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The Seamless Garment of Jesus

The History and Symbolism of Jesus’ Tunic

The Seamless Garment of Jesus

Note: This information has been compiled using a variety of sources including the following articles:


 

Introduction

Jesus went to Calvary wearing a seamless undergarment or tunic (“coat” KJV), woven from top to bottom, beneath His outer garments (John 19:23). John sees great significance in this seamless garment because he states in 19:23 that it was “seamless” and, at the end of 19:23, that it was “in one piece” (διʼ ὅλου), though the latter is not obvious in all English translations (e.g. “woven from the top throughout” KJV). It certainly was a unique garment, because the tunic worn daily by men and women in Israel was not seamless but made of two pieces of fabric sewn together.


This garment is recognized by various names: the Seamless Robe of Jesus, the Holy Robe, Holy Tunic, Holy Coat, Honorable Robe, and Chiton of the Lord. For centuries, this revered relic has been a source of profound devotion, intense crusades, and enduring mystery.


The devotion surrounding this garment has inspired countless believers to seek it out, to venerate it, and to use it as a focal point for prayer and reflection. Throughout history, the pursuit of the Seamless Robe has led to numerous expeditions and crusades, often fueled by the belief that possessing or coming into contact with the garment could bring miraculous blessings or divine favor. One of the most notable historical events associated with this garment is the Fourth Crusade in the early 13th century, where the search for sacred relics, including the Holy Robe, became a significant motivation for many knights and soldiers. This relentless quest not only shaped the spiritual landscape of the time but also influenced political alliances and conflicts, as the garment was seen as a powerful symbol of faith and divine protection.


Does the garment still exist today, and what is its significance?

 

Symbolism

John does not explain the symbolism of the seamless garment but leaves it up to the reader to interpret. Historically, it is often taken to symbolize the unity of the Church, and certainly tearing a garment by a prophet was seen as a sign of disunity (see 1 Kings 11:29–33). Theologians have interpreted the seamless garment to illustrate the unity of the doctrine of Jesus Christ. They believe that even though the body of Christ has divided its teachings into various categories, such as the commandments, the Trinity, atonement, repentance, etc., they are all one with Jesus Christ as the unifying factor. Scholars believe that the seamless garment of Jesus symbolizes the different parts of the Christian doctrine and how they work together. It illustrates how aspects of the Bible combine into a unified version.


Some scholars note that clothes are symbolic of character and behavior. In this regard, it is believed that the seamless garment that Jesus wore shows the character of Jesus as pure, seamless, perfect, and integrated. Interestingly, this same seamless garment is the only item of clothing Jesus wore as He washed the feet of His disciples (John 13:4), an act of humility and selfless love.


Another powerful symbolization is that the seamless garment represents Jesus’ priesthood, the transfiguration of the Levitical priesthood. Admittedly, this is not without difficulties because of the word chitōn (χιτών), which John uses in 19:23 to describe Jesus’ garment. The high priest wore two full length garments, the tunic / undergarment worn by all priests and, additionally, his priestly robe (or the ephod). Chitōn is the word in the Greek Old Testament (Septuagint) for the tunic/undergarment worn by all priests, while a different word, hypodytēs (ὑποδύτης), is usually the word for the priestly robe. However, the perceived difficulties can be reconciled.


Firstly, consider the wider context in John’s Gospel. Although the letter to the Hebrews explicitly describes Jesus as high priest, the Gospel of John also applies priestly theology to Jesus. Therefore, it would not be out of place in John to expect to see priestly associations in Jesus’ Passion.


Secondly, it would have been impossible for Jesus to wear a high priest’s robe on the way to the cross because He himself would never have been able to enter the priests’ courtyard in the temple and no priest would ever remove the high priest’s robe from its place inside the temple. The most John could do is make an association between the way Jesus went dressed to the cross and the priestly garment of the high priest. How does John do this? The word hypodytēs in the Greek Old Testament (Septuagint) for the high priest’s robe literally means an undergarment, because it was worn under the high priest’s ephod. Jesus’ tunic was the garment He wore under His other clothes, which the soldiers took from Him first (John 19:23). Those who doubt the priestly symbolism in Jesus’ tunic in John 19:23 associate Jesus’ tunic with the high priest’s tunic (chitōn) rather than the high priest’s robe (hypodytēs). However, associating Jesus’ chitōn in John 19:23 with the hypodytēs or high priestly robe is appropriate because Jesus wore his tunic under his other garments and the high priest wore his hypodytēs under the ephod.


