Judah’s scepter; wine-washed robe; blood of the grape

Accordingly the prophets clearly foretold that the Son of God must be born, and how he must be born and show himself the Christ. They also announced beforehand in what land and from what family he must be born. Here are words Moses puts on those prophets’ lips in Genesis: ‘The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a ruler from his race, until he comes for whom it is reserved. He shall be the hope of the nations, when he washes his garment in wine and his cloak in the blood of the grape.’ (Gen 49:10-11)

Judah, ancestor of the Jews, was Jacob’s son, and from him they take their name; and they did not lack a chief or guide until Christ’s coming. But from his coming their quivers lose their strength, and the land of the Jews was subjected to Roman rule; and as a nation they no longer had a chief or particular king. He had come to whom the kingdom of the heavens belongs — he who ‘washed his robe in wine and his cloak in the blood of the grape.’

And his robe, as also his cloak, are those who believe in him, whom he purified when he saved us by his blood. (Rev 7:14; 1 Jn 1:7) And his blood is called the blood of the grape; for as the blood of the grape is not made by a human being but by God, who produces it to gladden those who drink it, so the incarnation and blood of Christ are not a human work but God’s. (Ps 104:15)

The Lord himself gave the sign of the Virgin — that is, the one born of the Virgin, Emmanuel who gladdens those who drink him, namely those who receive his Spirit, eternal joy. (Isa 7:14) Therefore he is the expectation of the Gentiles, of those who hope in him; for we hope that it is he who will restore the kingdom. (Rom 15:12)