Lexical Summary chlamus: Cloak, robe, mantle Original Word: χλαμύς Strong's Exhaustive Concordance robe. Of uncertain derivation; a military cloak -- robe. HELPS Word-studies 5511 xlamýs – "a short cloak worn by soldiers, military officers, magistrates, kings, emperors, etc" (J. Thayer) – the Latin paludamenum, the garment of "dignity" (office) worn over the 5509 (xitōn/"tunic"). 5511 /xlamýs ("a short, official robe") was put on Christ (perhaps taken from a Roman officer) to heighten His humiliation. [For other terms referring to clothes worn in the NT see Strong's numbers: 1742, 1903, 2067, 2440, 2441, 2689, 4018,4158, 4629, 4749, 5341. "5511 (xlamýs) was a kind of short cloak worn by soldiers, military officers, magistrates, kings, emperors (2 Macc 12:35; Josephus, Ant. 5.1.10), a soldier's sagum or scarf. Carr (Cambridge Greek Testament) suggests that it may have been a worn-out scarf of Pilate's" (WP, 1, 229).] NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origina prim. word Definition a chlamys or short cloak NASB Translation robe (2). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 5511: χλαμύςχλαμύς, χλαμύδος, ἡ (according to the testimony of Pollux 10, 38, 164, first used by Sappho), a chlamys, an outer garment usually worn over the χιτών (which see); specifically, the Latinpaludamentum (which see in Rich, Dict. of Antiq., under the word, at the end), a kind of short cloak worn by soldiers, military officers, magistrates, kings, emperors, etc. (2 Macc. 12:35; Josephus, Antiquities 5, 1, 10; Herodian, Aelian, others; often in Plutarch): Matthew 27:28, 31 (A. V. robe; see Meyer at the passage; Trench, Synonyms, § 1.; Rich (as above) under the word Chlamys; and other references under the word ἱμάτιον). Topical Lexicon Physical Description A χλαμύς was a short, light cloak commonly associated with Roman military attire. Typically fastened at one shoulder, it allowed freedom of movement for a soldier on campaign. Dyed versions in scarlet or purple were reserved for officers and ceremonial display, and therefore carried connotations of rank and authority in the first-century Mediterranean world. Greco-Roman Background By the time of the New Testament, the cloak was so closely linked with Roman power that it became a visual shorthand for imperial rule. A governor or centurion might wear a richer, more vividly dyed form, while common troops wore undyed wool. When the soldiers in Jerusalem found a discarded or barracks-grade cloak of officer red, they possessed an ideal prop for mimicking royal garb. Occurrences in the New Testament Matthew alone records the term: Mark, Luke, and John speak of a “purple” robe but use different Greek words, highlighting that Matthew preserves a specific eyewitness memory of the soldier’s cloak. Narrative Function in the Passion Account 1. Mock Kingship. Draping Jesus in the χλαμύς visually parodies a coronation. The soldiers add a crown of thorns (Matthew 27:29) and a reed scepter, completing a grotesque imitation of regal ceremony. Old Testament Echoes and Prophetic Fulfillment • Isaiah 63:2 pictures the coming Redeemer “in garments stained crimson.” The scarlet χλαμύς, though intended for ridicule, prefigures the Messiah’s redemptive triumph. Theological Significance • Substitutionary Irony. Romans use an emblem of their own authority to mock the true King, yet in God’s plan their derision crowns Christ’s path to the throne (Philippians 2:9-11). Liturgical and Pastoral Applications 1. Communion Meditation. The scarlet cloak can be cited when reflecting on the costliness of our redemption—royalty clothed in ridicule so believers may be “clothed with garments of salvation” (Isaiah 61:10). Early Church Reflection Patristic writers such as Tertullian and Athanasius viewed the χλαμύς as emblematic of Christ’s victory: what the soldiers meant for insult became a sign that “the government will be upon His shoulders” (Isaiah 9:6). The robe’s color also reminded them of the blood that would soon flow for remission of sins. Related Biblical Themes • Garments exchanged or bestowed to signify status (Genesis 41:42; Esther 6:8-9). Summary Strong’s Greek 5511, χλαμύς, appears twice in Matthew’s Passion narrative as the soldiers’ scarlet cloak. Historically a symbol of Roman authority, it becomes, under divine providence, a testament to Christ’s willing humiliation and forthcoming exaltation. As such, it invites worshipers to behold the King who endured shame to clothe His people in glory. Forms and Transliterations χλαμυδα χλαμύδα chlamuda chlamyda chlamýdaLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Matthew 27:28 N-AFSGRK: ἐκδύσαντες αὐτὸν χλαμύδα κοκκίνην περιέθηκαν NAS: Him and put a scarlet robe on Him. KJV: him a scarlet robe. INT: having stripped him a robe scarlet they put around Matthew 27:31 N-AFS |
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