Thirdly, John 19:23 tells us Jesus’ tunic was seamless, and although the Old Testament does not tell us the high priest’s robe was seamless, Josephus does: “Now 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.”[1] The mere fact that the daily tunic worn by everyone and the tunic worn by the high priest under his priestly robe are also called chitōn does not compel us to associate Jesus’ garment with them. It makes more sense to associate Jesus’ seamless garment instead with the high priest’s robe, which was also seamless.


Fourthly, John 19:24 tells us that the soldiers did not tear Jesus’ robe. Exodus 28:32 (also Exodus 39:23; Leviticus 10:6, 21:10) forbade the tearing of the high priest’s robe. Since everyone in Israel wore a chitōn daily, saying Jesus went to his Passion wearing a chitōn would not have special significance, but saying that Jesus went to his Passion wearing a chitōn having qualities like the robe of the high priest (seamless) allows us to see it containing symbolism associating it with the high priest’s garment.


Fifthly, John points out another quality of Jesus’ tunic in 19:23: it was woven from top to bottom, anōthen (ἄνωθεν). This word anōthen has great significance when used elsewhere in John. In John 3:31, Jesus is the One who comes from above (anōthen), and in 19:11, Pilate would have no power over Jesus were it not given him from above (anōthen). Both Matthew 27:51 and Mark 15:38 tell us the curtain in the temple was torn in two from top to bottom (anōthen) when Jesus died. These usages of the word anōthen indicate divine origin: Pilate’s power has been given him by God and the curtain in the temple is torn by God. Surely it is not by chance that John 19:23 tells us Jesus’ chitōn was woven from top to bottom (anōthen). This garment is not just any garment but is drawing attention to some divine connection.

 

Casting Lots – A Fulfillment of Prophecy

The specific prophecy dated c. 1000 B.C, says, “They divide my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots” (Psalm 22:18). The specific fulfillment, dated A.D. 33, is this: "So they said to one another, ‘Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it, to decide whose it shall be’; this was to fulfill the Scripture: ‘They divided My outer garments among them, and for My clothing they cast lots’” (John 19:23, 24).


All four Gospel writers mentioned that the quaternion, the four-man detail, of soldiers that was given the responsibility of crucifying Jesus divided up His effects among themselves (Matthew 27:35, 36; Mark 15:24; Luke 23:34; John 19:23, 24). The Gospel of John supplies more information about this fact than the other three Gospels. John tells how the soldiers divided Jesus’ clothes, explains why lots were cast, and says that the prophecy in Psalm 22:18 was fulfilled by what was done. The other Gospels only say that lots were cast, and His clothes were divided among the soldiers.


The soldiers who had been given the grisly task of executing the condemned men were granted the right of taking whatever clothes or articles the victims possessed at the time of their execution. Although not explicitly stated in the Scriptures, considering the customs and culture of the times, it is reasonable to believe that Jesus arrived at Golgotha wearing five articles of clothing. His outer garments consisted of four pieces of clothing; for the scarlet robe had been removed after the final period of mockery, when the soldiers put Jesus back into the clothes He had been wearing at the time of His arrest (see Matthew 27:31). Therefore, at Golgotha, He was wearing a turban, His belt, a cloak, and sandals. His undergarment was a seamless, one-piece tunic.


The soldiers had no problem dividing up the four outer garments that He was wearing. Each one chose the item he wanted, and that was that. The way Matthew, Mark, and Luke describe the scene neither proves nor disproves that the soldiers gambled for each piece of the outer garments. The pieces would not have been of equal value, but the distribution of them seems to have presented no difficulty for the soldiers.


However, the tunic was a different matter. Being a remarkable piece, woven from top to bottom, it presented two problems to the soldiers. First, it was without seams. How could each of the four men have a share of it? They could not divide it up according to the seams, for it had none. Second, if it were cut into pieces, it would be ruined. According to John, the soldiers resolved their dilemma by agreeing to cast lots for it. In this way, whoever won the lottery would receive the entire, uncut, and unmarred tunic.


