{"id":320,"date":"2012-10-29T10:34:06","date_gmt":"2012-10-29T16:34:06","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.rolledscroll.com\/?p=320"},"modified":"2013-01-17T22:53:45","modified_gmt":"2013-01-18T05:53:45","slug":"clothing-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rolledscroll.com\/blog\/archives\/320","title":{"rendered":"Clothing (NT)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em>Welcome to my ROLLED SCROLL study, where I follow cultural and literary images found in the Bible in an attempt to unearth God\u2019s meaning in His pattern of usage.<\/em><\/p>\n<h4><a href=\"http:\/\/www.rolledscroll.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/09\/13.-CLOTHING.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" title=\"CLOTHING\" alt=\"\" src=\"http:\/\/www.rolledscroll.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/09\/13.-CLOTHING.png\" width=\"100\" height=\"102\" \/><\/a>\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0<em>CLOTHING (NT)\u00a0<\/em><\/h4>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em>The finest clothing made is a person\u2019s skin, but, of course, society demands something more than this.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<p align=\"right\"><em>\u2014<\/em>Mark Twain, <em>New York Times<\/em>, 1906<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em>It\u2019s always the badly dressed people who are the most interesting.\u00a0 <\/em><\/p>\n<p align=\"right\">\u2014Jean Paul Gaultier, Designer<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Poets and wags have much to say on the subject of what to wear, but the story of clothing is most fascinating as told through Scripture. In last month\u2019s post we followed OT images of clothing that illustrate God\u2019s character as Creator, Provider, and Judge; they relate to the Fall of mankind into sin, God\u2019s care for Israel physically through daily supply and spiritually through priestly blood sacrifice, and His promises to one day bring His people back to Himself again.<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>The New Testament<\/em><\/strong> carries on the motif of clothing with meaning progressively added, beginning with the Gospels where a sort of <strong><em>salvation history<\/em><\/strong> can be traced chronologically in the life of Christ:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>At His <strong><em>Nativity<\/em><\/strong>, Jesus was wrapped in swaddling cloths and (though not specified here) we can imagine the rich outfits of the visiting Magi, the rags of the peasant shepherds, and the shining glory of the angels\u2019 apparel (Luke 2:7-13; Matt. 2:1ff).<\/li>\n<li>John the Baptist preached in camel\u2019s hair and leather so distinct from the long robes of the religious leaders, marking him as a prophet and indicating his message of Christ\u2019s very different <strong><em>in-breaking kingdom<\/em><\/strong> (Matt. 3:4; Luke 7:24-27; Luke 20:46).<\/li>\n<li>The element of clothing was involved in Jesus\u2019 <strong><em>ministry<\/em><\/strong>. Those who touched His garments in faith were physically healed (Mark 5:25-34; Mark 6:56). He warned against false teachers as wolves dressed like sheep, and admonished believers to care for the poor and naked (Luke 12:23-28; Matt. 7:15; Matt. 25:36-43). Where the OT Law had disallowed lending or taking of one\u2019s cloak, Jesus\u2019 law of love prescribed turning the cheek and giving more than was demanded (Matt. 5:40; Luke 6:29; see also Exod. 22:26).<\/li>\n<li>In Jesus\u2019 <strong><em>parables<\/em><\/strong> the prodigal son received his father\u2019s best robe upon returning as believers receive God\u2019s gracious welcome home; the \u201cpurple and fine linen\u201d of the rich man did not get him into the Heaven that poor Lazarus entered; and wedding clothes depicted righteousness in Jesus\u2019 economy (Luke 15:22; Luke 16:19-20ff; Matt. 22:11-14).<\/li>\n<li>On the Mount of <strong><em>Transfiguration<\/em><\/strong>, Jesus\u2019 clothing became \u201cbright as a flash of lightning\u201d (NIV) as He spoke to Elijah and Moses about His coming departure from this world through which He would bring salvation (Matt. 17:2; Luke 9:28-31).<\/li>\n<li>In the <strong><em>Triumphal Entry<\/em><\/strong>, Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a saddle of His disciples\u2019 cloaks, His donkey treading on the coats that the crowd spread before them (Matt. 21:6-8).<\/li>\n<li>During the <strong><em>arrest and trial<\/em><\/strong>, He was brought before Caiaphas who, in fury over Jesus\u2019 \u201cblasphemous\u201d statement of His deity, tore his own priestly garb (which, incidentally, the Law forbade; Lev. 21:10; Matt. 26:65). Soldiers stripped the condemned Jesus, dressing Him in the scarlet robes of a king to mock and humiliate Him (Matt. 27:27-31).<\/li>\n<li>At the <strong><em>Crucifixion<\/em><\/strong>, His garments were divided up into lots in fulfillment of prophecy (Matt. 27:35; John 19:23-24).<\/li>\n<li>But at His <strong><em>Resurrection<\/em><\/strong> from the dead, He left behind the linen shroud in which His body was wrapped, exchanging it for transcendent, heavenly clothing (Matt. 27:59; John 20:3-7; Rev. 1:13).<\/li>\n<li>The angels attending the tomb were dressed resplendently, as were the angels standing beside the disciples at Jesus\u2019 <strong><em>Ascension<\/em><\/strong> into Heaven (Matt. 28:3; Luke 24:4; Acts 1:10).