Tearing of Shirt by the High Priest

[CatholicMatthew]

When Jesus was questioned by the High Priest (Matthew and Mark) Caiphas tore his garment at the end of the text. I am trying to remember the significance of this. Can anyone enlighten?

Under the Mercy,

Matthew

 

[saggal]

Matthew:

Bear with me, because I can’t remember the exact term, but in Jewish culture, when events or comments cause grief or great offense, the clothes are torn to indicate that.

 

[Didi]

I believe garments were torn in response to blasphemy, so when Jesus said He was the Son of God, the high priest felt Jesus was being blasphemous.

 

[challenger]

Didi is correct, to my knowledge.

 

[mtr01]

challenger:

Didi is correct, to my knowledge.

I have to agree here as well. For saggal, the “correct” term for this is “rending one’s garments” as in “he rent his tunic” or whatever.

It always reminds me, however, of Joel 2:13

And rend your hearts, and not your garments and turn to the Lord your God: for he is gracious and merciful, patient and rich in mercy, and ready to repent of the evil.

 

[CatholicMatthew]

I did think it was rending but the Bible I was looking at had tore. Don’t you just love translations and the politics of them? I knew it either reffered to an OT event or Law…but I couldn’t remember exactly what.

Matt

 

[DaveBj]

It was an outward expression of grief and sorrow, along with putting dirt or ashes on one’s head. Like any other outward expression, it could be done without any true inward motivation, other than the desire to be seen tearing/rending one’s clothes.

Oddly enough, when Caiaphas did that, he himself was violating the Law:

Lev 21:10–And he that is the high priest among his brethren, upon whose head the anointing oil was poured, and that is consecrated to put on the garments, shall not uncover his head, nor rend his clothes. (KJV)

DaveBj

 

[Windmill]

What is the literal significance of the act?

I mean, ashes make sense for mourning because it acknowledges our mortality and the fact that we will die and become ashes/dirt.

Tearing clothes seems to me like a way of coping with frustration. Much like the Incredible Hulk. I know it’s a cultural thing, but I just picture these people as having ADHD and they can’t control themselves.

Why tear your clothes?

 

[Kevin_Walker]

Render one’s garments.

David rendered his garments when he lost a battle.

Saul rendered his garments when his sons were killed.

Solomon rendered his garments when he found Baal worshipers.

Garment rendering was a demonstrative act of grief or outrage.

 

[DaveBj]

From the McClintock and Strong Encyclopedia:

REND

Rend is the translation of.several Heb. and Gr. words in the Bible. The following only are of special significance.

1. The rending [Hebrew and Greek script edited] of one’s clothes, is an expression frequently used in Scripture as the token of the highest grief. Reuben, to denote his sorrow for Joseph, rent his clothes (Gen 37:29); Jacob did the like (ver. 34), and Ezra, to express the concern and uneasiness of his mind, and the apprehensions he entertained of the divine displeasure on account of the people’s unlawful marriages, is said to have rent his garments and mantle (Ezra 9:3), that is, both his inner and upper garment. This action was also an expression of indignation and holy zeal; the high-priest rent his clothes, pretending that our Saviour had spoken blasphemy (Matt 26:65), and so did the apostles when the people intended to pay them divine honors (Acts 14:14). See CLOTHING.

To rend the garments was in Eastern countries and among ancient nations a symbolical action, expressive of sorrow, fear, or contrition. (See the monographs on the subject in Latin by Grunewold [Hafn. 1708]; Hilliger [Wittenb. 1716]; Rohrensee [bid. 1668]; Schroder, [Jen. 1716]; and Wickmannshausen [Wittenb. 1716].) The passage in Joel 2:13, “Rend your hearts, and not your garments,” is in allusion to this practice. But the phrase here is a Hebraism, meaning “’ Rend your hearts rather than your garments,” or “Rend your hearts, and not your garments only;” for the prophet does not forbid the external appearances of mourning, but he cautions them against a merely hypocritical show of sorrow, and exhorts them to cherish that contrite and broken spirit which is acceptable in the sight of God. See BURIAL; See MOURNING.
(from McClintock and Strong Encyclopedia, Electronic Database. Copyright (c) 2000 by Biblesoft)

DaveBj

 

[Joe_Kelley]

Note Leviticus 10: -6

During this time Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu took their censers and, strewing incense on the fire they had put in them, they offered up before the LORD profane fire, such as he had not authorized.

2

2 Fire therefore came forth from the LORD’S presence and consumed them, so that they died in his presence.

3

3 Moses then said to Aaron, “This is as the LORD said: Through those who approach me I will manifest my sacredness; In the sight of all the people I will reveal my glory.” But Aaron said nothing.

4

Then Moses summoned Mishael and Elzaphan, the sons of Aaron’s uncle Uzziel, with the order, “Come, remove your kinsmen from the sanctuary and carry them to a place outside the camp.”

5

4 So they went in and took them, in their tunics, outside the camp, as Moses had commanded.

6

5 Moses said to Aaron and his sons Eleazar and Ithamar, "Do not bare your heads or tear your garments, lest you bring not only death on yourselves but God’s wrath also on the whole community. Your kinsmen, the rest of the house of Israel, shall mourn for those whom the LORD’S fire has smitten;

7

but do not you go beyond the entry of the meeting tent, else you shall die; for the anointing oil of the LORD is upon you." So they did as Moses told them.

and I think elsewhere, the High Priest is forbidden to rend his garment.

It may be that when the High Priest rent his garment he demonstrated his loss of the office in which Jesus supplanted him.

Just my speculation. :twocents:

 

[Psalm45_9]

I saw it that Jesus’ comment so angered Caiphas that he tore his garments to vent. I never saw any cultural signifigance, but then again, I’m still learning about ancient Jewish culture.