John wrote that when the soldiers looked at the seamless tunic and noticed its beauty and rarity, they said to each other, “Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it, to decide whose it shall be” (John 19:24a). After deciding how they would determine who would get the tunic, they proceeded to cast lots for it. Their casting lots was an inconsequential deed to the soldiers. To John, it was of great significance. He saw in it an important fulfillment of an Old Testament prophecy. He declared through inspiration by the Holy Spirit that this was done “to fulfill the Scripture” (John 19:24). For even greater clarity and emphasis on the prophecy that had been fulfilled in the actions of the soldiers, he quoted verbatim from the Septuagint (LXX) version of the Old Testament Scriptures: “They divided My outer garments among them, and for My clothing they cast lots.” John refers to every detail of the prophecy except its location in the Old Testament, in Psalm 22. It is verse 18 of that graphic Messianic psalm. We should take care not to overlook this seemingly unimportant detail of the crucifixion. It helps us to gain an understanding of the whole scope of divine prophecy.


(1) It reminds us anew of the accuracy of divine prophecy.


Two types of prophecies are easily identified by the student of the Scriptures. The first one is the name prophecy — a prophecy in which the name of a person or a place makes up the central part of the prediction. An example is in Micah 5:2, where Micah foretold that the city of Bethlehem would be the birthplace of the Messiah. Those who carefully studied the Old Testament Scriptures in the first century recognized this prophecy and its fulfillment. When asked by Herod, the chief priests and the scribes pointed to Bethlehem as the place of the Messiah’s birth (Matthew 2:4–6). Herod gave this information to the wise men, who in turn, acted on the information.

 

The second type of prophecy is the specific prophecy. It, too, is easily recognized. This kind of prophecy contains two or more specifics, although it does not contain any names. Its multiple details must be present in its fulfillment for us to say that the prophecy has actually come to pass. The prophecy of David from Psalm 22, as referred to by John, falls into this second category. It is a prophecy containing at least two specifics. First, David said, “They divide my garments among them.” According to John, this part of the prophecy related to the four articles of His outer garments — the turban, belt, cloak, and sandals. Second, David said, “And for my clothing they cast lots.” John said this part of the prophecy was in relation to the seamless undergarment. Since the soldiers could not divide it, they cast lots over it to determine who would keep it.


If David’s prophecy was intended as a synonymous parallelism, then the thought of the first line of the prophecy is repeated in the second line, in different words. If it was written as a synthetic parallelism, then the second line adds a new thought to the first line. Regardless of the type of parallelism that was used by the poet, two thoughts were foretold: the dividing of Jesus’ clothes and the casting of lots for His clothes.


In Psalm 22, David vividly described in his prayer a great trial he was undergoing. He was praying to God concerning his bewildering situation. He pictured his predicament in elevated, hyperbolic language —that is, with exaggerated emphasis — but the Holy Spirit used the description as a literal prophecy concerning the death of Jesus. The picture of David’s extreme and violent circumstances foreshadowed the actual crucifixion of Jesus. Our Lord literally experienced what David figuratively imagined that he was going through. In a careful study of this prophecy, one cannot miss the fact that Psalm 22:18 was completely fulfilled in Jesus’ death.


(2) This prophecy also declares the commonness of divine prophecy.


It shows the characteristic of earthliness that is sometimes present in the fulfillment of God’s predictions. Often, He chooses the everyday deeds, the unplanned and common activities of people, as the setting and events through which His prophecies come to pass. These soldiers — having no idea that they were part of God’s designs — went about their normal work of implementing an execution. What they did was routine to them. Perhaps they joked about who got what as they divided the outer garments. When they came to the seamless undergarment, they paused to recognize its beauty; beyond that, it was business as usual. After deciding on what to do with the tunic, they gambled over it and gave it to the winner. These men were unaware that they were fulfilling a prophecy made centuries before. They did not know that their actions had been written into the divine record by David or that they were proving that God overrules in all things to fulfill His will.

 

God uses His servants, people of notoriety, and sometimes national events to confirm His eternal purposes. As we see in this episode beneath the cross, He can also make His great evidences known through the common, everyday activities of nameless men.

 

(3) This prophecy declares the richness of the divine Scriptures.


