ἀκάνθινος (akanthinos)
akanthinos
thorny
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 2 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The adjective akanthinos describes something made from or resembling thorns. In the New Testament, it appears only twice, both in the passion narratives where it characterizes the crown placed on Jesus’ head (Mark 15:17; John 19:5). The word directly derives from akantha, meaning "thorn," and functions as a concrete descriptor of material rather than a metaphor for difficulty or pain.
Historical sources note that this term can refer to the plant itself or to objects woven from its tough, woody branches. In the Gospel accounts, it signifies the crude, painful nature of the mockery inflicted on Jesus. Translators typically render it as "thorn" or "thorny," preserving the physical reality of the instrument of humiliation without adding symbolic layers not present in the text itself.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word akanthinos simply means "thorny." It appears only twice in the New Testament, both describing the crown placed on Jesus during His crucifixion. This is not a metaphor for spiritual struggle or personal difficulty. It is a concrete description of a painful, physical object woven from tough plant branches.
When we read that soldiers wove a crown of thorns, we see the depth of Jesus’ humiliation. He was mocked as a king, yet forced to wear an instrument of pain. This detail reminds us that Christ did not stand distant from human suffering. He experienced real physical agony and public shame.
This word grounds our faith in history. It is not just about abstract love; it is about a man who bled under a heavy, prickly weight. We can trust a Savior who knows what it feels like to be hurt by the world’s cruelty. His suffering was real, which makes His comfort for us equally real.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 2 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- thorny1×
- of thorns1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- ἀκάνθινον2×
Key Verses
-
Mark 15:17
They clothed him with purple; and weaving a crown of thorns, they put it on him.
This verse highlights the active cruelty of the soldiers who wove the thorny crown, emphasizing the deliberate nature of Jesus' mockery.
-
John 19:5
Jesus therefore came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple garment. Pilate said to them, “Behold, the man!”
Here Pilate presents Jesus wearing this specific garment to highlight His helplessness and the absurdity of the charges against Him.