Jesus' Tunic - Why did they want it?
Why did they gamble for Jesus tunic at the cross? Matthew 27:35; Why would Roman soldiers want the blood stained clothes of a Jewish criminal. I think the answer goes back to the trial before Pilate after Jesus came back from being abused by Herod.
Pilate finds Him not guilty 3 times and has Jesus scourged. Matthew 27:24-26; Jesus does not break during the scourging, He does not cry out. 1 Peter 2:21-23; This must have infuriated the Roman guard witnessing His composure, that afterwards they take Him aside and privately lay a beating on Him. Matthew 27:27-31; Three things, robe, crown of thorns, reed in His hand, then beat Him on the head, driving the crown of thorns deeper into his skull and some taking turns slapping Him on the face, trying to break Him. Isaiah 53:7
After nailing Him to the cross, they knew the kind of man He was, one who did not break under their torture and torment, they must have been so impressed, that they gambled for His tunic because it belonged to this Man Jesus. Romans were very superstitious especially in their religion, did the clothes contain some of His power? We see this belief in the OT when Elijah told Elisha to be there when I go, Elijah left his mantle and Elisha took it and parted the Jordan 2 Kings 2:9-14
I believe the Romans saw the power in the clothes and wishing to have what this Man had, they gambled to obtain the tunic. Not saying there was power in the clothes but I believe that was how they saw it. Jesus so impressed these Roman soldiers, by the way He received their abuse, they respected Him for the Man He was. When He died, the Centurion and those with Him believed “Truly this was the Son of God.” Matthew 27:54
The world looks for its hero’s today in men who are muscular, athletic and killers but they miss the only example of a True Man when they refuse to see Jesus as the true measure of a Man. Not to understand this is to never know what a real man is. John 15:13