Why did Jesus fold the linen burial cloth after His resurrection?
The Gospel of John (20:7) tells us that the napkin,
which was placed over the face of Jesus, was not just
thrown aside like the grave clothes.
The Bible takes an entire verse to tell us that the napkin
was neatly folded, and was placed at the head of that stony coffin.
Early Sunday morning, while it was still dark,
Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and found that the stone
had been rolled away from the entrance.
She ran and found Simon Peter and the other disciple,
the one whom Jesus
loved. She said, 'They have taken the Lord's body out
of the tomb, and I don't know where they have put him!'
Peter and the other disciple ran to the tomb to see.
The other disciple outran Peter and got there first.
He stooped and looked in
and saw the linen cloth lying there, but he didn't go in.
Then Simon Peter arrived and went inside.
He also noticed the linen wrappings lying there,
while the cloth that had covered Jesus' head was folded up
and lying to the side.
Was that important? Absolutely!
Is it really significant? Yes!
In order to understand the significance of the folded napkin,
you have to understand a little bit about Hebrew tradition
of that day. The folded napkin had to do with the
Master and Servant, and every Jewish boy knew this tradition.
When the servant set the dinner table for the master,
he made sure that it was exactly the way the master wanted it.
The table was furnished perfectly, and then the servant would wait,
just out of sight, until the master had finished eating,
and the servant would not dare touch that table,
until the master was finished.
Now if the master were done eating, he would rise from the table,
wipe his fingers, his mouth, and clean his beard,
and would wad up that napkin and toss it onto the table.
The servant would then know to clear the table.
For in those days, the wadded napkin meant, 'I'm done'.
But if the master got up from the table, and folded his napkin,
and laid it beside his plate, the servant would not dare touch
the table, because..........
The folded napkin meant, 'I'm coming back!'
John 20:1- (King James Version)
1The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early,
when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre,
and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre.
2Then she runneth, and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple,
whom Jesus loved, and saith unto them,
They have taken away the LORD out of the sepulchre,
and we know not where they have laid him.
3 Peter therefore went forth, and that other disciple,
and came to the sepulchre.
4 So they ran both together: and the other disciple did outrun Peter,
and came first to the sepulchre.
5 And he stooping down, and looking in, saw the linen clothes lying;
yet went he not in.
6 Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulchre,
and seeth the linen clothes lie,
7 And the napkin, that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes,
but wrapped together in a place by itself.
8 Then went in also that other disciple, which came first to the sepulchre,
and he saw, and believed.
9 For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead.
10 Then the disciples went away again unto their own home.
11 But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping: and as she wept,
she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre,
12 And seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head,
and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain.
13And they say unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? She saith unto them,
Because they have taken away my LORD, and I know not where they have laid him.
14 And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing,
and knew not that it was Jesus.
15 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou?
She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him,
Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him,
and I will take him away.
16 Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him,
Rabboni; which is to say, Master.
17Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father:
but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father,
and your Father; and to my God, and your God.
“You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless,
Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for
a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly
dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this:
While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”- Romans 5:6-8
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