Why did Jesus fold the napkin?

Greetings Phillips County

Why did Jesus fold the napkin?

Why did Jesus fold the linen burial cloth after His resurrection?

The Gospel of John tells us {John 20:7} that the napkin, which was placed over the face of Jesus, was not thrown aside like the grave clothes. The Bible takes an entire verse to tell us that the napkin was neatly folded, and was placed separate from the grave clothes. 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 disciples, the one whom Jesus loved. She said “They have taken away the Lords body out of the tomb and I don’t know where they put Him!” Peter and the other disciple ran to the tomb to see. The other disciples outran Peter and got there first. He stooped and looked in and saw the linen cloth lying there but didn’t go in. Peter arrived and went inside. He also noticed the linen wrapping lying there, while the linen cloth that had covered Jesus’ head was folded and lying to the side.

Was that important? Absolutely.

Is it significant? Yes!

In order to understand the importance 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 the Servant and every Jewish boy knew this tradition.

When the servant set the dinner table for the master, he made sure that is 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 the table, until the master were done eating. The master would rise from the table, wipe his fingers, his mouth, and clean his beard, and would wad up the 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, folded the 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

Pastor William Hofer

East Malta Hutterian Brethren

Malta