When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took his garments and divided them into four parts, one part for each soldier; also his tunic.[d] But the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom, 24 so they said to one another, “Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to see whose it shall be.” This was to fulfill the Scripture which says,
“They divided my garments among them,
and for my clothing they cast lots.”
So the soldiers did these things, 25 but standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 26 When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son!” 27 Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home. (John 19:23-27)
Introduction
As Jesus hangs on the cross, suffering, there are two types of people present. There are those who love Him and those who care not for Him. There is His mother who spent years nourishing and cherishing Him, and there are Roman Soldiers who have beaten, mocked, and crucified a man that they do not know. There is John the disciple, who was in the inner circle of Jesus, and there are those who are Roman soldiers, some of which were contracted by Judas to assist in the arrest of Jesus. There is Mary Magdalene who was redeemed by Jesus who had seven demons cast out of her and delivered from the chains of promiscuity; and there are Roman Soldiers, many of whom were likely involved in immoral pagan rituals. There are older gentle Jewish women and there are rough, brutal, and savage Roman Soldiers.
But regardless of the differences between these two groups of people present at the cross, these are both groups of people to whom Jesus ministered. We even know that at least one of the Roman Soldiers made a profession of faith, there at the crucifixion as Jesus died. Here at the cross all stand in equal need of grace, from Mary, the mother of Jesus to the very soldiers who nailed him there. There is no one who stands without need of Christ, at His cross. And as Christ hangs there dying, He is the mercy of God incarnate. He is full of grace and overflowing with love even in His suffering and dying toward all sorts of those who are gathered there, those who love Him, and those who love to mock Him. There are all classes and types here at the cross, all of whom are in desperate need of Christ. The death of Jesus is for all types and kinds and sorts of people – godly women like Mary the very mother of Jesus, and women with the worst of baggage like Mary Magdalene. Godly men who were near to Christ like John, and the worst of savages like the gentile soldiers. All are to come to the cross of Christ in faith – both men and women; Jews and Gentiles; big sinners and bigger sinners; rich and poor. For all who come to the cross, come with nothing to add to it, except for their sin. All stand beneath it, which is a position of only receiving. Which is all you can do when you come to the cross. All you can do is receive from Christ there.
Indeed, as this scene unfolds with those gathered around Christ as He hangs on the cross, that is all we see Christ doing – giving – giving His all, giving His best, giving to the very last. He even gives the very clothes off of His back. Now this was not mere happenstance or circumstance. Nor was it a robbery by the Roman Soldiers that was unplanned by our Lord. Nor was this mere charity from our Lord with no real purpose. But even the giving of His garments was a part of His work of redemption in bearing and reversing the curse to save men. As it was, man began naked and unashamed without sin in the garden. In the shame of their sin their eyes were opened to their nakedness as they sought fig leaves to cover themselves. God in His mercy slew an animal to clothe them in its skins and to show forth the sacrifice of the Lamb of God on behalf of sinners. It was the fallen and sinful first Adam that was clothed by God. Now here it is at Golgotha that the last Adam, who was and is without sin was stripped of His clothes that He might bear the shame, guilt, and curse of sinners, and so provide redemption and cover for sinners.
Part 1: The Soldiers
Fulfillment of Scripture
Certainly the gospel writer wants us to see that the soldiers dividing His garment among them and casting lots for His clothing is not an unimportant detail. John explicitly tells us that this was to fulfill the Scripture and then He quotes which part of Scripture it was to fulfill, which is Psalm 22:18, “They divided my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.” Psalm 22 is one of the most incredible Psalms, if we can say such a thing, as it contains vivid and direct descriptions of the crucifixion scene of Christ that were written down and sung for hundreds and hundreds of years before Christ was ever born. Not only does it have these descriptions of the cross but we know that Jesus also prays from this Psalm, particularly verse 1, as He is dying on the cross, He cries it out to the Father. And note, as Jesus prays this Psalm, and as this Scripture about His garments are fulfilled, we note that Psalm 22:18 is spoken in the first person, as is the rest of the Psalm. This Psalm is the very words and prayer and thought life and emotional life of Jesus, from His perspective as He is suffering on the cross. If we want to know what Jesus was going through mentally and spiritually while He was on the cross we should read Psalm 22, where we find a little bit of that curtain pulled back for us to see. You know that Jesus would’ve been thinking these words of Psalm 22:18 in real time as He hung there and watched the soldiers divide and gamble for His clothes. Furthermore, while we can’t know for sure when exactly the Apostle John made this connection, I can’t help but wonder if he too thought of this Scripture from Psalm 22 as he witnessed what the soldiers did with Jesus’ clothes.
