Divided Garments

Divided Garments

³⁵ Then they crucified Him, and divided His garments, casting lot, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet: “They divided My garments among them,
And for My clothing they cast lots.” ³⁶ Sitting down, they kept watch over Him there.

Matthew 27:32

Most scholars believe that the book of Matthew was directed towards the Jews of the day. This is because it quotes from the Old Testament more than others and also brings up many more prophesies about the coming Messiah. This is one such time where Matthew quotes from Psalm 22:18. Another reason that it is believed that this is pointing towards a Jewish audience is what Matthew does not quote from the same chapter:

¹⁶ For dogs have surrounded Me; The congregation of the wicked has enclosed Me.
They pierced My hands and My feet; ¹⁷ I can count all My bones. They look and stare at Me. ¹⁸ They divide My garments among them, And for My clothing they cast lots.

Psalm 22:16-18

That is but a small piece from the entire Psalm but it doesn’t put Israel in a good light. You could argue that this was talking about the Romans but the words ‘congregation of the wicked’ is hard to point at anyone but Israel.

At the same time, Matthew knew that the Jews would recognize the quoted verse. He knew that they would know the full text but it is better to have the listener wrestle with truths than simply giving it to them easily.

The image of dividing the garments, besides being an actual event, also has a spiritual significance. There are many of us who are more interested in what Jesus has than Jesus himself. Many people want Jesus’ salvation but not Jesus the savior and Lord. Many times we too are like a distant relative waiting for a person to die to inherit something valuable while paying little attention to the person who died. Let our Christianity be more than just dividing Jesus’ garments. Jesus is much more valuable that what he has, even his eternal life. That is because eternal life without Jesus would be a nightmare as this world clearly illustrates. Jesus should be our goal. What he promises us should only be the icing on the cake.

God bless,

Pr. Steven Couto