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 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 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. He
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 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 !’
