What Does Matthew 27:35 Mean?
They crucified him, and divided his garments by casting lots, so that what was spoken through the prophet might be filled. They divide my garments among them, and over my clothing they cast lots.
Key words are shown with the Hebrew or Greek and what each word meant.
Selah Decoded Version The Selah Decoded Version renders what the Hebrew and Greek words meant to the people who first heard them.
King James wording
King James Version
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.THE KEY
The clothing becomes a record of the violence: one part is divided, another assigned by lot, while the person still hangs there.
THE MEANING
Here the crucified one is treated both as a body to be killed and as a possession to be divided; the verse holds both acts in view. The lots show what is taken from him being assigned to others while he is still there.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
It undoes the belief that violence ends at the wound: here, dispossession happens alongside the killing, with the victim’s clothing treated as spoils.
THE ROOT
διεμερίσαντο
diemerisanto
GROWS FROM
μερ- (mer-), in the family of διαμερίζω (diamerizō)
A part or share; dividing something into shares.
“divided his garments” in this verse is diemerisanto. The word shows more than removal: his garments are split into portions for others. English “parted” can conceal the language of sharing and allocation inside the act.
ALSO GROWS
meros: Part, share
μέρος
The garments become distinct shares claimed by others.
merizō: Divide, distribute
μερίζω
This verb names the act of distributing what belongs to him.
merismos: Division, distribution
μερισμός
Its related form makes the dividing itself explicit.
κλῆρον
klēron
GROWS FROM
κληρ- (klēr-), the word family of κλῆρος (klēros)
A lot or an allotted portion.
“casting lots” in this verse is klēron. A κλῆρος (klēros) is both the lot cast and the portion assigned by it. The vesture is not simply taken; its next owner is determined by an allotment.
ALSO GROWS
klēronomia: Inheritance
κληρονομία
An inheritance is a portion received or assigned, extending the family’s sense of allotment.
klēronomos: Heir
κληρονόμος
The heir is the one who receives an allotted share.
THE PATTERN
Violence can strip a person and turn what is theirs into shares assigned to others.
They divide my garments among them, and upon my clothing they make the lot fall.They have cast lots upon my people, and have given a boy for a harlot, and sold a girl for wine, that they might drink.So they said among themselves, Let us not tear it, but throw lots for it, whose it shall be, so that the scripture might be filled, which says, They divided my garments among themselves, and for my clothing they threw lots. These things, then, the soldiers did.THE THREAD
They divide my garments among them, and upon my clothing they make the lot fall.Matthew echoes the Greek wording of the Psalm with διαμερίζω (diamerizō), “divide into shares,” and κλῆρος (klēros), “lot” or “allotted portion.” The Hebrew psalm uses its own roots, but the Greek wording makes the echo audible: the garments are divided, and the vesture is assigned by lot.
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