Matthew 27:36Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

The soldiers kept watch over Jesus, just as they still do today, ensuring that His suffering, which was demanded by the Jewish people, would not be overlooked. For my sake, let Christ endure this passion so He may rise again after suffering. He had no intention of leaving the cross for His own sake but chose to bear it for mine. In sharing His garments, they demonstrate that no one receives everything; the Holy Spirit distributes gifts not by human intent but according to divine will, as stated in Scripture.

Examine the distributed garments of Christ. They can be found throughout the Gospels: Matthew presents a purple robe, John describes a royal garment, Mark refers to a simple porphyry, and Luke mentions a lighter attire. Christ possessed only this single garment, yet it clothed countless individuals, including not just the four Evangelists and the soldiers but many others. Let’s focus back on the Evangelists.

The clothing does not just represent fabric but the distinctive virtues of each Evangelist. One wrote majestically about the kingdom, another expansively about humanity. Luke depicted the purity of priestly vestments, while Mark did not pursue elaborate textiles. John seems to have crafted his words into garments for our faith, beginning with that profound phrase: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." Mark’s introduction, while simple in its elegance, states, "The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God."

The division of Christ’s garments symbolizes His works or gracious gifts, yet the chiton, representing faith, cannot be fragmented—it is whole and indivisible. Faith is not distributed in parts; rather, it belongs entirely to each person. That which remains undivided retains its fullness.

Just as the chiton was completely woven from above, faith in Christ descends from divine heights into the realm of humanity. He, who was begotten before all time, took on flesh in the fullness of time, demonstrating that faith should remain untouched and intact.

They then divided His garments by casting lots and placed an inscription above Him stating, ‘This is Jesus, King of the Jews.’ Additionally, two criminals were crucified alongside Christ, one on His right and one on His left, fulfilling the prophetic words noted by Mark that He was numbered among the transgressors (Isaiah 53:12).

Jesus’ upper robe was torn into four pieces, but His lower garment, woven without seams, remained intact, leading them to cast lots for it. Thus, the prophecy of David was fulfilled: they divide my garments among themselves and cast lots about my clothes (Psalm 21:19). After distributing His garments, the soldiers settled down to keep watch over Him at the cross.

1) The body's unnatural and violent position, with the arms held out for an extended period, creates an indescribable anguish, making even the slightest movement unbearable due to overwhelming pain, particularly in the pierced and tortured regions. 2) The nails impale sensitive areas where numerous nerves and tendons converge; thus partly damaged and severely constricted, they trigger sharp, distressing sensations. 3) The open wounds are constantly exposed to the air, leading to inflammation, discoloration, and ultimately, a darkening curse upon the flesh, aggravating the already increasing torment from stagnant blood caused by the extreme stretching of the body. 4) Blood intended to flow from the left chamber of the heart struggles to reach the wounded and severely inflamed extremities, instead accumulating in the head, unnaturally stressing the pulse and inducing escalating headaches. The disruption in circulation leads to a backup of blood in the heart’s left cavity, which cannot expel all the blood it receives from the right chamber, thereby limiting blood flow to the lungs. This cascade of issues compresses the heart and places significant strain on the arteries, leading to a dire and alarming state within the body. 5) Although the flow of blood from open wounds might alleviate anguish, this flow is usually minimal and soon ceases due to blood thickening. Consequently, death approaches at a gradual pace, accompanied by a numbing of nerves, veins, and muscles, starting from the extremities and moving inward toward the more vital and sensitive regions.

Yet, before succumbing fully to death, the crucified typically linger for over twelve hours, oscillating between life and death even amid incessant torments, the fever of their wounds exacerbated by the harsh heat of the sun. In certain instances, as noted, some remained alive for up to three days before finally succumbing to starvation, as recorded by Eusebius concerning the martyrs in Egypt. The Apostle Andrew, for instance, endured two days on the cross while preaching to the people, while St. Victorinus, crucified upside down, survived three days. However, rare instances occurred where the crucified were taken down shortly after execution, whereupon skilled medical care permitted the revival of some. Yet, even with the utmost care, many perished. It is apparent that only the strong and resilient could withstand such prolonged agony on the cross; the weak often succumbed to the Roman scourge's brutality even before reaching the cross, and those who endured were typically left with little vitality in their spent bodies. The suffering of the Lord Jesus Christ on the Cross, having endured immense physical and spiritual torment prior, was unlikely to last for an extended duration.

Once the soldiers completed the crucifixion, they hastened to claim the Lord's garments, drawing lots to decide how to distribute them among themselves in four shares. The lower garment, the chiton, was unique because it was woven from top to bottom by the pure hands of the Blessed Virgin Mary, without seams. The crucifiers recognized that it would be of no use if torn (as St. Cyril of Alexandria noted), and thus they refrained from ripping it apart. Instead, they agreed to cast lots for it, determining who would receive it. Following the customary practice of the time, they took their places at Golgotha to guard against any premature removal of the crucified individuals from their crosses.