Mark 15:24

Cleromancy

The phrase βάλλω κλῆρον (“to cast lots”) refers to the ancient practice of cleromancy, a form of divination in which outcomes were determined by drawing or throwing marked objects such as stones, sticks, or tablets. In Greek religious tradition, this practice was associated with Hermes, who, as a god of fate, luck, and communication, was believed to oversee the distribution of lots (Euripides, Fr. 39). In the biblical contexts, lot-casting similarly functioned as a means of discerning divine will, as seen in the assignment of land (Joshua 18:10) and the selection of Matthias (Acts 1:26).

This effectively created a connection between random circumstances and divine will. Or, one might say, gave divine meaning or purpose to otherwise random outcomes. While the act itself seems based on chance, it was widely believed that the outcome was guided by a higher power—whether Hermes in Greek tradition or God in biblical contexts.

This reflects the (ancient) worldview that chance is not truly random but rather a means through which the divine revealed its intentions. By casting lots, people surrendered human decision-making to the gods, trusting that fate or divine will would manifest through what appeared to be an arbitrary process.

Casting lots was a ritualized way of interpreting divine guidance through seemingly random events, bridging the gap between uncertainty and supernatural order.