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NASB | Matthew 27:35 ¶ And when they had crucified Him, they divided up His garments among themselves by casting lots. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Matthew 27:35 ¶ And when they had crucified Him, they divided His clothes among them by casting lots. [Ps 22:18] |
Subject: Was Jesus crucified naked? |
Bible Note: It was Roman custom to crucify criminals naked, as a method of further humiliation. But I do not see where this was a steadfast rule. It would be very inappropriate to portray Him naked on the cross in public such as in a Catholic Church - even though it could possibly be more accurate. But the fact remains that we just don't know for sure. Edersheim cites Sanhedrin vi.3.4 that in Jewish executions by stoning, "the criminal was undressed, only the covering absolutely necessary for decency being left." While he concedes that Jesus was executed by Romans, not Jews, he feels that "every concession would be made to Jewish custom" and thus Jesus would have been spared the indignity of exposure as being "truly un-Jewish." (fn1) This means the Jews would have been extremely scandalized if He'd been on such a display naked, and makes it possible for Him to be wearing a loin cloth of some kind at the least. This is how I prefer to visualize the scene in my own mind, but I don't think that it really matters. The most important thing, which is the only important thing, -is that by His death and resurrection He conquered death and offered us eternal life. Whether He was naked or not really doesn't matter a bag of beans to me. (fn1) Edersheim, Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah, 2:584. |