Did Jesus wear tassels?

Most likely. The Greek word (kraspedon) that is translated in most Bibles as the “fringe” of Jesus’ garment which was touched by the woman who had hemorrhaged for twelve years and by the sick in Gennesaret—this is the same Greek word used for the tassels which the Pharisees wore long.  It is the same word used in the Greek version of the Old Testament (the Septuagint, which the early church used) for the tassels that God commanded his people (Mt 9:20; 14:36; 23:5; Nb 15:37-39).

The Lord said to Moses, “Speak to the people of Israel, and tell them to make tassels on the corners of their garments throughout their generations, and to put a cord of blue on the tassel of each corner.  And it shall be a tassel for you to look at and remember all the commandments of the LORD, to do them . . . So you shall remember and do all my commandments, and be holy to your God. (Nb 15:37-40)

The tassels were to help Jews remember the commandments, so that they might obey them and be holy.  Jesus criticized the Pharisees for wearing them long in order to show off their piety.  But he was not against tassels themselves—all Jewish men wore them and he did himself.  The Greek word has been translated “fringe” instead of “tassels” either because translators were not aware of the Old Testament background or could not imagine that Jesus would have been that Jewish.

Lent is a time to walk with Jesus through the wilderness, fasting as he–and we–prepare for future ministry.  Ponder this in the next few weeks: Jesus probably wore tassels out there in the wilderness, fingering his tassels as he meditated on Torah’s 613 commandments.