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The literary emblem of clothing is sustained past Jesus\u2019 departure from this world, with the rest of the New Testament continuing to <strong><em>teach and interpret <\/em><\/strong>God\u2019s message for believers. Acts notes that the early church included Dorcas and Lydia, the first a seamstress who donated dresses to widows and who died and was brought back to life by Peter, the second a tradeswoman who dealt in the highly prized purple cloth from Thyatira (Acts 9:39-40; Acts 16:14<a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblegateway.com\/passage\/?search=Acts%209:39-40;%20Acts%2016:14)&amp;version=ESV\">)<\/a>. Paul (who before conversion gave his approval to the stoning of the first Christian martyr, Stephen, by the act of guarding the garments of the killers) taught that we believers are to \u201ccast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light\u201d (Acts 7: 58-8:1; Acts 22:20; Rom. 13:12). We\u2019re further instructed to dress modestly in worship (for our beauty as women does not come from outward adornment), to be content with God\u2019s provisions of food and clothing, and not to show preferential treatment based on the richness or shabbiness of a worshiper\u2019s attire (1 Tim. 2:8-10; 1 Pet. 3:3-4; 1 Tim. 6:8; James 2:2-3; Luke 12:27-28). For we have \u201cput off\u201d the old self of sinful ways and \u201cput on\u201d the new self like a garment (Col. 3:9-10).<\/p>\n<p>In a <strong><em>future day<\/em><\/strong>, when Jesus calls us Heavenward, our bodies will put on imperishability and immortality (1 Cor. 15:53). We will then be dressed as His Bride in the \u201cfine linen\u201d of righteousness that God has declared belongs to those who trust Christ\u2019s payment for sin, and the robes of the Tribulation saints will have been washed in the blood of the Lamb to remove all stains (Rev. 7:14). The church is Christ\u2019s Bride, comprised of saints who work righteous deeds in His power, and by His work on the Cross Jesus has purchased our wedding gown for us:<\/p>\n<blockquote><p><em>Let us rejoice and exult\u2028and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready; it was granted her to clothe herself\u2028with fine linen, bright and pure\u2014for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints. <\/em>(<em>Rev. 19:7-8 ESV<\/em>)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>In perhaps the strongest declaration of the glorious Coming of Jesus Christ the Prophet, Priest, and King, we read again of His attire:<\/p>\n<blockquote><p><em>He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.<\/em> (<em>Rev. 19:13-16 ESV<\/em>)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Clothing is a comprehensive biblical motif expressing God\u2019s judgment against sin demanding blood atonement, His provision of Jesus as the final sacrifice of complete covering, and our marriage to His Son for which we, the church\u2014the Bride of Christ\u2014are dressed in the robe of His righteousness.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">To comment on this reading, or to subscribe or unsubscribe to a monthly email reminder of new postings, please write me:\u00a0<a href=\"mailto:deb@rolledscroll.com\">deb@rolledscroll.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em>These short literary articles tied to the Bible explore what God might have been saying in His pattern of usage for each symbol. English rendition of the original Hebrew, Aramaic, or Greek varies with translations (e.g., \u201cscroll\u201d is sometimes interchangeable with \u201cbook\u201d); however, the quality and underlying meaning of the selected emblem remain consistent across versions. Sketches are by Lorenda Harder. I recommend the website of Dr. Grant C. Richison for thorough expository Bible study:\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.versebyversecommentary.com\">www.versebyversecommentary.com<\/a>.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Welcome to my ROLLED SCROLL study, where I follow cultural and literary images found in the Bible in an attempt to unearth God\u2019s meaning in His pattern of usage. \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0CLOTHING (NT)\u00a0 The finest clothing made is a person\u2019s skin, but, of course, society demands something more than this.\u00a0 \u2014Mark Twain, New <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rolledscroll.com\/blog\/archives\/320\" class=\"more-link\">&#8230;<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">  Clothing (NT)<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rolledscroll.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/320"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rolledscroll.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rolledscroll.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rolledscroll.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rolledscroll.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=320"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/www.rolledscroll.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/320\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":323,"href":"https:\/\/www.rolledscroll.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/320\/revisions\/323"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rolledscroll.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=320"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rolledscroll.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=320"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rolledscroll.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=320"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}