How does Matthew 27:28 demonstrate the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies about Jesus? Setting the Scene Matthew 27:28: “They stripped Him and put a scarlet robe on Him.” What Happened in the Praetorium - Roman soldiers tear off Jesus’ own clothes—public shame. - They drape a coarse scarlet military cloak over His shoulders—mock-royalty. - The sequence launches a torrent of ridicule, beating, and spitting (vv. 29-31). Echoes of the Prophets Heard in One Verse • Stripping and Disgrace – Isaiah 50:6: “I did not hide My face from shame and spitting.” – Psalm 22:17: “They look and stare at Me.” – The naked exposure foretold for the Servant is acted out when soldiers remove His garments. • A Mock Crowned King – Psalm 22:6-8: Onlookers sneer, shake heads, and taunt—fulfilled in the mock coronation that begins with the robe. – Isaiah 53:3: “He was despised and rejected by men”—explained vividly in the soldiers’ scorn. • Dividing the Garments – Psalm 22:18: “They divide My garments among them and cast lots for My clothing.” – The first stage is stripping; the second (v. 35) is gambling for His clothes—Matthew links both moments to one prophecy. • Scarlet Symbolism – Isaiah 1:18: “Though your sins are as scarlet, they shall be white as snow.” – The scarlet cloak, meant in mockery, visually proclaims the sin-bearing role Isaiah foresaw. Prophetic Threads, Perfectly Woven - Every humiliating detail meets a specific Scripture—God’s plan, not Rome’s cruelty, directs the scene. - The Servant’s suffering is no tragic accident; it is the long-promised path to redemption. - Matthew highlights even the wardrobe change to assure readers: the prophets spoke truly, and Jesus fulfills every line. Takeaway for Today - God’s Word is precise; tiny details like a borrowed robe prove He keeps promises down to color and cloth. - Christ willingly entered humiliation to cover our shame—those scarlet sins now washed white through His blood. |