“Father, Forgive Them . . . ”
Diane Stevenson Stone
- Medium
United States
2014
Mixed media on canvas
31.25 × 25 in.
Church History Museum Collection- Purchase Award
- Purchase Award
In this work, the relentless brutality of the twisted briar crown set upon Christ’s head to mock His divine majesty is transcended by “a gentle light descending from above that seems to sanctify those tangled thorns.” The crown of thorns is transformed into a symbol of the Savior’s atoning sacrifice on our behalf, for “with his stripes we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5). Through the help and strength that He freely offers to us, we can obtain the crown that is reserved for those who endure.