How full and robust divine prophecy is! Evidence of fulfilled prophecy brings assurance and confidence in the integrity of God and of the Scriptures. Joseph P. Free, in his book Archaeology and Bible History,[2] cited Canon Liddon as saying that there are 332 distinct prophecies in the Old Testament that have been literally fulfilled in Christ. Regarding the death of Jesus, these prophecies told with whom He would be crucified (Isaiah 53:9), when He would be crucified (Daniel 9:25, 26), minute details of His death (Psalm 22:18), the spirit He would manifest in His death (Isaiah 53:7), and the purpose of His crucifixion (Isaiah 53:4, 5). They also alluded to His resurrection (see Psalm 16:9). Meditating upon these prophecies and their fulfillments undergirds our faith and confirms the reliability of God’s promises.


Floyd E. Hamilton declared in his day that “the mathematical probability that these [332 predictions] would all be fulfilled would be represented by a fraction having one for the numerator and eighty-four followed by ninety-seven ciphers [zeros] as the denominator!”[3] In other words, since Jesus fulfilled all these prophecies, it is preposterous to think that He could be anyone other than the Christ. God has not only given us proof, but He has given us abundant, substantial proof that Jesus Christ is His Son.


The implication of this small event of the dividing up of Jesus’ clothes beneath the cross must not escape our notice. In the context of His Son’s death at Calvary, God was saying through this fulfillment of the prophecy, “All who pass by this scene should look, listen, and take notice — for something is happening here that towers above all the events of history and all the events of the future. Here, before the eyes of the world, the second member of the Godhead is dying for the sins of all humanity!”

 

Questions

Who made Jesus’ seamless garment? (Where did Jesus get His seamless garment?)

Tradition speculates that it was Mary, the mother of Jesus, who made the seamless garment of Jesus. Some scholars teach that according to Jewish tradition, Jewish mothers made such garments for their sons. These garments were given to sons as a last gift before going out to face the challenges of the world on their own.


Another theory proposes that Jesus wore a priestly undergarment [Hebrew ketonet] made by John the Baptist’s mother Elizabeth, the wife of Zechariah, a Levitical priest. (See the section A Hebraic Perspective for more details.)

 

What type of fabric was used for Jesus’ seamless garment?

There is limited information about the original material of the garment that Jesus wore. The Bible in John 19:23 states that the garment was seamless and woven in one piece, however, it does not describe the material used to weave the garment.


Information about priestly garment is found in the Old Testament. The four garments worn by the High Priest on the Day of Atonement (and by ordinary priests year-round) are the tunic, pants, the turban and the belt (Leviticus 16:4; Exodus 28:40-42). These garments are made from white flax; hence their designation "the white garments."

 

What ultimately happened to the seamless garment Jesus wore?

The Bible indicates that the seamless garment that Jesus wore during His crucifixion was taken by one of the soldiers after casting lots among themselves. The question of whether the garment still exists remains a topic of debate among historians, theologians, and archaeologists. Some believe that it was lost or destroyed during the tumultuous events of history, while others claim that it has been preserved in hidden locations, waiting to be rediscovered.


Various relics and garments have been claimed to be the true Seamless Robe over the centuries, each accompanied by its own narratives and legends, adding layers to the enduring mystery. One tradition places it in Germany in the Cathedral of Trier, another places it in Argenteuil's Basilique Saint-Denys, and several traditions claim that it is now in various Eastern Orthodox churches, notably Svetitskhoveli Cathedral in Mtskheta, Georgia.


The Trier tradition implies that Helena, the mother of Constantine the Great, discovered the seamless garment in the Holy Land in the year 327 or 328. One version of the story suggests that she bequeathed the garment to someone. Another version of the same tradition claims that she sent the garment to the city of Trier in Germany, where Constantine had lived for some years before becoming emperor. In early 1196, Archbishop Johann I of Trier is said to have consecrated an altar that contained the seamless garment.[4] The relic is normally kept folded in a reliquary and cannot be directly viewed by the public. In 1512, Emperor Maximilian I demanded to see the garment which was kept in the Cathedral. The altar which enshrined the garment was opened, and the garment exhibited. The people of Trier also desired to see the garment, and soon after, people all over the world traveled to view the garment. The garment, which is at the Cathedral of Trier, is displayed at irregular intervals since the 16th Century. 


