It is written:
“They divide My garments among them, And for My clothing they cast lots.” (Psalm 22:18)
The anguish of the Savior’s death was not confined to His physical suffering, but also encompassed the emotional trauma. We see here a prophecy made about Jesus’ crucifixion, culminating on the shame of nakedness that He would experience. The Apostle John describes this clearly to us:
John 19:23-24-Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took His garments and made four parts, to each soldier a part, and also the tunic. Now the tunic was without seam, woven from the top in one piece. 24 They said therefore among themselves, “Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be,” that the Scripture might be fulfilled which says: “THEY DIVIDED MY GARMENTS AMONG THEM, AND FOR MY CLOTHING THEY CAST LOTS.” Therefore the soldiers did these things.
Please observe that the soldiers took Jesus’ garments, and made “four parts.” This corresponds to each and every piece of clothing that the Jewish person worse. As such, we begin to realize that Jesus was completely nude on the cross of Calvary.
“In the prophecy of Psalm 22, we read that the soldiers will divide His garments among them, And for His clothing they cast lots. Before Jesus was raised upon the cross, His executioners removed all of His garments. We notice that John records the soldiers dividing the clothing into four parts: the loin cloth, the shorts, the shirt and the outer robe. Each of the three soldiers took one garment; the fourth, they determined ownership by drawing straws. Every aspect of crucifixion was designed to disgrace and humiliate the condemned. As if it were not enough to be nailed to a cross before the whole world, the victim was also displayed completely naked. Those who were crucified were stripped of all of their clothing, exposing their genitals and allowing the watching crowd to witness the condemned relieving themselves by urination or defecation. 148 The results of this horrific display brought insects which further tormented the dying and added to their shame before the watchful eyes of those who often hated and despised the condemned criminal.” (Robert Clifton Robinson, The Suffering Servant: The Messiah of Isaiah 53 and Psalms 22, 352 (Kindle Edition, emphasis added, M.T.); Scottsdale, Arizona; Teach The Word Ministries Inc.)
Another researcher has noted the fact that the Gospels make it plain that Jesus was naked on that terrible cross, suspended between Heaven and Earth:
“For the scourge, the soldiers stripped the prisoner.[ 41] Matthew employed a Greek term (ekduo), which meant: to forcefully unclothe.[ 42][ 43] New Testament usage of ekduo implied complete removal of garments.[ 44][ 45] Jesus’ nudity before those who judged Him mirrored Adam’s shameful nakedness before His Judge.[ 46]”. Luke affirmed the forceful stripping of prisoners prior to flogging when he reported on the whipping of Paul and Silas in first century Philippi:[47]. “The soldiers rent their clothes from them—implying a violent show of force. The assailants then bound their victims to a post or beam with arms extended. Scripture reiterated this when the authorities stretched out (Greek: proteino) Paul for the lash on another occasion.[ 48] Proteino made the body taut, which worsened the effects on the skin of those scourged.[ 49][ 50] Combined with the Greek word for lash (himas), the phrase portrayed the officials strapping Paul in a vulnerable, outspread position.[ 51] Nude and tightly secured, the criminal was helpless. He was unable to protect his extended body or his face from the flogging. [52][ 53][ 54][ 55][ 56] His public nakedness wreaked more embarrassment on one already ashamed. In Oriental culture, himas possessed a defiled connotation, and the whole process debased those who suffered it.[ 57]”. (J. Sham Young, Crushed: A Physician Analyzes the Agony of Jesus, 2178-2195 (Kindle Edition, emphasis added, M.T.); Glass Road Media)
When we read of these facts, the statement of the writer of Hebrews regarding Jesus ‘despising the shame” of the cross takes on new meaning. Christ was willing to endure everything-the suffering, the agony, the pain, the rejection, the humiliation, the torture-of Calvary for “the joy that was set before Him” (Hebrews 12:1-2).
Yet perhaps the most tragic element of the cross was feeling of utter abandonment from God Himself.
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