Whatever the case may be, fundamentally, John tells us this is fulfillment of Scripture for at least one big reason. And that is that the fulfillment of Scripture down to such details as this shows us that this indeed is the Messiah foretold and promised by God in Scripture. And John’s whole purpose of writing this gospel is so that you may believe that Jesus is the Son of God. Another thing this shows us, is that John believed, as do we, that the standard for knowing the truth is the Word of God. Jesus did not come and do something that was totally foreign to or in contradiction to the Old Testament Scriptures, He came and fulfilled them. Even the details concerning the actions of the Roman Soldiers who were clueless about the Word of God were fulfilled, proving to us the divine sovereignty of God in the death and redemptive work of His Son. This is John, once again, showing us repeatedly that the good guys are in control. Whatever it may look like in the moment, the good guys are in control. Jesus has the authority. He is king. Everything is going precisely according to plan – that is everything that God predestined to take place according to His plan and hand.
Priestly Garments
There are a couple other things I would like to show you concerning the significance of what happened here with Jesus’ garments. The first thing I want to show has to do with something we find in the book of Exodus. Exodus 28 gives instructions for the garments the priest was to wear. And in talking about the robe the priest was to wear this is what it says in Exodus 28:32, “It shall have an opening for the head in the middle of it, with a woven binding around the opening, like the opening in a garment, so that it may not tear.” So what we just read is that this was to be a garment that was not sewn together, but it was to be one piece of material. So what’s that got to do with anything? The soldiers take Jesus’ garments and divide them into four parts among them. Then it says this beginning in the second half of verse 23, “But the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom, so they said to one another, ‘Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to see whose it shall be.’” Jesus’ tunic was not pieces of cloth sewn together; it was one piece. Now why would John mention that detail? Who cares? Why does it matter that we know how Jesus’ tunic was made? The fact that it is here in Scripture tells us that this detail does matter, and God wanted us to know that Jesus’ tunic was seamless. And what’s amazing is that if we know one little detail about a piece of Aaron’s priestly attire, then we know why this detail about Jesus’ tunic is given to us. John gives us this detail to cause our minds to make a connection to the High Priestly garments, so that we may behold Christ in faith as our great high priest who is offering Himself up on the altar as the sacrifice for our sins. He is qualified and He is going where we cannot go for ourselves in order to make atonement and give us access to God through the shedding of His own blood and the forgiveness of sins. Jesus is doing a priestly work that we could not do for ourselves.
Gospel to the Gentiles
Second, the fact that we are told that his other garments were divided into four parts, among the four soldiers there at the cross also shows us something significant. In symbolic terms, the Bible describes the earth as having four corners. And here the garments of Jesus are divided into four parts showing us and bringing to mind the fact that death of Christ does not just stay in geographical Jerusalem, but it extends to the four corners of the earth. It extends throughout all the gentile world. What happened at Golgotha, outside the city, would extend through all the world, the gospel going and being for every nation of men on earth. There is not a corner of the earth that can hide from the message and the effects of the death of Christ. His garments, His clothing, His covering, His provision, goes unto all men, and it is sufficient. We are quite a ways away from where Jesus was crucified, and yet the death of Christ has made it here to us, and by faith we are blessed with the benefits thereof.
Part 2: Mary and John
So as the soldiers are dividing the garments and casting lots for His tunic, we find that they are not the only ones there near the cross. We have a small group of women, including Jesus’ mother, along with the disciple whom Jesus loved, which I believe to be the gospel writer, John himself, as he uses this term throughout his gospel to refer to himself.
This small band of followers, not here to mock, nor to cast lots over his garments. Instead we see the faith and love they have for their Lord, to be there when many others deserted Him. The scene of a crucifixion is not exactly the most ideal place for a woman to be, especially that of her son. Yet here they are, Jesus’ mother, his mother’s sister, and a woman with a checkered past who has been redeemed from much, and the disciple whom Jesus loved.
Near the cross with Jesus is not a band of fighting men with swords and clubs to fight off the Roman Soldiers, but it is a small group, mostly women. A small group who could provide no defense of Jesus, and have no chance of pulling off some kind of rescue mission. It is a group of those who could do nothing to get Jesus off of the cross. It is a group of those who could do nothing but behold their Lord, suffering and dying there on the cross. This is not because Christianity is weak or soft, nor is it a pacifist religion. Rather this is to show us that all who would receive Jesus, must behold Him and receive in His suffering redemptive work on the cross. We can do nothing to defend Him, rescue Him, or help Him in any way. We can only receive Him and allow Him to do all the work necessary for the forgiveness of our sins.
Care for Mother
Even here, in the midst of His great suffering, we find that Christ has not run out of love and care, as He looks upon His mother and seeks to make sure she is cared for and provided for now that He is gone. The selflessness of Christ to think of others when He was in such great agony is not something to overlook. And He did so without sin and without self-pity.
