Matthew 27:27-29 Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the common hall, and gathered unto him the whole band of soldiers. And they stripped him, and put on him a scarlet robe. And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand: and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews!
Numbers 8:10-12 And thou shalt bring the Levites before the LORD: and the children of Israel shall put their hands upon the Levites: And Aaron shall offer the Levites before the LORD for an offering of the children of Israel, that they may execute the service of the LORD. And the Levites shall lay their hands upon the heads of the bullocks: and thou shalt offer the one for a sin offering, and the other for a burnt offering, unto the LORD, to make an atonement for the Levites.In the Old Testament, sacrifices put away sin.
Deuteronomy 34:9 And Joshua the son
of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom; for Moses had laid his hands upon
him: and the children of Israel hearkened unto him, and did as the LORD
commanded Moses.
Why were hands used?
Psalm 7:3 O LORD my God, if I have done this; if there be iniquity in my hands;Hands are representative of the actions we commit.
James 4:8 Draw nigh to God, and he will
draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify
your hearts, ye double minded.
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;
Thorns would be in the ground where Adam would return, due to his sin.
Isaiah 5:6-7 And I will lay it waste:
it shall not be pruned, nor digged; but there shall come up briers
and thorns: I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain
upon it. For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel,
and the men of Judah his pleasant plant: and he looked for judgment, but
behold oppression; for righteousness, but behold a cry.
Matthew 13:22 He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.Paul's thorn in the flesh existed because Paul had potential to sin in his flesh.
2 Corinthians 12:7 And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.The symbol of sin is the thorn.
Hebrews 10:12 But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;If you believe, He was YOUR sacrifice.Hebrews 9:26 For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.
Revelation 20:11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.Fruit would have grown unhindered with no thorns.
1 Corinthians 15:55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?No thorn of death and sin will sting you, for He took the sting of death for you, to free you of it.
1 Timothy 2:8 I will therefore that
men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.
James 4:8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.James 4:10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.