THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN - Chapter 19 - Verse 23

Verse 23. 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 laboured or walked it was girded about the loins. See Barnes "Mt 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. iii. ch. 8, 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 Jesus, the great High-priest of his people, had also a coat made in a similar manner. Comp. Ex 39:22.

{1} "woven" or, "wrought" {t} "from the top throughout" Ex 39:22