Psalm 22 (21):18Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

They gazed yet failed to comprehend, they gazed yet did not perceive. Their eyes beheld the physical form, yet their hearts did not pursue the meaning within the words.

Through these statements, He revealed that He became a sight for those who witnessed and contemplated Him. All My bones were dislocated as I was extended upon the Tree of the Cross. They, remaining unaltered, observe and make a spectacle of Me.

Those who observed and scorned Me, that is, ridiculed and derided Me. They gazed upon Me and held Me in contempt, laughing at My suffering. This refers to the crimson garment, the crown woven from thorns, and the staff in place of the scepter.

The statement, "All My bones are gone," conveys the idea that those who crucified Me have tortured My body to such an extent that it would have been easy for anyone to count My bones. Yet, they observed Me and derided Me, meaning they ridiculed and scorned Me.

All my bones are visible. They have numbered nearly all of my bones, as it is written. For they stripped me bare on the cross, stretching every part of my body so tightly that the very structure and interconnections of my bones became apparent; thus, anyone who wished could count them, according to Theodoret. He notes that the onlookers gazed upon me as I hung on the cross, wanting to discern whether I truly was the Son of God; they taunted, saying, 'If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross' (Matthew 27:40). They held me in contempt.

They likely did not act in a casual or incidental manner; rather, as the psalmist indicates, they regarded Him with disdain and were unmoved by the wonders performed. The stones shattered, the ground quaked, and the sun concealed itself in darkness to avoid witnessing such horrific deeds, yet their wicked gaze remained fixed upon the scene as they persisted in their blasphemy.

In this passage, David voices his grievances against his adversaries, illustrating their cruelty to such an extent that they found delight in witnessing the suffering of a destitute man, both physically and emotionally drained, nearly on the brink of death. The subsequent verse, which refers to the division of garments, serves as a symbolic representation; it conveys David's sentiment that his foes not only stripped him of his possessions but also reveled in their spoils, much like conquerors who either seize wealth or draw lots to determine the allocation of valuables. By likening his hard-earned belongings to his garments, David laments that his enemies, having robbed him, shamelessly appropriated them as if they were a prize to be claimed after their triumph. This act magnifies the disgraceful behavior of his foes, who exulted over him as if he were already lifeless.

Christ the Savior was stripped and nailed to the cross, allowing His untainted body to be fully exposed. While the soldiers threw dice for His garments, the irreverent Jews, witnessing the crucified Christ, failed to recognize Him as their Benefactor and Creator.