown of thorns. The Lord Jesus, who had come to undo the consequence of sin, takes to His own head the symbol of the evil brought on the earth. 

And so here as a witness for the whole world to see and ponder, the curse of sin began in thorns, and it ended in thorns.  My dear reader, do you know this One, who wore this crown of thorns?  Do you know this One who “died for our sins according to the scriptures”? (1 Corinthians 15:3).  Have you accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as your savior?  I pray that you will realize your need of a savior and understand there is only ONE who can save you…this very One who wore this crown of thorns.  (CC)  (728.2)