This Easter Week....The Crown That SpeaksSample

CASTING OF LOTS.

“When they had crucified him, they divided up his clothes by casting lots. And sitting down, they kept watch over him there.” Matthew 27:34-36

What is casting lots? There are seven recordings in the New Testament and ten times that amount recorded in the Old Testament. This method was used in various ways, from determining land divisions and choosing the disciple to replace Judas Isacariot to the Roman Soldiers determining who would get Jesus’ tunic.

“After the soldiers nailed Jesus to the cross, they took his clothes and divided them into four parts. Each soldier got one part. They also took his tunic. It was all one piece of cloth woven from top to bottom. So the soldiers said to each other, “We should not tear this into parts. Let’s throw lots to see who will get it.” This happened to make clear the full meaning of what the Scriptures say: “They divided my clothes among them, and they threw lots for what I was wearing.” So the soldiers did this. John 19:23-24

From this passage, we know that there were four soldiers assigned to the crucifixion because it tells us that Jesus' outer garments were divided into four parts. It was the undergarment, the tunic that had no seams, that they cast lots to determine which soldier would take it home.

After the mockery, they removed the Robe and put His clothing back on Him. Why was Jesus wearing a seamless undergarment? It was the custom for the High Priest on the day of Atonement to wear only the linen garments into the holy of holies, and not the full attire of his beautiful priestly garments Leviticus 16:4. Ezekiel 44:19. Jesus was not only the sacrificial lamb that day, but He was taking on the role of the High Priest!

Biblically, no one knows which soldier ended up with Jesus’ tunic. Another thorn in His crown had to be the humiliation of hanging in public, stripped of His garments, while the soldiers cast their lots.

EASTER TAKEAWAY: Even in the mockery and the many thorns He endured, Jesus' final words were, “Father, Forgive them, for they know not what they do.”

PRAYER: Thank You for being the final sacrifice and final High Priest. In Jesus. Amen