Was Jesus’ Skull broken by the Crown of Thorns?
Full Question
How was the skull of Jesus pierced when none of his bones were broken? Was Jesus’ Skull broken by the Crown of Thorns?
Answer
You ask a helpful question, given that Jesus’ head was undoubtedly wounded by his crown of thorns, as seen in John 19:2-5 and Matt. 27:27-31). Yet, John 19:36 says that NONE of Jesus’ bones were broken. This is because he is the New Covenant fulfillment of the Passover lamb (see Exodus 12).
However, it is possible to wound one’s head significantly without breaking the skull—for example, a mild or severe concussion knocks a person out. There is no fracture necessarily associated with the head. Additionally, the skin of the scalp is the thickest on the human body, meaning it can be pierced and experience significant trauma without fracturing the skull/bone beneath it. The scalp has five layers, with the skin being the thickest.
In this light, Christ experienced significant head trauma in his Passion, and his skull may have been bruised but not broken, as Scripture makes clear.
