Jesus scourged and crowned with thorns
Questions for Bible study groups
- Scroll down the page, to choose the painting of the Passion that appeals to you most.
- Which painting, in your opinion, captures the actual event best? Why do you think this?
- Does your choice tell you anything about your own thoughts and beliefs about the Passion of Jesus?
In brief: Scourging was both a punishment in itself and a preliminary to crucifixion. The beating Jesus endured seems to have been unusually severe, and probably contributed to his physical collapse on the way to Golgotha – he needed help from Simon of Cyrene. He also died more quickly than usual – crucified men often lived on in agony for several days.
Christ Carrying the Cross, El Greco
The Crown of Thorns, Cranach
Christ as the Man of Sorrows, Pedro de Mena, 1673
Lamb of God (Agnus Dei), Francisco de Zurbarans
The Crowning with Thorns, Caravaggio
The Flagellation, Caravaggio
The Flagellation of Christ, Caravaggio
The Scourging of Christ, Titian
The Flagellation of Christ, Peter Paul Rubens
Christ Crowned with Thorns, Hans Holbein the Elder
