Soldiers Gambled for His garment

When the Messiah was being crucified on the cross, the women who followed Jesus were watching from afar with tears and lamentation while the Jewish leaders were rejoicing on seeing the Messiah on the cross, and the soldiers gambling for His garments. These people did not realize that what they were doing was actually fulfilling what the Scriptures said in the Old Testament books. How perfect the plan of God was, as can be seen from all these events being fulfilled and recorded for us!

The Psalmist ten centuries before Christ came in the form of a servant was able to note down the events that will occur during the crucifixion of Christ on Calvary. He said, “They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture” (Ps. 22:18). The Omniscience God revealed this truth through the inspiration of the Holy Ghost given the Psalmist and through the Omnipotence of God fulfilled this prophecy as recorded in the four gospels. In particular Matthew recorded the account of the crucifixion of Christ in Matthew 27:35 “And they crucified him, and parted his garments, casting lots: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, They parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots.” Thus, the gambling for the garments of Jesus was no doubt a fulfillment of the prophecy of David in the book of Psalm.

David expressed the condition of the Messiah in His first coming as the poor Servant of God. His last garment of earthly possession was gambled for the soldiers. Thus, when He came to this world He was absolutely poor in order that those who believed in Him might be rich. As Lockyer rightly added, “The clothes Jesus wore were His only possession in the world, yet even these were taken from Him. Those coarse, heartless soldiers might have had the decency to leave His seamless robe to hide His emaciated body.”

His Prayer for His Enemies

The love of God toward sinners is revealed in the person of Jesus Christ. What the Lord had required of man had been accomplished and fulfilled by Jesus Christ on behalf of sinners. He kept all the commandments of God and led a holy life despite the sinful world which surrounded Him. Whichever commandment the first Adam had failed to keep, had been perfectly kept by the Messiah even unto death on the cross. He was obedient and faithful to finish His course and mission as His Father commended Him. This act of obedience is often called the Active and Passive obedience of Christ.

One proof that shows the endurance of Jesus Christ to finish His course is seen clearly while He was still hung on the cross. Despite the excruciating pain He bore on the cross, He gave Himself unto prayer for those enemies that were still waiting for His death. There was not a thought of revenge in His heart, but rather He saw the sinfulness and the sorrow of those enemies, living without God and obeying God. He prayed to His Father saying, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34). As Lockyer rightly said, "For the pains Jesus received, He responded with prayers for those who ill-treated Him; He met indignities with intercession, suffering with supplication. He had taught His disciples to pray for those who would despitefully treat them: and at the Cross, He practiced what He had preached. What incomparable magnanimity! . . . He never paid people back in their own coin. He overcame evil with good. It takes much grace to kiss the hand that wounds. Retaliation was not in our Lord’s vocabulary."

How great the love of God toward sinners is! The intercessional prayer He offered to His father revealed that He had a very earnest longing for His persecutors to have another chance to repent of their sins. Jesus knew without this opportunity, His enemies would never taste victorious living and have eternal life. They will be lost in their sins and die without knowing their Messiah. This act of offering intercessional prayer was clearly predicted by the Psalmist when he said “For my love they are my adversaries: but I give myself unto prayer” (Ps. 109:4).

He is given Vinegar and Gall

When the Lord Jesus Christ was hung on the cross, hatred and mockery toward Him never ceased. His enemies were not satisfied spiting and smiting Him while He was in their hands, they continued expressing their hatred even when He was on the cross.

For six hours Christ was hanging on the cross with His wounded body facing the heart of the sun. How terrible the pain that He bore must have been to pay the penalty for our sins! It was at this time that He spoke His last words in a loud voice saying, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani” (Mark 15:35), as an expression of the great pain He experienced. When the soldiers heard Him crying, one of them gave Him a sponge full of vinegar to drink (Mark 15:36; Matt 27:34). How painful it must have been when the vinegar flowed from His mouth onto His wounded body for He could not drink. Nonetheless soon after this event, Jesus “cried with the loud voice and gave up the ghost” (v.37). He died a very terrible death.

Again, nothing is accidental in the life of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Psalmist records this terrible real event saying, “They gave me also gall for my meat; and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink” (Ps. 69:21). Based on this study, it is important to take note what John the apostle said concerning the prophecy about this event. Calvin put it in another way, "But still the Apostle John justly declares that this Scripture was fulfilled when the soldiers gave Christ vinegar to drink upon the cross (John xix:28-30;) for it was requisite that whatever cruelty the reprobate exercise towards the members of Christ, should by a visible sign be represented in Christ himself."