The Argenteuil tradition claims that Empress Irene gave the seamless garment to Charlemagne as a gift in about the year 800. Charlemagne then gave it to his daughter, Theocrate, an abbess of Argenteuil [5] where it was preserved in the church of the Benedictines. In 1793, the parish priest, fearing that the garment would be desecrated in the French Revolution, cut it into pieces, and hid them in separate places. Only four of the pieces remain. The remaining pieces were moved to Basilica of Saint Denis in Argenteuil, Paris in 1895 and currently reside there.


The Eastern Orthodox Church has also preserved a tradition regarding the seamless garment of Jesus. According to the tradition of the Georgian Orthodox Church, the chiton was acquired by a Jewish rabbi from Georgia named Elioz (Elias), who was present in Jerusalem at the time of the crucifixion and bought the garment from a soldier. He brought it with him when he returned to his native town of Mtskheta, Georgia, where it is preserved to this day beneath a crypt in the Patriarchal Svetitskhoveli Cathedral. The feast day in honor of the "Chiton of the Lord" is celebrated on October 1.

 

The Caiaphas Connection

"62 And the high priest arose, and said unto him, Answerest thou nothing? what is it which these witness against thee? 63 But Jesus held his peace. And the high priest answered and said unto him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God. 64 Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven. 65 Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, He hath spoken blasphemy; what further need have we of witnesses? behold, now ye have heard his blasphemy.” - Matthew 26:62-65


As Jesus was questioned by Caiaphas (Matthew 26:57-68) and heard the testimony of the false witnesses, He remained silent fulfilling a prophecy in Isaiah 53:7. Jesus remained silent until He was put under the oath of swearing (Matthew 26:63; Leviticus 5:1) and was bound by law to answer. If Jesus does not answer when Caiaphas puts Him under this oath, it would be a transgression against the Law, but Jesus knew no sin (2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 Peter 2:22). Jesus answered by quoting from Psalm 110: “Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.” (Matthew 26:64; Psalm 110:1)


By quoting the opening verse to this psalm, Jesus was also referring to all the verses that follow it. This same Messianic Psalm says, “The LORD hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.” (Psalm 110:4) Jesus’ answer acknowledged He was the long awaited Messiah, the Son of God, the rightful King to the throne of David, and the rightful High Priest.


Upon hearing these words, Caiaphas tears his seamless, priestly garment (Matthew 26:65), an act strictly prohibited (Exodus 28:32, 39:23; Leviticus 10:6, 21:10) and suggesting that his priestly office had lost its authority. Was God signaling the end of the Aaronic priesthood through the High Priest Caiaphas when he tore his priestly garment? Is it merely coincidental that just a few hours later, Jesus is on His way to the cross wearing a seamless garment that would not be torn?

 

The Ripped Veil

“37 And Jesus cried with a loud voice, and gave up the ghost. 38 And the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom.” - Mark 15:37-38


This detail of the torn veil is unique to the synoptic Gospels (Matthew 27:50-51; Mark 15:37-38; Luke 23:45). Both in the Tabernacle and the Temple, a veil separated the Most Holy Place from the Holy Place (Exodus 26:31-34; Hebrews 9:1-9) signifying that man was separated from God by sin (Isaiah 59:1-2). No one was allowed to go beyond the veil into the Most Holy Place with one exception – only the high priest was permitted to pass beyond this veil one day each year on the Day of Atonement (Exodus 30:10; Hebrews 9:7).


The ripped veil signified that all believers now have direct access to God’s presence. We no longer depend upon an Old Testament High Priest under the Levitical Law because now Jesus Christ is our High Priest (Hebrews 4:14-16, 10:19-22). Hebrew customs tell us that the veil was known as the “hem of God’s garment.”[6] When the veil of the Temple was torn in two, it is significant as of a “rending of a garment.” It was as if God tore His garment when His Son died, but even in the sorrow, He made a way for us to enter the Holy of Holies through the torn veil.

 

A Hebraic Perspective

Messiah is come to reveal a greater priesthood, an eternal priesthood that has existed in Him before the foundations of the world (Psalm 110:4; Hebrews 7:17).


