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Why did Jesus fold the napkin?
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 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!'
He is Coming Back!
******
May the resurrection of our Lord,
Jesus Christ, fill you with joy!
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