Matthew 27:35 – When they had crucified him, they divided up his clothes by casting lots.
Mark 15:24 And they crucified him. Dividing up his clothes, they cast lots to see what each would get
Luke 23:24 And they crucified him. Dividing up his clothes, they cast lots to see what each would get.
John 19:23 – When the soldiers crucified Jesus, they took his clothes, dividing them into four shares, one for each of them, with the undergarment remaining.
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Have you ever had something holy violated? Like someone scammed you or someone you know, or your house has been robbed or something important to you was thrown away. If you have you know the righteous indignation that rises up within you when the holy is violated.
At the crucifixion of Jesus John observes something that the other gospel writers don’t mention. Probably because John was at the cross near Mary and they weren’t.
But when Jesus was marched through the streets, he was clothed. That changed when they arrived at the crucifixion site. If you haven’t seen the video “crucified naked” you may want to check that out.
At the cross where Jesus was stripped bare, he may have had 5 articles of clothing that the soldiers took. Perhaps his outer tunic, a shawl, a belt, sandals. It isn’t specified and we really don’t know for sure. Or it could have just been his outer tunic that was torn into 4 pieces. Regardless The Roman soldiers divided his clothes up and cast lots to see who would get what.
But then the gospel of John mentions an added detail: a seamless undergarment. Why did he mentioned this?
The Roman soldiers debated how to handle this piece of clothing.
24 “Let’s not tear it,” they said to one another. “Let’s decide by lot who will get it.”This happened that the scripture might be fulfilled that said,
“They divided my clothes among them
and cast lots for my garment.” [Ps 22:18]
The Catholics say that this was a sign that he was acting as a high priest of Israel. They base this upon two Scriptures:
Exodus 28:32 It shall have in it an opening for the head, with a woven binding around the opening, like the opening in a garment, that it may not be torn. ~
Ezekiel 44:19 When they go out into the outer court where the people are, they are to take off the clothes they have been ministering in and are to leave them in the sacred rooms, and put on other clothes, so that the people are not consecrated through contact with their garments.
While it can’t be entirely ruled out, for me it seams a bit of a stretch.
If you look in the context of Ex 28:31-43, the ephod was a woven outer garment, not an undergarment.
Is 44:19 seems to indicate that they put on and off garments at the temple. Jesus was arrested on an ordinary day, not when he was carrying out a priestly duty.
If Jesus had been wearing a priestly garment, the priests calling for crucifixion would more than likely have mentioned it in outrage and jealousy. Instead at Jesus’ trial they were working hard to come up with an accusation that would stick, not that he was posing as a high priest.
Most importantly John tells us that this is the fulfillment of Ps 22:18, and that they would divide up his garments. This is one more Scripture fulfillment showing that Jesus was indeed the Messiah. This is clearly John’s intent.
But there’s also a human level that this event touches.
We know that Jesus was not only poor, he was of the poorest of the poor (Lk 2:23-24; cf Lev 12:8). His father Joseph seems to have not been around and perhaps died young. And Jesus in his itinerant ministry was living on such little support it took a miracle to pay his taxes (Mt 17).
So this garment that was woven in one piece was special. It was either done by the loving hands of his mother or was an expensive gift given to him. Either way it was out of the ordinary. Significant. More than likely a gift.
My personal guess is that it was probably made by his mother. The very next verse after John quotes the verse about the soldiers he mentions Jesus’ mother who was near the cross. We know from another text that John was with her as well. They together probably struggled to witness this desecration of even his undergarments.. Which is why I’m guessing that John was the one who noted this special garment.
It wasn’t enough that they literally stripped Jesus of any earthly dignity, but they also had to violate what was special. Personally important. A gift.
While first and foremost this even is about the fulfillment of Scripture showing Jesus to be Messiah, it is also relevant in appreciating Jesus’ suffering with ours. Jesus understands what it is for something important to you to be violated in your darkest hour.
