Pages

Monday, April 14, 2014

WHY DID JESUS FOLD THE NAPKIN?

Why was His burial face cloth left folded  after His resurrection?  I found this most interesting.

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 the 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 he Lord's body out of the tomb, and I don't know where they have put him!"

Peter and the other disciple went to the tomb to see.  The other disciple outran Peter and got there first.  He stopped 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.

                                       why is this significant?

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 his Servant. 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. 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 finished" 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 AM COMING BACK!"
                                             and so He shall


I received this from the dear sister in the Lord and loved it.  I pray it blesses you also.

5 comments:

  1. Yes! I remember this...and it always encourages me, every time I read it.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Dorothyjsmall4/2/12, 3:31 PM

    Hi Bev
    Happy Easter. I sure do it too. I think of this everything I fold my own napkin to remind me that He is coming come soon. We are so blessed.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Kelly Hornak4/2/12, 9:41 PM

    Hello Dottie! Thanks for this great eye-opener. Wow, how powerful is our Lord! HE has risen indeed! Much love,
    Kelly

    ReplyDelete
  4. Dorothyjsmall4/3/12, 8:21 PM

    Hi Kelly
    Great to hear from and happy that you were blessed. It blessed me too.. Happy Easter Say hello to Andrew for me.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Tremendous revelation. I liked it so much I am posting it to my facebook. Thanks for sharing.

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for your comment. It is always good to hear from you.