John 19:23

Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took his garments, and made four parts, to every soldier a part; and also his coat: now the coat was without seam, woven from the top throughout. THEN THE SOLDIERS, WHEN THEY HAD CRUCIFIED JESUS, TOOK HIS GARMENTS, AND MADE FOUR PARTS, TO EVERY SOLDIER A PART - of the four soldiers who were the executioners, and whose perquisite they were. AND ALSO HIS COAT, [ ton (G3588) chitoona (G5509)] - the Roman tunic, or close-fitting vest. NOW THE COAT WAS WITHOUT SEAM, WOVEN FROM THE TOP THROUGHOUT. Perhaps, say Webster and Wilkinson, denoting considerable skill and labour, as necessary to produce such a garment-the work, probably, of one or more of the women who ministered in such things...

23._Then the soldiers. _The other Evangelists also mention the _parting _of Christ’s _garments among the soldiers, _(Matthew 27:35; Mark 15:24; Luke 23:34.) There _were four _soldiers who _parted _among themselves all his _garments, _except _the coat, _which, being _without seam _could not be divided, and therefore _they cast lots _on it. To fix our minds on the contemplation of the purpose of God, the Evangelists remind us that, in this occurrence also, there was a fulfillment of Scripture. It may be thought, however, that the passage, which they quote from Psalms 22:19, is inappropriately applied to the subject in hand; for, though David complains in it that he w

19-30 Here are some remarkable circumstances of Jesus' death, more fully related than before. Pilate would not gratify the chief priests by allowing the writing to be altered; which was doubtless owing to a secret power of God upon his heart, that this statement of our Lord's character and authority might continue. Many things done by the Roman soldiers were fulfilments of the prophecies of the Old Testament. All things therein written shall be fulfilled. Christ tenderly provided for his mother at his death. Sometimes, when God removes one comfort from us, he raises up another for us, where we looked not for it. Christ's example teaches all men to honour their parents in life and death; to provide for their wants, and to promote their comfort by every means in their power. Especially observe the dying word wherewith Jesus breathed out his soul. It is finished; that is, the counsels of t...

Verse 23. _TO EVERY SOLDIER A PART_] So it appears there were _four_ soldiers employed in nailing him to and rearing up the cross. _THE COAT WAS WITHOUT SEAM_] Several have seriously doubted whether this can be literally understood, as they imagine that nothing with sleeves, c. can be woven without a seam. But _Baun,_ _de Vest. Sacer. Heb_. l. 1, c. 16, has proved, not only that such things were done by the ancients, and are still done in the east, but himself got a _loom_ made, on which these kinds of tunics, _vents, sleeves_, and all, were woven in _one piece_. See much on this subject in _Calmet_. The clothes of a _Hindoo_ are always _without_ a _seam_ and the _Brahmins_ would not wear clothes that were otherwise made. Besides, the Hindoos have no regular _tailors_. Our Lord was now in the grand office of _high priest_, and was about to offer the expiator

HIS GARMENTS - The plural here is used to denote the outer garment. It was made, commonly, so as to be easily thrown on or off, and when they labored or walked it was girded about the loins. See the notes at Matthew 5:40. FOUR PARTS - It seems, from this, that there were four soldiers employed as his executioners. HIS COAT - His under garment, called the tunic. WAS WITHOUT SEAM - Josephus (Antiq., b. 3 chapter 8, Section 4) says of the garment or coat of the high priest that “this vesture was not composed of two pieces, nor was it sewed together upon the shoulders and the 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.” It seems that the Lord Jesu

EXPOSITION JOHN 19:1 (d) [Within the Praetorium.] The unjust scourging, and the crown of thorns. JOHN 19:1 Then PILATE THEREFORE TOOK JESUS, AND SCOURGED HIM. The force of the "therefore" may be seen in the foregoing observations (see especially Luke 23:23). He obviously fancied that the sight of their victim's utter humiliation, his reduction to the lowest possible position, would sate their burning rage. Scourging was the ordinary preliminary of crucifixion, and it might be regarded as Pilate's verdict, or the conclusion of the whole matter. Roman and Greek historians confirm the custom (Josephus, 'Ant.,'...

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 were four of them concerned in his execution, and who were set to watch him: AND ALSO HIS COAT; or upper garment; NOW THE COAT WAS WITHOUT SEAM, WOVEN FROM THE TOP THROUGHOUT: in such an one the Jews say b Moses ministered: and of this sort and make was the robe of the high priest, said to be of "woven work",...

John 19:1. _Then Pilate therefore took Jesus, and scourged him._ This was one of the most terrible punishments to which a man could be sentenced. The Roman scourge was no trifle. It tore off the quivering flesh of the agonized sufferer for it was constructed on purpose to do so. It was generally made of the sinews of oxen, intertwined with the knuckle bones of sheep, and small slivers of bone. This torture our blessed Saviour endured. These are the stripes with which we are healed. John 19:2. _And the soldiers platted a crown of thorns, and put it on his head, and they put on him a purple robe,_ Mockery was blended with cruelty. They might have made him a crown, yet surely it need not have been one of thorns unless they intended to put him to the utmost torment that they could c

CHAPTER 19 _ 1. Behold the Man! (John 19:1 .)_ 2. The Last Question of Pilate and Christ's Last Word. (John 19:8 .) 3. Delivered up and Crucified. (John 19:12 .) 4. The Title upon the Cross. (John 19:19 .) 5. The Parted Garments. (John 19:23 .) 6. Behold Thy Son! Behold Thy Mother! (John 19:25 .) 7. It is Finished! (John 19:28 .) 8. His Legs not B

THE CRUCIFIXION. The statement that Jesus bears His own cross corrects, or at least supplements, the Synoptic story of Simon of Cyrene. It may have been added to show that the Johannine Christ needs no help, or to deprive the Gnostics of support for their theory that it was Simon who really suffered on the Cross. In itself it is in accordance with Roman custom (_cf._ Plutarch, Every malefactor carries his own cross). The incident of the title is certainly effective as depicting the obstinacy of a weak man who has given way on the main point, but it is difficult to see how it promotes the dogmatic aims of the author. John 19:23 f. suggests a very natural way of dealing with the clothes of the condemned malefactors, even if it suits the exact wording of the quotation from Psalms 22:18 *. It is very natural t