Divided the Garments

Lesson #317

What Pilate wrote for an inscription is going to stand and so we move on to the next scene, which involves the soldiers. “When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took his garments and divided them into four parts, one part for each soldier; also his tunic. But the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom” (John 19:23 ESV). At first glance you might say the event about the seamless tunic came after Jesus was dead, but we learn differently from Matthew 27:35 – 36 ESV: “And when they had crucified him, they divided his garments among them by casting lots. Then they sat down and kept watch over him there. And over his head they put the charge against him, which read, “This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.” From these verses it appears they had finished nailing Jesus to the cross and had placed the sign over him and then they sat down to watch him die. It was during that watch that they decided what to do with his garments.

The soldiers had done their work of securing Jesus to the cross and now waited for him to die and as they did they decided to divide his garments into four parts, presumably one part for each of four soldiers. Among his garments there was a nice tunic that required much work to make because it was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom. There was an opening for the head and the sleeves were woven into it as one seamless piece. It was an expensive garment, probably the kind worn by a high priest. As a result, the soldiers did not want to destroy it so they agreed to cast lots for it.

“They said therefore among themselves, “Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be,” that the Scripture might be fulfilled which says: “They divided My garments among them, and for My clothing they cast lots.” Therefore, the soldiers did these things” (John 19:24 NKJV). The Scripture that is being referred to is Psalm 22:18. This is what the soldiers did to pass some time.

The focus now shifts from the soldiers to others: “Now there stood by the cross of Jesus His mother, and His mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene” (John 19:25 NKJV). When Joseph and Mary brought Jesus to the temple as a small child, Simeon took him into his arms and spoke about him causing his parents to marvel. Then Simeon said to Mary, “Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed” (Luke 2:34 ESV). As Mary stood there before the cross, she surely would recall what Simeon had said as now in agony a sword pierces her own soul as she watches her son die. Being his mother, surely those around her verbally abused her because of the claims Jesus made, but now hangs on the cross. How desperately she needed a savior, but she would have to wait a few more days until he overcomes death and returns as the promised savior.

It is unlikely that his mother’s sister was her natural sister because one would not give the same name to two of their children. It is more likely that the sister was the sister of her husband Joseph. The last Mary of the three, Mary Magdalene, is mentioned by all four gospel writers as a witness of the crucifixion and the empty tomb. In Matthew and John, we learn that she also encounters the resurrected Jesus. I find it interesting that only in Luke is there an earlier reference to Mary Magdalene. In Luke 8:1 – 2 (ESV) we read: “Soon afterward [Jesus] went on through cities and villages, proclaiming and bringing the good news of the kingdom of God. And the twelve were with him, and also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out.” Having traveled with Jesus and now seen here at the cross, shows her devotion to Jesus.

More will be said about these three woman named Mary in the next lesson.

Prayer

Father, how close the soldiers were to Jesus as they cast lots for his garments, but yet how far away they were. Here before them was truly the King of the Jews, soon to be our savior, but all they could see was another man dying. There were others as spectators making fun of him for the fraud they thought he was. Missing were the disciples of Jesus, except John who will be identified later. Even Peter, who had boasted of standing with Jesus to the end was not there, but showing their devotion to Jesus were the three woman named Mary. Father, we will soon see Mary Magdalene displaying such great devotion and love when she goes to visit the tomb.