Why did Jesus
fold the linen burial cloth
After His resurrection? I never noticed this.
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!'
Wow just think the Lord may come back this coming Easter . What
a great day & sad. Great because those of us who have accepted Jesus and ask Him to come into our heart we will be with
Jesus. But those who have denied Him and never ask Him to come into their heart it will be a sad day. We need to be like it
say's in Luke 2:49 And He said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? Wist
(knew) ye not that I must be about my Father's business( Greek: I must be in my father's house) I know I need to be about
my Father's business more than I am.
