John 19:23-24

DISCOURSE: 1723
CASTING LOTS FOR OUR LORD’S VESTURE

John 19:23. Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took his garments, and made four parts, to every soldier a part; and also his coat: now the coat teas without seam, woven from the top throughout. They said therefore among themselves, Let us not rend it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be: that the Scripture might be fulfilled, which saith, They parted my raiment among them, and for my vesture they did cast lots. These things therefore the soldiers did.

ON reading the history of our blessed Lord, we cannot but be struck with the extreme simplicity with which the most important circumstances of it are related. The historians never go out of their way to impress things on our minds; but leave truth to speak for itself. Even when they come to the last scene of his life, where we might have expected them to dilate upon his sufferings in order to affect our hearts, they pass over the whole transaction without a comment, and content themselves with barely mentioning the fact, that “he was crucified.” But, while they seem almost unfeeling towards their Divine Master, they specify very minutely those occurrences which marked the accomplishment of prophecy: and, as if indifferent about the agonies which he was enduring, they descend to tell us, how the soldiers who had nailed him to the cross occupied themselves in the disposal of his garments. We should be ready to disregard this record as uninteresting and uninstructive: but no circumstance that took place at that time should be uninteresting to us; nor will this, if duly considered, be uninstructive. On the contrary, this very record will give us an insight into some of the deepest points that can be offered to our consideration.
It will give us an insight into,

I. The nature of prophecy—

[Prophecy springs not from man’s conjectures, but from a Divine revelation [Note: 2 Peter 1:21.]. The prophets, so far from being the source and authors of their own predictions, could not even understand them, any farther than they were illuminated by that very Spirit by whose immediate agency they were inspired [Note: 1 Peter 1:10.]. In some cases they were not even conscious that they foretold any thing [Note: John 11:49.]. Perhaps this was the case much more frequently than is generally supposed. Through the greatest part of the psalm quoted in our text, David spake primarily respecting himself, though in some parts he was “moved by the Holy Ghost” to speak what had no reference at all but to the Messiah, whom he typified. That he did not understand his own expressions, we can have no doubt. He might perhaps be conscious that he was uttering that which should, in some way or other, have its accomplishment in the Messiah: but he had no clew in his own experience to lead him to the interpretation of his own words: he never had his “hands and feet pierced;” much less had he ever his garments disposed of in the way he mentions [Note: Psalms 22:16; Psalms 22:18.]. Why then, it may be said, did he so express himself, that nobody could understand him, till the event had actually taken place? We answer, it is of the very nature of prophecy to be obscure; yea, it is altogether essential to the designs of prophecy: for suppose a prophecy to be perfectly clear, the friends of religion would be ready to exert themselves to fulfil it, as the enemies of religion would be to counteract it. Thus, if it were not accomplished, the religion which it was to support would be called an imposture; and, if accomplished, its accomplishment would be considered as the effect only of human prudence. This is evident, from what actually took place in relation to the prophecies respecting the kingly office of Christ, and his resurrection. The people who saw that he could feed multitudes with very small provision, and heal the sick of whatever malady they had, and even raise the dead, concluded, that he was the king whom they expected to reign over the whole world; and therefore sought to make him a king by force: nor could he prevent it, but by withdrawing miraculously from their presence. On the other hand, his enemies, who had heard him say that he would rise again the third day, set a guard around his grave on purpose to prevent it. In this manner persons would have acted in reference to all the prophecies, if all had been equally clear: and thus prophecy, as a mean of establishing the true religion, would be superseded by a continued series of miracles; and Christianity would lose its strongest evidence and support.

The true nature of prophecy is not anywhere more clearly seen than in the passage before us:. for, till it was accomplished, no human being could understand its import; nor after its accomplishment could any one mistake it.]

II.

The origin of Christianity—

[Let any one who imagines Christianity to be a mere human contrivance, ask himself, whether any person, or set of persons, wishing to impose a religion upon the world, would be foolish enough to predict, that its founder’s clothes should be disposed of in so strange a way? The event must he so entirely out of their own power, that they would never subject their imposture to such a test as this. But this event was predicted a thousand years before it came to pass; and the psalm in which it was contained was universally acknowledged by the Jews to refer to their Messiah.
How then can we account for its accomplishment? Is there any appearance of contrivance in the matter? None at all. The Jews put Christ to death for pretending to be their Messiah; and therefore would not at the same time contrive a plan that should prove him the Messiah. Besides, the thing was not done by Jews, but heathens; who were perfectly unconscious of doing any thing worthy of attention. If Jesus had not happened to have a particular kind of garment, which was woven without a seam, and had probably been made a present to him by some of those women who ministered unto him, they would have had no more reason for casting lots for that, than for the other which they divided among them. And, after all, he had but just before been stript of his clothing, not only to be scourged, but that, being arrayed in mock majesty, he might be made an object of universal derision; and in that dress had sentence of condemnation been passed upon him: so that, if God had not signally interposed to incline them to put his own garment upon him again, this prophecy had never been fulfilled. See then how minute was the prophecy, and how exact its accomplishment! If they had cast lots at all, the probability was that the whole would have formed but two lots, and that none would be torn in pieces: but as God ordained it to be, so it was; and from thence arises an indisputable evidence, that the religion which was to be confirmed by it, was from God. Indeed, the more insignificant the transaction itself was, the more decisive is the proof arising from it.
In confirmation of this statement we would call your attention to the very words of our text; where the fulfilling of the Scripture is said to be the primary object of that arrangement: and again it is added, “These things therefore the soldiers did.” We are not to understand from this, that the soldiers had this object in view; (for there was not any thing further from their minds:) but God inclined their minds to it for that end. Every thing which the Scriptures had spoken respecting the Messiah, must needs be fulfilled; and therefore this, as well as every other point, must be accomplished in him [Note: Luke 22:37; John 10:35.]

