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04/18/20 Weekend Grif.Net – Folded Napkin

04/18/20 Weekend Grif.Net – Folded Napkin

Why did Jesus fold the linen burial cloth after His =
resurrection? 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 gives 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 fou
nd 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 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.

 

Was that =
important? Absolutely! In order to understand the significance of the =
folded napkin, you have to understand a little bit about Jewish =
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 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’m coming =
back!"

 

~~

Dr Bob Griffin =

[email protected] =
www.grif.net

"Jesus =
Knows Me, This I Love!"