Casting Lots for Jesus' Garments at Crucifixion
The practice of casting lots for Jesus' garments during the Crucifixion is described in the New Testament accounts of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. According to Matthew 27:35, "When they had crucified Him, they divided up His garments by casting lots" [1]. This act was not merely a random event but was seen as a fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy, specifically Psalm 22:18, which states, "They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture" [6].
The garments in question were the personal belongings of Jesus, stripped from Him before the Crucifixion. The Roman soldiers, who carried out the execution, took these garments as their perquisite. The Gospel of John provides a detailed account, noting that the soldiers divided Jesus' garments into four parts, one for each soldier, but they decided to cast lots for the seamless coat, rather than tearing it [5, 7].
The practice of casting lots was a common method among the ancient Jews for making decisions, especially when the outcome was considered to be under divine guidance. According to Easton's Bible Dictionary, the lot was "always resorted to by the Hebrews with strictest reference to the interposition of God, and as a method of ascertaining the divine will" [3]. The use of lots in dividing the land of Canaan, detecting Achan, and other significant events in the Hebrew Bible illustrates its importance [3].
The seamless coat, for which the soldiers cast lots, was likely a significant garment, possibly woven from the top throughout, indicating considerable skill and labor [5]. The fact that it was seamless made it impractical to divide, leading the soldiers to cast lots for it. This event is seen by commentators as a fulfillment of Psalm 22:18, highlighting the providential nature of the event [6, 8].
The historical context of the Crucifixion and the practice of casting lots provides insight into the cultural and religious practices of the time. Crucifixion was a form of punishment used by the Romans, considered to be particularly shameful and ignominious [2, 4]. The division of Jesus' garments among the soldiers reflects the common practice of executioners taking the clothes of those they executed as part of their compensation.
The significance of the event lies not only in its historical context but also in its theological implications. The fulfillment of Psalm 22:18 in the casting of lots for Jesus' garments underscores the theme of Jesus as the suffering servant, whose experiences were foretold in the Old Testament. This event, like others surrounding the Crucifixion, is interpreted by Christian commentators as part of a larger narrative of divine providence and the fulfillment of scripture [6, 8].
The seamless coat has also been a subject of interpretation, with some seeing it as a symbol of unity or the undivided nature of Christ's followers. However, the primary focus of the biblical account and early commentators is on the fulfillment of prophecy and the providential nature of the event.
Sources
- Matthew “Matthew 27:35 (BSB) — When they had crucified Him, they divided up His garments by casting lots.”
- Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Crucifixion — was in used among the Egyptians, (Genesis 40:19) the Carthaginians, the Persians, (Esther 7:10) the Assyrians, Scythains, Indians, Germans, and from the earliest times among the Greeks and Romans. Whether this mode of execution was known to the ancient Jews is a matter of dispute. Probably the Jews borrowed it from the Romans. It was unanimously considered the most horrible form of death. Among the Romans the degradation was also a part of the infliction, and the punishment if applied to freemen was only used in the case of the vilest criminals. The one ”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Lot — (Heb. goral, a "pebble"), a small stone used in casting lots (Num. 33:54; Jonah 1:7). The lot was always resorted to by the Hebrews with strictest reference to the interposition of God, and as a method of ascertaining the divine will (Prov. 16:33), and in serious cases of doubt (Esther 3:7). Thus the lot was used at the division of the land of Canaan among the serveral tribes (Num. 26:55; 34:13), at the detection of Achan (Josh. 7:14, 18), the election of Saul to be king (1 Sam. 10:20, 21), the distribution of the priestly offices of the temple service (1 Chr. ”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Crucifixion — A common mode of punishment among heathen nations in early times. It is not certain whether it was known among the ancient Jews; probably it was not. The modes of capital punishment according to the Mosaic law were, by the sword (Ex. 21), strangling, fire (Lev. 20), and stoning (Deut. 21). This was regarded as the most horrible form of death, and to a Jew it would acquire greater horror from the curse in Deut. 21:23. This punishment began by subjecting the sufferer to scourging. In the case of our Lord, however, his scourging was rather before the sente”
- John (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on John 19:23: Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took his garments, and made four parts; to every soldier--the four who nailed Him to the cross, and whose perquisite they were. a part, and also his coat--the Roman tunic, or close-fitting vest. without seam, woven from the top throughout--"perhaps denoting considerable skill and labor as necessary to produce such a garment, the work probably of one or more of the women who ministered in such things unto Him, Luk 8:3" [WEBSTER and WILKINSON].”
- Psalms (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Psalms 22:18: They part my garments among them,.... Such as died the death of the cross were crucified naked (h), and their clothes were the perquisites of the executioners; there were four soldiers concerned in the crucifixion of Christ, and these parted his garments into four parts, and everyone took his part; and cast lots on my vesture; which was a seamless coat, wove from the top to the bottom; and therefore, not willing to rend it, they cast lots upon it who should have it; all this was exactly fulfilled in Christ, Joh 19:23. (h) Vid Lipsium de Cruce, l. 2. c. 7. p. 81.”
- John (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on John 19:23: Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus,.... The crucifixion of Christ was at the request and solicitation of the Jews, was ordered by the Roman governor, and performed by the Roman soldiers; the sinful men into whose hands Christ was to be delivered: took his garments; which they had stripped his body of, crucifying him naked; as what properly belonged to them, it being usual then, as now, for executioners to have the clothes of the persons they put to death; these were his inner garments: and made four parts, to every soldier a part; for it seems there w”
- John (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on John 19:24: They said therefore among themselves,.... When they saw what a curious piece of work it was, and that it was pity to divide it into parts: and besides, that it would have been rendered entirely useless thereby: they moved it to each other, saying, let us not rend it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be, that the Scripture might be fulfilled: not that they knew anything of the Scripture, or had any intention of fulfilling it hereby, but they were so directed by the providence of God, to take such a step; whereby was literally accomplished the passage in Psa 22:18 ”