III.

The government of the universe—

[“Known unto God are all his works from the foundation of the world [Note: Acts 15:18.].” Nothing was left to chance: but every thing was both foreseen and foreordained.

It may be asked then, are we mere machines? I answer, no. God leaves us free agents; but makes use of our free agency for the accomplishment of his own purposes. This he did in reference to his Son. There was not any thing “done to him, which God’s hand, and God’s counsel, had not determined before to be done [Note: Acts 4:28; Acts 13:27; Acts 13:29.].” Nevertheless, all who bore any part in those transactions, were perfectly free in every thing they did. None were compelled by any overbearing power; but all followed the bent of their own minds. Judas was actuated by covetousness; the priests by envy; Pilate by fear; and the soldiers, who cast lots for one garment, whilst they divided the other in four parts, acted from a regard to their own personal interests. But God made use of their respective weaknesses for the accomplishment of his own designs.

It is in this manner that God is carrying on his plans on the great theatre of the world. Ambition stimulates one; jealousy restrains another; fear paralyzes, or divisions distract, others: but by all, God works his sovereign will, and renders all the dispositions and pursuits of men subservient to his own eternal purpose. He uses the great conquerors now, precisely as he did Sennacherib of old, for the effecting of his own unerring counsels. “Howbeit, they mean not so, neither doth their heart think so; but it is in their heart to destroy, and to cut off nations not a few [Note: Isaiah 10:7.]:” but “they are only his rod, and the staff of his indignation,” which he will break and cast into the fire, as soon as they have executed their appointed task [Note: Isaiah 10:5; Isaiah 10:15.].

It is thus also that God governs his Church. The very people who most labour to destroy it, are sometimes made unwilling instruments of its enlargement. This was particularly the case in the persecution that took place after the death of Stephen; when God rendered the scattering of the Christians the means of diffusing the knowledge of the Gospel throughout the world [Note: Acts 8:3.]. And every individual, if he could truce back all the events of his former life, would find, that many circumstances, as little connected with religion as the curiosity of Zaccheus [Note: Luke 19:2.], or the dishonesty of Onesimus [Note: Phil. ver. 10–18.], have been overruled by a gracious Providence for good.

How little did these soldiers think of being witnesses for Christ! As little do we think that every thing, however small or casual, is ordered of God, and made a necessary link in the chain of his eternal counsels. To every thing he assigns its proper limit; “Hitherto shall thou come, but no further.” Men devise their way, “but the Lord directeth their steps:” he draws them imperceptibly, but effectually; yet not as stocks and stones, but by means of their own understanding and will: “He draws them with the cords of a man, and with the bands of love [Note: Hosea 11:4.].”]

It is not however for the formation of theories only that this subject is useful: it is equally beneficial in a practical view.

We may Learn from it,
1.

To adore God for his mercies to us in times past—

[Who is it that has made us to differ from the most abandoned on earth, or the most miserable in hell? Is it not the Lord? and have not many of the occasions on which he has extended mercy to us been as much unsought for, and at the time unnoticed, as if we had been utterly independent of him? Let us remember then to whom we are indebted for all the temporal and spiritual blessings we enjoy: and let every thing be improved by us “for the praise of the glory of his grace” — — —]

2. To seek his guidance and protection in future—

[Who can tell what consequences may ensue from one single step? perhaps the eternal preservation or ruin of our souls. Assuredly, if left to ourselves one moment, we shall fall and perish. But God sees effects in their causes; and in his eyes eternity itself is but a single point. In his hands then we shall be safe. Whatever enemies may menace our destruction, he will ride in the whirlwind and direct the storm. Only let us not lean to our own understanding, but in all our ways acknowledge him, and he will “never leave us till he has fulfilled all the good things that he has spoken concerning us” — — —]

3. To submit with cheerfulness to any dispensations, however adverse they may appear—

[Who that recollects the testimony of Joseph after all his multiplied afflictions, will not be ashamed of giving way to impatience under trials? “God sent me here before you,” says he to his brethren, “to preserve life.” Above all, who that reflects on the issue of our Saviour’s sufferings, will repine at being made a partaker of them? We have the promises of God on our side, “and the Scripture cannot be broken.” We have our appointed measure to fill up, as well as he: and the termination of our trials will resemble his. Let us wait then the Lord’s leisure. If we see not distinctly what his design is in this or that affliction, let it suffice, that “what we know not now, we shall know hereafter.” We have already seen abundant reason in past times to say, “It is good for me that I have been afflicted:” and the time is coming when we shall say the same in reference to our present trials. We shall see, that they were a necessary link in the chain of Providence, for the advancing of his glory in our salvation.]