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Joh_19:23-24. Οὖν ] again connects the history, after the intermediate narrative respecting the superscription, with Joh_19:18.
ἐσταύρωσαν ] For they were the executioners of the crucifixion.
τὰ ἱμάτ . αὐτοῦ ] His garments, with the exception, however, of the χιτών , which is afterwards specially mentioned, the shirt-like under-garment. The account of John is more exact and complete than that of the Synoptics (Mat_27:35; Mar_15:24; Luk_23:34).
τέσσαρα ] There were accordingly four soldiers, the ordinary τετράδιον στρατιωτῶν (Act_12:4).
ἐκ τῶν ἄνωθεν ὑφαντὸς διʼ ὅλου ] From the top (where the button-hole was, ἀπʼ αὐχένος , Nonnus) woven quite through, throughout, so that thus the garment was a single texture, woven from above entirely throughout, without seam, similar to the priestly vestment in Joseph. Antt. iii. 7. 4. See Braun, de vestitu Hebr. p. 342 ff.; Rosenmüller, Morgenl. V. p. 273 f. On the adverbial διʼ ὅλου , comp. Asclep. 16; Nicand. 1; Plut. Mor. p. 695 f.; Bernhardy, p. 235, also διʼ ὅλων , Plat. Soph. p. 253 C.
ἵνα ἡ γραφὴ , κ . τ . λ .] This casting of lots for the χιτών , after the division of the ἱμάτια , was not an accidental occurrence, but was in connection with the divine determination for the fulfilment of Scripture, which says, etc. The passage is Psa_22:19, closely following the LXX. The suffering of the theocratic sufferer, in this psalm, is the prophetic type of the suffering of the Messiah. “They have divided my garments amongst one another ( ἑαυτ . = ἀλλήλους , comp. Luk_22:17), and cast lots over my raiment,”—this complaint of the Psalmist, who sees himself as being already subjected to the death of a criminal, and the division of his garments among his executioners therewith connected, has found its Messianic fulfilment in the corresponding treatment of Christ, in so far as lots have also been cast over His raiment (in reality, over His under-garment). In this fulfilment the χιτών was that portion of His clothing on which the ἐπὶ τὸν ἱματισμόν μου ἔβαλον κλῆρους was historically carried out; but we are not, for this reason, to say that John took τὸν ἱματισμόν as equivalent to τ . χιτῶνα (Lücke, De Wette.
οἱ μὲν οὖν στρατ . τ . ἐποί ] Simple (reminding one of Herod., Xen., and others) concluding formula for this scene of the soldiers’ proceedings. On μὲν οὖν , see on Luk_3:18.
ταῦτα ] That related in Joh_19:23-24. A secret allusion,[244] in these closing words (Hengstenberg, Godet), is arbitrarily forced upon them.
[244] Hengstenberg: “But the occupation itself stands under a secret direction, and sacred irony passes over irony to the side of profane irony.” Here Scholten coincides with Hengstenberg, supplying: “who knew nothing of the O. T., etc.”