David Bahn – Reflections

John 19:23-27

When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took his garments and divided them into four parts, one part for each soldier; also his tunic. But the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom,²⁴so they said to one another, “Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to see whose it shall be.” This was to fulfill the Scripture which says,

“They divided my garments among them,
and for my clothing they cast lots.”

      So the soldiers did these things, ²⁵ but standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. ²⁶When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son!” ²⁷Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home.

Oh my goodness! Look at the contrast here: the soldiers are worried about not tearing Jesus’ tunic, and cast lots to see who will fall heir to it. Jesus, however, is dedicated to the wellbeing of his mother. He will not leave her care to the chance of cast lots, however, but entrust her to the care of his beloved disciple.

Nothing is mentioned about the ultimate disposition of Jesus’ tunic. It was surely just taken home as a prize of chance and a privilege of power. Soon forgotten as a lessor prize among the booty of the strong. We are told, however, that John took Mary into his home from that hour.

What is not obvious here – though it’s very real – is the shame that Jesus endured in these hours on the cross. Nakedness, abandonment, ridicule, mockery, and public execution conspire to strip Jesus of his dignity. But the most dignified moment in all these hours is Jesus’ care for his mother.

Perhaps we Christians could look more carefully for opportunities to stand in sharp contrast to the goings-on of the world around us. Here is not only an expression of love for his mother, but a shining beacon pointing us to the way of love, faith, and honor. We will likely never suffer the shame of crucifixion, but we can surely look for opportunities to shine like stars of faith, hope, and love whenever shame, greed, or injustice would darken our world.