The Folded Napkin - from Thw Daily Encourager

THE FOLDED NAPKIN
John 20:1-10

Why did Jesus fold the linen burial cloth after His resurrection?
The Gospel of John 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.

"And the napkin, that was about his head, not lying with the linen
clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself. 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." (John 20:7)

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 and mouth with that napkin and toss it on to 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 knew that the folded napkin meant, 'I'm not finished yet.'

The folded napkin meant, 'I'm coming back!'

Are you ready???