One of the things Jesus shows us here is that He fulfills all of His familial responsibilities. Jesus’ spiritual work of redemption is not opposed to, nor does it negate His earthly responsibilities, if you will. As the firstborn son, Jesus knows it is His responsibility to make arrangements for His aging mother, as her husband is gone. Jesus had other brothers, and yet He doesn’t just leave it to them to figure out, He takes the initiative and responsibility. And it is interesting that Jesus does not give His mother to His other brothers to be taken care of, but to John, the disciple whom He loved. This shows us several things, but one is that when making arrangements for loved ones, there are higher priorities than next of kin. Jesus had just spent several years with his disciples and John was in that closest inner circle and knew Jesus as well as anyone. There is also reason to believe that Jesus’ brothers didn’t yet believe in Him or weren’t too close to Him. If you remember back in John 7, John 7:5 tells us that not even Jesus’ brothers believed in Him. So Jesus makes sure that His mother is cared for by one who He loves, who loves Him, and shares His worldview. And I won’t go into all the details, but it is actually pretty likely that John was actually cousins with Jesus, so that would make sense as well, that he and Mary already had a close familial relationship.
This leaves a great example for us when we consider those who we are responsible to make sure they are cared for. The first thing to note is that there is no spiritual calling, religious or missional work that negates our responsibilities to care for those God has given us to care for. If we neglect providing for those under our responsibility of provision in order to some great spiritual mission or something, we can be sure that we are not being spiritual. If we do that, we are not following the example of our Lord. Even as He is suffering on the cross in the greatest agony ever known, He makes sure His mother is cared for.
Just as Jesus shows us, this generally includes caring for our aging parents as there is need. We live in a world today that does not love or honor the elderly. We live in a time in which there are far too many elderly who are isolated and alone, and in many cases it is not because they have no family, but it is because their family does not take care of them. In many cases they have pawned that responsibility off on the “professionals.” There are certainly some situations where a nursing home would be needed, but there are many such cases where the nursing home becomes a way out of responsibility, and self-sacrificially loving and caring for one’s aging parents. In a world that dishonors, disrespects, and despises our parents, if Christians simply began to take responsibility to open up their homes to care for their aging parents, it would be a radical display of Christian love and responsibility to the world. It is a great opportunity which Christians have to show the world how Christianity is different and better. We love those the world hates. We give of ourselves to care for others as Christ did for us. We follow the example of our Lord on the cross who cared for His own mother. If someone were to ask you why you have your elderly and needy parents or grandparents living with you, a great answer would be to say that you are following the example of what Christ did while He was on the cross.
Detachment from Mother
While Jesus takes time to make arrangements for His mother, we also recognize that Jesus is making a detachment from His mother. Jesus knew that He would rise again and have time then to make arrangements. Yet it was important that He make arrangements before His death. So Jesus makes a detachment from His mother. He has to leave and transfer her care to someone else. And sometimes that is something that needs to happen as well, but that transfer of jurisdiction needs to take place to fulfill responsibility.
A New Family
So Jesus has the disciple whom He loved take Mary into his home to make sure that she is taken care of. And one of the significant things that we see in this is that at the cross of Christ, Jesus makes a new family. It is a family that is formed and bound together by the common love that Savior has for them. It is a family that is formed and bound together by the blood of Jesus that was shed for them. It is a family that is formed and bound together by a common faith in Jesus. It is a family where a woman who was delivered from seven demons is brought together with Jesus’ own mother at the foot of His cross.
I can’t help but think of our own church family here. Some of us were raised in a great Christian home and raised in church since birth. Others of us come from just the opposite of a background. Many of us have been redeemed from the bondage and chains of great sins and wicked lifestyles. And yet here we all are together by God’s grace, at the foot of the cross so to speak, together, each in the same need of the forgiveness of sins and grace of God in Christ, and each receiving richly from Christ together. And it is He who puts us together, who would not otherwise choose such.
Conclusion
So as we conclude our thoughts on this passage of Scripture today we conclude with this: Jesus Christ provides all that we need at the cross. This is what we see Him doing. Whether it is the provision of His garments to the Gentile Roman Soldiers, the giving up of Himself to all the nations, to the ends of earth, or whether it is the provision of He makes for His own dear mother who once provided for Him and raised Him, Jesus provides. Each has a need, each has their own sins and their own needs and each can only be provided for in Jesus Christ. Do you have sins that you need forgiven? Jesus provides forgiveness at the cross. Are you a Christian but do you have sins that you need delivered from the power of in your life? Look to Christ. Are there duties and responsibilities that you cannot find the strength to take responsibility for? Look unto Christ at the cross. Are you in the midst of great suffering and hardship? Come near to Christ.
There is enough provision and covering at the cross to cover all of our sins. There is shelter and provision at the cross to shelter and cover us from the wrath of God toward us and our sin. There is shelter and provision at the cross to cover us from Satan and spiritual forces of darkness. Jesus was stripped and uncovered at the cross so that He could provide covering and shelter for us. That we might be clothed in the robes of His own righteousness. That we might have all that we need.
Jesus Christ is so full that there is plenty in Him to provide for all. Christ is sufficient to cover each of our needs. There is no lack or limit in Him. Our need is not beyond His ability to provide and care. Our lack is not greater than the storehouses of His grace. He only gives and gives and gives, grace upon grace, without ever subtracting from Himself or running out. And the more that you come to Christ for your need, the more you will find Him to be all satisfying and totally sufficient for all that you lack. You will find that there is more than enough in Him for all of your life, for every area of your life, for every sphere, and every domain, He is all in all.
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