Why did JESUS fold the burial cloth?
An unusual approach to a biblical story...
Why did JESUS fold the linen burial cloth after
His resurrection? I never noticed this before. Have you?
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 love 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 out
ran 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 also noticed the linen wrappings lying
there, while the cloth that had covered JESUS' head was folded up
and lying to the side.
Is 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 was 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 clean 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!'
An unusual approach to a biblical story...
Why did JESUS fold the linen burial cloth after
His resurrection? I never noticed this before. Have you?
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 love 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 out
ran 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 also noticed the linen wrappings lying
there, while the cloth that had covered JESUS' head was folded up
and lying to the side.
Is 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 was 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 clean 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!'
