Church Fathers Commentary Matthew 27:35-38

"And when they had crucified him, they parted his garments among them, casting lots; and they sat and watched him there. And they set up over his head his accusation written, THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS. Then are there crucified with him two robbers, one on the right hand and one on the left." — Matthew 27:35-38 (ASV)

Glossa Ordinaria: Having described how Christ was led to the scene of His Passion, the Evangelist proceeds to the Passion itself, describing the kind of death: And they crucified him. ¹

St. Augustine of Hippo: The Wisdom of God took on human nature to give us an example of how we should live rightly. A righteous life involves not fearing things that should not be feared.

But some people, who do not fear death itself, still dread certain kinds of death. This man's cross was meant to show that no kind of death should be feared by the person who lives rightly, for of all the ways to die, none was more horrible and terrifying than this. ²

Consider the great power of the cross. Adam disregarded the commandment by taking the apple from the tree, but all that Adam lost, Christ recovered on the cross.

The wooden ark saved the human race from the deluge of waters. When God's people came out of Egypt, Moses divided the sea with his rod, overwhelmed Pharaoh, and redeemed God's people. The same Moses changed the bitter water into sweet by casting wood into it.

With the rod, a refreshing stream was drawn from the rock. So that Amalek might be overcome, Moses' outstretched hands were supported on his rod. The Law of God is entrusted to the wooden Ark of the Covenant, so that by these steps we might finally arrive at the wood of the cross. ³

St. John Chrysostom: He suffered on a high cross, and not under a roof, so that the very air might be purified. The earth also shared in a similar benefit, being cleansed by the blood that dropped from His side. ⁴

Glossa Ordinaria: The shape of the cross also seems to signify the Church spread throughout the four quarters of the earth. ⁵

Rabanus Maurus: Or, in a practical interpretation, the cross’s broad transverse piece signifies the joy of the one who works, since sorrow produces constriction. The broad part of the cross is the transverse beam to which the hands are fastened, and by “hands” we understand “works.”

The upper part, where the head is fastened, denotes our expectation of reward from the supreme righteousness of God.

The perpendicular part, on which the body is stretched, denotes endurance, which is why the patient are called “long-suffering.”ⁱ The point that is fixed into the ground foreshadows the invisible part of a sacrament.

St. Hilary of Poitiers: Thus, on the tree of life, the salvation and life of all is suspended.

St. Augustine of Hippo: Matthew says briefly, They parted his garments, casting lots, but John explains more fully how it was done: The soldiers, when they had crucified him, took his garments, and made four parts, to every soldier a part; and also his coat; now the coat was without seam (John 19:23). ⁶

St. John Chrysostom: It should be noted that this is no small degradation for Christ. For they did this as if to someone utterly abject and worthless, yet they did not do the same for the thieves. They share garments only in the case of condemned persons who are so lowly and poor that they possess nothing else.

St. Jerome: What was now done to Christ had been prophesied in the Psalm: They parted my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture (Psalm 22:18). The account proceeds, And sitting down, they watched him there.

This watchfulness of the soldiers and the priests has been useful to us, making the power of His resurrection greater and more widely known.

And they set up over his head his accusation written, This is Jesus, the King of the Jews. I cannot marvel enough at the enormity of this act.

After buying false witnesses and stirring up the unfortunate people to riot and uproar, they found no other reason to put Him to death than that He was the King of the Jews—a title they perhaps set up in mockery.

Remigius of Auxerre: It was divinely provided that this title should be set up over His head, so that the Jews might learn that not even by putting Him to death could they avoid having Him as their King. For in the very instrument of His death, He not only did not lose His sovereignty but actually confirmed it.

Origen of Alexandria: The High Priest, in obedience to the letter of the Law, wore on his head the inscription, Holiness to the Lord. But the true High Priest and King, Jesus, bears on His cross the title, This is the King of the Jews. When ascending to His Father, instead of His own name written out, He has the Father Himself.

Rabanus Maurus: Because He is at once King and Priest, when He offered the sacrifice of His flesh on the altar of the cross, His title declared His royal dignity. It is set over and not beneath the cross because, although He suffered for us on the cross in human weakness, the majesty of the King was conspicuous above it. This sovereignty He did not lose but rather confirmed by the cross.

St. Jerome: Just as Christ was made a curse of the cross for us, so for the salvation of all, He is crucified as one who is guilty among the guilty. ⁷

St. Leo the Great: Two thieves were crucified with him, one on the right hand and one on the left, so that in the image of His cross, the separation of all humanity that will be made at His judgment might be represented.

The Passion of Christ, then, contains a sacrament of our salvation. From that very instrument which the wickedness of the Jews provided for His punishment, the power of the Redeemer made a step toward glory. ⁸

St. Hilary of Poitiers: Alternatively, two thieves are placed on His right and left hand to signify that the entire human race is called to the Sacrament of the Lord's Passion. But because there will be a division of believers to the right and unbelievers to the left, the one who is placed on His right hand is saved by the justification of faith.

Remigius of Auxerre: Or, the two thieves denote all those who strive for the self-control of a strict life. Those who do this with the sole intention of pleasing God are represented by the one crucified on the right hand. Those who do it out of a desire for human praise or any other unworthy motive are signified by the one crucified on the left. ⁹

1. non occ.
2. Lib. 83, Quaest q25
3. in Serm., non occ.
4. Hom. de Cruc. et Lat. ii
5. ap. Anselm
6. de Cons. Ev., iii, 12
7. Hieron., non occ.
8. Serm. 55, 1
9. ap. gloss. ord.