χλαμύς
a short cloak
Definition
The χλαμύς (chlamys) was a short, military-style cloak or mantle, typically worn by soldiers, officers, and sometimes officials in the Roman world. In the New Testament, it appears exclusively in the context of Jesus' Passion, where it is used as a mocking royal garment. In Matthew 27:28, soldiers place a scarlet chlamys on Jesus, parodying a king's robe, and in Matthew 27:31, they remove it before leading him to crucifixion, highlighting the cruel irony of his treatment.
Biblical Usage
This word is used only twice in the New Testament, both in the Gospel of Matthew (Matthew 27:28, 31). Its usage is highly specific to the narrative of Jesus' mockery by Roman soldiers during his trial before Pilate. The chlamys is employed as a prop in a scene of derision, intended to ridicule Jesus' claim to kingship.
Etymology
Derived directly from the ancient Greek noun χλαμύς (chlamys), which referred to a short, often woolen, cloak. It was a standard item of military attire in the Greek and Hellenistic world, a meaning retained when the term was adopted into the Roman cultural context described in the New Testament.
Semantic Range
The chlamys is theologically significant as an instrument of Christ's humiliation and a symbol of the world's rejection of his true kingship. By clothing Jesus in a soldier's cloak instead of a genuine royal robe, the soldiers unwittingly underscore the nature of his kingdom—not of military power, but of sacrificial love. Understanding this specific garment enriches the reading of the Passion narrative by highlighting the profound irony and depth of his suffering.
In the 1st-century Roman world, the chlamys was distinctly associated with military personnel, cavalry, and certain officials. It was not a garment for common civilians. This makes its placement on Jesus a clear act of mockery, dressing the 'King of the Jews' in the attire of his oppressors. A modern reader might miss this specific military connotation, seeing it merely as a generic 'robe'.
ἱμάτιον (himation, G2440) — a general term for an outer garment or cloak, worn by ordinary people. ἑνδυμα (endyma, G1742) — a general term for clothing or apparel.
Word Details
How this works
Definitions are from the Dodson Greek-English Lexicon, a concise public-domain resource suitable for introductory word study. Brief glosses are supplemented by STEPBible TBESG data (CC BY 4.0). For advanced research, standard scholarly references include BDAG (Danker, 3rd ed.) and LSJ.
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