“23 Then the Roman soldiers, when they had crucified [driven stakes into] (stauroo[G]) Yeshua[H], took His outer garments and divided them into four shares, a share to each soldier and the undergarment (chiton[G], ketonet[H]) remained; now the undergarment (chiton[G], ketonet[H]) was seamless, woven as one piece.” - Yochanan (John) 19:23 


The outer garments were of lesser value and were divided among the Roman soldiers four ways, thus four items of outer clothing. The seamless undergarment was unique, the work of a skilled seamstress and a rare priestly item. The Roman soldiers recognized this, so rather than tear it they chose to gamble for it.


The seamless priestly undergarment (ketonet[H]) connects Yeshua to numerous prefigures for Messiah which are found in the Tanakh (OT).


We recall that Yeshua had washed the feet of His disciples as a sign of their preparation as priests in the order of His resurrected and transcendent eternal priesthood (Hebrews 7:11-28). Yeshua was wearing only the seamless garment mentioned here as He washed the feet of His disciples (John 13:4). Thus, Yeshua the Kohen HaGadol (High Priest) prepared His priests (disciples) to minister the good news of His present and coming Kingdom to the Jewish people first perpetually and also to the nations (all humanity) [Romans 1:16].


The Katenot (fem. plural of ketonet) as Atoning Garments of Skin (A Pre-figure for Messiah’s Sacrifice):


“For Adam and his wife YHVH Elohim made katenot (undergarments) of skins (animal hide) to cloth them.” - Bereishit (Genesis) 3:21


The Ketonet of Joseph (As a Pre-figure for the Priestly Garment of Messiah):


“Now Israel (Jacob) loved Yoseph more than any of his other children because he was the son of his old age, so he made for him an ketonet (undergarment) of pasiym [palms] (plural form of the palm of the hand or base of the foot).” - Bereishit (Genesis) 37:23


*Note that the Hebrew text of Genesis 37:23 does not say that Joseph’s coat (ketonet) was “of many colours” as numerous English translations convey, rather the Hebrew pasiym is a plural form of the word pas meaning palm of the hand or base of the foot. Thus the proper reading in English would be:


“he made him (Joseph) a long sleeved tunic that reached to his feet”.


“And they took Yoseph’s ketonet (undergarment) and slaughtered a kid goat and dipped the ketonet (undergarment) in the blood.” -Bereishit (Genesis) 37:31


The Ketonet of Aaron & Sons - Priests (As Pre-figures For Messiah):


“And these are the garments they shall make; a breastplate and an ephod and a robe, and a woven ketonet (undergarment)…” -Shemot (Exodus) 28:4 (Ex. 28:39, 40; 29:5, 8; 39:27; Lev. 8:7, 13; 10:5; 16:4)


Some may ask, “Why is the connection between the priesthood of Israel and Yeshua so important?” It is important because Messiah is come to reveal a greater priesthood, an eternal priesthood that has existed in Him before the foundations of the world (Psalm 110:4; Hebrews 7:17). This greater priesthood must transition within time and space from the Aaronic priesthood of Israel, not to make the Levitical priesthood redundant, but to cause the Levitical priesthood to fulfill its purpose and reveal the Kohen HaGadol (High Priest) and Messiah Yeshua as the ultimate intermediary.


Yochanan the Immerser (John the Baptist) the Son of Zechariah was a true Levite and a legitimate priest, unlike the illegitimate (bought off by the Roman authorities) priests Annas and Caiaphas. For all intents and purposes, Yochanan the Immerser (John the Baptist) was a rightful heir to the priesthood of Israel. Therefore, Yochanan the Immerser was given authority by God to transfer the priesthood of Aaron onto the King Messiah. Only in this way could the roles of King of Judah (in the line of David) and High Priest be combined in One Man. The act of transference was symbolically performed by Yochanan the Immerser at the tevilah (immersion/baptism) of Yeshua.


All High Priests of Israel throughout the generations must prepare themselves by washing to approach the Lord God to make atonement for the sins of Israel. Yeshua Who is sinless need not be immersed (baptised) for repentance, washing clean, or for any other sin related reason, thus when Yeshua said of His immersion (baptism) “Let it happen now, for in this way it is fitting for us to fulfil all righteousness.” (Matt 3:15), what He meant by “All righteousness” was to ritually wash Him as Priest of priests and make way for His sacrificial death and life-giving resurrection and the means by which all who receive Him can be made righteous through His blood”. This symbolic act of washing (baptism) revealed Yeshua as rightful and eternal Kohen HaGadol (High Priest) and Melekh HaY’hudiym (King of the Jews), Melekh Hamelekhiym (King of kings). Thus, Yeshua united the priesthood and kingship of Israel and showed Himself to be the King Messiah.


