by J. Flanigan (Northern Ireland)
One thousand years before the Saviour was born the inspired Psalmist had prophesied concerning His garments. This prophecy was fulfilled literally and accurately at the cross, when the soldiers parted His garments among them, casting lots what each man should take. Ps.22.18; Matt.27.35; Mk.15.24; Jn.19.24. John is very explicit about the fulfilment of scripture, and writes, “That the scripture might be fulfilled, which saith, They parted my raiment among them, and for my vesture they did cast lots.”
Such is the detailed accuracy of the Holy Scriptures, that these ancient writings should take notice of, and make specific predictions concerning, the very clothing of Jesus the Messiah. The accurate fulfilment of such prophecies is, for the believer, sufficient confirmation of the God-breathed character of the Word, so that Peter says, “We have a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed,” 2Pet.1.19. As other translators render it, “We have a word of prophecy made more sure” (JND; RSV; ASV). The fulfilment of the prophetic word assures its reliability and authenticity for us.
Perhaps even more remarkable is the fact that this word of the Psalmist was unconsciously fulfilled by pagan Romans, who must have had no knowledge whatsoever of the Scripture which they were fulfilling. That there were four soldiers is confirmed by John, who, at the same time, confirms that Jesus wore five pieces of clothing, Jn.19.23. Apparently it was a recognised prerequisite of the soldiers involved in the actual crucifixion that they were entitled to the clothing of the victims, as personal spoil. That they should gamble for this as the Saviour suffered was callous in the extreme. In the very shadow of His cross they must have thrown dice, or in some other fashion gambled for the allotment of the various garments. A comparison of the parallel passages will confirm that they cast lots for each of the garments and not only for the seamless robe which John mentions specifically. See especially Mk.15.24; Jn.19.23-24.
But what were these pieces of clothing which He wore, and which were the subjects of Old Testament prophecy? Sandals? An under garment or body coat? An outer garment? A girdle or sash? A headpiece? We shall observe that these are the five most likely pieces of clothing that Jesus wore. They were all the simple homespun garments of His native Galilee. There was no pretentiousness with Him.
Of course there were His sandals. John Baptist made particular reference to the Saviour’s shoes and the word translated “shoes” in the Gospel records, is, literally, “a sandal, a sole fastened to the foot with thongs” (Strong 5266). The Baptist speaks of the “latchet” of His shoes, Mk.1.7. The latchet is, in fact, the leather thong or tie with which the sandals were bound to the feet. There is no doubt that our Lord Jesus, in wondrous grace, wore the sandals which were worn by the common people. In these sandals He traversed many many miles, in Judea, in Galilee, and in Samaria. In these He walked by the lakeside and on the mountainside, on the roads, in the streets, and in the meadows, so that we may say with the prophet, “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of Him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace,” Isa.52.7. And for these sandals of His they gambled. Who wore them after Him? Would they be forever, to someone, a painful reminder of the suffering Man upon the centre cross at Calvary?
The seamless robe, mentioned only and specifically by John, was a body coat, an undergarment. It was, says Strong, a vestment worn next to the skin (5509). Other garments, created with seams, were of sections and fringes which might easily have been separated if necessary, but this robe, without a seam throughout, could not have been so divided without affecting its value and beauty. It is interesting to note, and even Josephus the historian remarks upon it, that the robe of the ephod worn by the High Priest of Israel appears to have been similarly woven. Josephus writes, “This vesture was not composed of two pieces, nor was it sewed together upon the shoulders and sides, but it was one long vestment, so woven as to have an aperture for the neck. It was also parted where the hands were to come out” (Antiq 3:161). It was “all of blue,” with a reinforced band around the opening for the head, “that it be not rent,” Ex.28.31-32, “that it should not rend,” Ex.39.22-23. Was this High Priestly garment an early foreshadowing of our Lord’s seamless robe? The soldiers said, “Let us not rend it,” and they gambled for it as for the other garments.
Then there was the outer garment. When, in the Upper Room, our Lord laid aside His garments to wash the feet of His disciples, it was, of course, His outer garment and girdle of which He divested Himself. The word signifies “an outer cloak or mantle” and it is touching to remember that when, two days earlier, Mary of Bethany had anointed Him with her spikenard, it was inevitable that some of her precious fragrance should have fallen on this outer garment. Such was the lingering concentrated perfume of spikenard that now, as the soldiers handled the Saviour’s cloak, it must still have been fragrant with Mary’s appreciation of Him. What a contrast! A woman’s tenderness in anointing Him and the soldiers’ callousness in crucifying Him and casting lots for His garments while He suffered.
Another usual piece of clothing was the girdle. The outer cloak being of a loose and flowing nature, it was necessary at times that it should be held firmly about the loins with the girdle. It is, of course, an obvious and beautiful reminder to us that our Lord was the faithful Servant of Jehovah, constantly engaged in busy service. No man ever served men like He did, who was never the Servant of men but the Servant of God. It seems so suitable that He should wear the girdle. He did gird Himself with that linen towel in the Upper Room too, and today He is girded again, but with a golden girdle of sovereignty, Rev.1.13. However, the girdle for which the soldiers gambled was part of the daily and customary clothing worn by the men of Galilee.
A headpiece would have completed our Lord’s garments. The head-dress was an essential in the heat of the Eastern sun, but now as the Saviour hangs on the tree, He is bereft of all protection from that morning sun. For three hours until noon He hung uncovered in those blazing rays while unfeeling men, indifferent to His physical pain, cast lots and apportioned out His garments among them.
Sandals, outer cloak, girdle and headpiece, were duly divided as spoil. Then the robe without seam became the special subject of their gambling, until some one of them eventually obtained it. None of these Romans would have known that these were the garments of a prophetic word some one thousand years old, Ps.22.18.
My Lord has garments so wondrous fine,
And myrrh their texture fills;
Its fragrance reaches this heart of mine,
With joy my being thrills.