I have seen these spiny plants all over the place and many people grow them in their garden including my dad. Despite of the flowers that are quite sweet-looking mainly in red, pink, yellow or white, I always think the plants look ferocious with their sharp spines and I never want to get close to them.

I took the pictures during a little walk in my friend David’s garden a couple of weeks ago. I looked them up on the internet when I got home and was rather taken aback when I found out that the common names for these flowering plants are “Christ thorn”, “crown of thorns” and “Christ plant” (Euphorbia milii)!

How could I not get a little emotional when these plants with cute little flowers by their sheer name has caused me to think of the crown of thorns worn by Jesus while he was making his way to Calvary to be crucified?

Matthew 20:28
just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.

馬 太 福 音 20:28
正 如 人 子 來 ， 不 是 要 受 人 的 服 侍 ， 乃 是 要 服 侍 人 ， 並 且 要 捨 命 ， 作 多 人 的 贖 價 。

1 John 4:9-10
9 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.

約 翰 一 書 4:9-10
9 神 差 他 獨 生 子 到 世 間 來 ， 使 我 們 藉 著 他 得 生 ， 神 愛 我 們 的 心 在 此 就 顯 明 了 。
10 不 是 我 們 愛 神 ， 乃 是 神 愛 我 們 ， 差 他 的 兒 子 為 我 們 的 罪 作 了 挽 回 祭 ， 這 就 是 愛 了 。

Galatians 2:20
I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

加 拉 太 書 2:20
我 已 經 與 基 督 同 釘 十 字 架 ， 現 在 活 著 的 不 再 是 我 ， 乃 是 基 督 在 我 裡 面 活 著 ； 並 且 我 如 今 在 肉 身 活 著 ， 是 因 信 神 的 兒 子 而 活 ； 他 是 愛 我 ， 為 我 捨 己 。