Legend has it that silk was invented by Chinese Empress His Ling Shi, wife of Emperor Huang Ti, about 3000 BC. One story has her sitting down with a cup of tea, when a cocoon fell right into her cup and began to unravel. Another story has her investigating the cause of some damage to mulberry bushes, whence she discovered the worms eating the leaves. From here she tried spinning the threads, invented a loom and eventually the first silk garments were created. Silk was not only used for clothing but also for paper and fishing line. (Did you know that silkworms eat only mulberry leaves?)

silk worm cocoon (source: wikipedia)

The Chinese kept the silk-making a secret for a long time, and the Ancient Romans were willing to pay a high price for this special fabric. Trading with China led to a 4,000 mile trade route called the Silk Road. This was the length people were willing to travel for this precious fabric.

Chinese painting on silk, with playing children wearing silk clothes, by Su Hanchen (active 1130s–1160s), Song Dynasty. (source: wikipedia)

I read, though, that not one group made the entire journey all the way, but that the goods were passed from group to group along the long route, with the middle-men along the way profiting nicely, and also preventing direct contact between Ancient Romans and the Chinese.

Women striking and preparing silk, painting by Emperor Huizong of Song, early 12th century (source: wikipedia)

Eventually the secret leaked out, and India, Persia, then Italy also began making their own silk. China today is the world’s largest silk-producer followed by India, and silk is still considered an expensive, luxury fabric.

As Jesus walked among men, after the resurrection, transcending beyond walls and doors, he wore a different kind of garment, as he left behind his own “…linen cloths lying there and the handkerchief that had been around his head, not lying with the linen cloths, but folded together in a place by itself.” (John 20: 6-7). His physical clothing was replaced with something that allowed him to transcend the physical boundaries of space that confine us. The angels who stood next to the tomb, too, are described as wearing “shining garments” (Luke 24:4)– although there are other example in scripture of angels and their shining appearance.

This fascination with silk garments in human history is an example of our desire for beauty and a reflection of our Divine Maker, implanted in us. Any predisposition to an object of beauty is a longing implanted by Him. If our inner longing is for beauty, which is but a reflection of the immortal and the glory of Christ, then the beautiful things we see of this world will undoubtedly appeal to us, like silk. The sparks of light and the shininess appeal to us because these are mere shadows of the real beauty of Heaven.

I turn back to the day in Eden, when they sinned… and “He made for them garments of skin” (Gen 3:21). And later in scripture, of a clothing miracle — that in all their wanderings during those 40 years, the Israelite’s clothing or shoes did not wear out (Deut 29:5).

But, “meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling. Because when we are clothed we will not be found naked. For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed instead with or heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life.” (2 Corin. 5:2-4)

“But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep” (1 Corin. 15:20), so while we wait and live in these earthly tents and coverings, we have a new cloth that is woven for us, an entirely new garment, one that cannot be destroyed or corrupted, one that is “immortal and imperishable” (1 Corin. 15:53-54); we have Christ himself:

For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. (Gal. 3:27)

And for the firstborn son himself, the description of his clothing is thus:

He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. (Rev. 19:13)

On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS. (Rev. 19:16)

The Silk Road (4,000 miles) source: wikipedia

The lengths traveled by Ancient Romans, the lengths Jesus went to provide us with a cloth of righteousness… what length am I willing to go?

From garments of skin, to silk, to Christ himself … from the garden’s shame of sin removed, to a holy glorious covering… from dust and deadly DNA, to a Holy covering of Him… how deeply we are loved, how beautifully we are covered.


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