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Bible - NT - Matthew: Jesus’ garments

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Matthew gives a great deal attention to Jesus’ garments in his account of Jesus’ death. Clothing is stripped three times – first his normal clothes are stripped by the soldiers, then the scarlet robe is stripped, and then his normal clothes are stripped yet again, as the soldiers throw lots to inherit the clothing.

Jesus’ garments are not just garments. By touching the hem of His garment, the woman with the hemorrhage of blood was healed (9:20-21), and she wasn’t the only one (14:36). On the mount of Transfiguration, Jesus’ robe shines like the sun (17:2). Jesus’ clothing is not only a sign of His office, but a tool of His ministry. It represents the healing glory that envelops Him, the Spirit by which the Father clothed Him at His baptism.

Jesus is a new Joseph. His Father gives Him wondrous garments, but in His Passion His “brothers” strip those garments from Him and turn Him over to “Egypt.” He is also Israel stripped for exile, Israel stripped to the nakedness of slavery. But He goes to exile in Egypt for the sake of His brothers, to rise to glory and to feed His hungry people, and all the nations.

It’s often said that there is not explicit “Joseph typology” in the NT. But Matthew’s attention to Jesus’ robes suggests otherwise.

posted by Peter J. Leithart on Friday, March 5, 2010 at 5:48 am

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Bible - NT - Matthew: Jesus’ garments

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