He is Scorned and Mocked

Another prophecy of the Old Testament concerning the crucifixion of Jesus Christ on the cross reveals that the Messiah was scorned and mocked by the people. It was during the crucifixion, His enemies mocked Him saying, “He saved others; let him save himself, if he be Christ, the chosen of God” (Luke 23:35), “If thou be the king of the Jews, save thyself” (v. 37), “If thou be Christ, save thyself and us” (v.39). Nevertheless the mockeries that Jesus heard while He was hung on the cross did not cause Him to hate or think about revenge. His love toward them never changed.

The pain, suffering and mockery borne by Jesus caused some to have sympathy toward Him. Luke records that a great company of people including women that followed Christ on His way to Calvary, bewailed and lamented Jesus (Luke 23:27). But Jesus knew that it was not necessary for them to lament for Him but rather for themselves and their children (Luke 23:28). The Lord Jesus was prepared by the Father to bear all pains, mockeries and insults in order to fulfill the prophecies given in the scriptures.

The book of Psalm records the prophecy of what happened to the Messiah while He was hung on the cross. “All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying, He trusted on the Lord that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him” (Ps. 22:7-8). The fulfillment of this prophecy could be seen in the life of Jesus as recorded in the four gospels. Hundreds of years before Christ came to this world, the Lord had recorded the things that He would do and undergo during His short life in this world.

He is Pierced through Hands and Feet (Ps. 22:16; ref. John 20:27)

The hatred of the enemies of Christ was so terrible and cruel. Their own Messiah sent by God to bring victory of salvation in their midst and they put him to death on the cross. They reckoned Him as one of the malefactors who deserve to be crucified. Nonetheless, the love of God toward His chosen people did not diminish. Despite their wickedness and rejection of their Master and King, God still has a special plan for the nation of Israel. The Lord Jesus Christ Himself, in His last words, asked His Father to forgive them for their wrong doings toward Him (Luke 34:34). His love never changed. He knew His mission was to fulfill what was written in the scriptures.

The prophecy given by God to the Psalmist must be fulfilled in the person of Jesus Christ. His hands and feet must be pierced as the Psalmist had said, “For dogs have compassed me; the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet” (Ps. 22:16). All these were done when the unbelieving Jews crucified Jesus Christ. They nailed His hands and feet to the cross and He died there with all the wounds, pain and suffering. Jesus endured all these things because of the love he had for sinners.

However it is important to take note that the death of Jesus is not an eternal death. Three days after His death, He was resurrected as often taught to His disciples concerning His resurrection. The power of death could not overcome Him. He defeated death with victory. He resurrected and revealed Himself to the people and His disciples.

The resurrection of Jesus Christ is real and not fictitious. Thomas, who did not believe in His resurrection, was convinced after the Lord Jesus Christ showed Himself to him. Jesus said, “Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing” (John 20:27). The scars on His hands and feet were proof of His suffering and death but He had resurrected from the dead.

He is Crucified with Malefactors (Is. 53:12; ref. Mark 15:27-28)

Another event prophesied in the Old Testament is the crucifixion of the Messiah together with the two malefactors. The prophet Isaiah saw once again the full suffering of Christ on the cross when he wrote in Isaiah 53:12 saying, “Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.” The Messiah, despite His holiness, living without sins and doing no wrong, was nailed on the cross. The Jews considered the punishment which Christ received to be of the same magnitude as those malefactors. Lockyer rightly opines, "The word Isaiah used for transgressors among whom Christ was numbered does not refer to the usual run of sinners, but to criminals, or those who were open transgressors of the law of God and man. Voluntarily He permitted Himself to be reckoned with male factors, and to all appearances as far as the mob was concerned, Jesus was a felon like His companions in death - perhaps considered a shade worse than the other two, as He was given the middle place."

How terrible His suffering was! He was so holy, living in this world, helping the weak and showing mercy to those who were distressed and oppressed. He taught the multitude to live according to the truth and the Law, but His enemies nailed Him on the cross. Nevertheless, it was done perfectly according to the prophecies given concerning Him in the Old Testament. Whatever the Lord had said concerning Him must be fulfilled. As Mark recorded, “And with him they crucify two thieves; the one on his right hand, and the other on his left. And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, And he was numbered with the transgressors” (Mark 15:27-28).