Jesus invites His disciples to "take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on" (Matthew 6:25). The Greek word for "put on" is enduo, where we get the English word "endowment." Then He mentions raiment twice in the next few verses, which is translated from the Greek word endyma, also related.
When He likens being clothed to the grass of the field and the white-robed lilies, and then says, "Shall he not much more clothe you?" I think He is being serious. Paul would later observe, "For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ" (Galatians 3:27). Again, "put on" is enduo, which means to invest with clothing. Endyma is the outer garment, or robe, and becomes a symbol of His righteousness.
His invitation is "Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you" (Matthew 6:33). The robe becomes a symbol.
In the Book of Mormon, Lehi would say to his son Jacob, "Wherefore, I know that thou art redeemed, because of the righteousness of thy Redeemer" (2 Nephi 2:3). And Jacob would later speak of "being clothed with purity, yea, even with the robe of righteousness" (2 Nephi 9:14).
Really He has quite a bit invested in you and me! After all, it's His skin on the line (see Hebrews 10:20 and Genesis 3:21. Note "skins" here in the original Hebrew is singular).
PERSONAL APPLICATION: Is it my first priority to seek after the righteousness only He can give me? Or am I chasing after my own agenda?
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