Therefore, it was right that Yeshua had been given a priestly undergarment [ketonet] (probably made for Him by Yochanan’s mother Elisheva [Elisabeth: My God blesses sevenfold/makes an oath], a wife of a Levitical priest [Zechariah John the Baptist’s father]).


The King’s Ketonet in Song of Songs (Prophetic of Messiah’s Crucifixion):


“I have put off my ketonet (undergarment); how shall I put it on, I have washed my feet how shall I defile them?” -Shir HaShiriym (Song of Songs) 5:3


Eliyakiym [My God Raises Up] Clothed with the Priestly Garment Ketonet (As Pre-figure for Messiah)


“20 And it shall come to pass in that day, that I will call my servant Eliyakiym (My God Raises Up) the son of Hilkiyah (My Portion is YHVH): 21 And I will clothe him with your ketonet (undergarment) [kutanetecha], and strengthen him with thy belt, and I will commit thy government into his hand: and he shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to the house of Judah. 22 And the key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder; so he shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open (ref. Rev.3:8). 23 And I will fasten him as a nail in a sure place; and he shall be for a glorious throne to his father's house. 24 And they shall hang upon him all the glory of his father's house, the offspring and the issue, all vessels of small quantity, from the vessels of cups, even to all the vessels of flagons. 25 In that day, says YHVH Tzevaot (Who goes warring), shall the nail that is fastened in the sure place be removed, and be cut down, and fall; and the burden that was upon it shall be cut off: for the Lord hath spoken it.” -Yishayahu (Isaiah) 22:20-25


“24 So they said to one another, “Let us not tear it, but cast lots (throw dice) for it, to decide whose it will be”; this was to fulfil the Writing (Graphe[G], Ketuv[H]: specifically a book from the Ketuvim/Writings of the TaNaKH [Hebrew bible]) “They divided My outer garments among them, and for My clothing they cast lots [Psalm 22:18(19)].” - Yochanan (John) 19:24


Yochanan (John) explains that by dividing Yeshua’s priestly undergarment the Roman soldiers fulfilled Psalm 22. In Mark’s gospel 15:34 Yeshua quotes the beginning of this same Psalm, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken me?” Psalm 22 is quoted directly and implicitly alluded to throughout the New Testament making it one of the most important Messianic Psalms.


Conclusion

The true significance of the seamless garment of Jesus extends beyond its physical existence. It serves as a powerful symbol of faith, unity, and the divine nature of Christ.


For many, it represents the ultimate sacrifice and the profound love that Jesus demonstrated through His life and death. As such, the garment continues to inspire devotion and reflection, reminding believers of the spiritual truths that transcend time and culture.


The seamless robe of Jesus is not merely a historical artifact; it is a living testament to the faith and devotion of countless individuals across generations. Its various names and the stories surrounding it encapsulate the deep reverence held for this garment, making it a pivotal element in the narrative of Christianity. The ongoing quest for its existence and understanding of its significance ensures that the legacy of the seamless garment will endure for future generations.


Endnotes


[1] Flavius Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews Book III, Chapter 7 § 4

[2] Joseph P. Free, Archaeology and Bible History (Wheaton, Ill.: Scripture Press Publications, 1969), 284.

[3] Floyd E. Hamilton, The Basis of Christian Faith, 3d rev. ed. (New York: Harper & Brothers, 1946), 156–57.

[4] Article Is This The Actual Robe Of Jesus Christ? by George Ryan (https://ucatholic.com/blog/is-this-the-actual-robe-of-jesus-christ/ retrieved on 06/05/2023)

[5] Joe Nickell, Relics of the Christ (University Press of Kentucky, 2007) 104. (ISBN 978-0-8131-2425-4)

[6] Watchman’s Prayer Letter, July 2014 (http://english.shalomoswiecim.pl/files/WPL-0714.pdf retrieved on 06/06/2023)

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