Why did Jesus fold his napkin

[Heavyduty053]

          The question has been asked over and over. This is one I can honestly say I have never seen an answer to until now.  Why did Jesus fold his napkin that covered his face in the burial tomb after his resurrection had taken place.

 

          The Gospel of John (20:7) tells us that the napkin which was placed over Jesus face was not just thrown aside like his grave cloths was. The Bible takes an entire verse to tell us that the napkin was neatly folder and was placed separate from his grave cloths. Early Sunday morning, while it was still dark, a woman by the name of Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and found that the hugh stone had been rolled to the side and the entrance was open.

 

           She said immediately to herself, "someone has removed my lord's body from his tomb and I do not know where they have taken him". She ran to find Peter and another disciple and told them of this and all three ran back to the tomb. The other disciple ran faster than Peter and got there first and looked into the entrance and say the grave cloths but no Jesus. He did not go in for he was frightened at this mystery. When Simon Peter got there he went in and he also noticed the wrappings laying there all waded up on the floor but the linen napkin was folded neatly and placed where Jesus head had been. Why is this important you might wonder, well here is the answer.

 

          In order for you to understand the significance of the folded napkin, you have to understand a little bit about Hebrew tradition of that day and time. The folded napkin had to do with Master and Servant and every Jewish boy was taught this. When the servant set the dinner table for the Master of the house, he made sure that it was exactly the way the Master wanted it.

 

          The table would be 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 until that moment. Now, if the Master were done, he would use the napkin to wipe his hands, mouth, beard and would wad the napkin up and toss it on the table. The servant would then know that he was finished and it was a signal saying I am done clear the table. 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 that I am not finished yet, I am coming back.

 

Truly another mystery uncovered in the Bible. Jesus said all the answers to every question ls in the Bible some where. Sometimes it is plain to see and sometimes it takes digging. Other answers are found through the minds and eyes of one another with insight from God himself. We can read the Bible over and over a thousand times and always find that there was someone we missed. I am sixty years old been reading and studying the Bible for some 25 years and there is always a gift of surprise in a meaning of something that makes more sense.......But this is exactly how the Bible was written so it wouldn't get boring.......I have read about the death and resurrection many times and this just now stands out. Those who say the God and Jesus is not important anymore is missing the greatest adventure and a "WOW" of an ending to our lifetime.

 

Just as the folded napkin revealed, "He is not done yet, he is coming back for his people" and I truly hope that all will sincerely think about this. Signs are everywhere that God is getting fed up with man's behavior and soon his Son will be told to come get his children.  My prayer for all is:

 

Father, our gracious lord we know that you said once to Noah that you were sorry you ever made man for the way he has sinned and somehow I know the world is fast forgetting you again as before. I ask you to come into our lives, our country, our world and fill our hearts and minds with the right understanding once again.  I know you look down each day upon your creation and wonder WHY we would bypass the good you gave us for the sinful nature's that harm us. Forgive us for being less than what you created us for and have mercy on our souls, in the name of sweet Jesus I ask it        Amen

 

 

 

         

[SgtFuryUSCZ]

***///

 

Fascinating!

 

Nope.... not done..... yet.

[waterman13]

Thanks HD

 

Come Lord Jesus, come!

WM13

[MyLadiesDaddy]

You are an awesome brother in Christ. That touched me in a

Very special way this morning. May God bless you and your house

This day.

[bamagirl]

Amen Heavy! Thanks for posting this..

[pattyangel]

Heavy, nope He's not done yet.  But are we ready, is the question we need to ask ourselves. 

 

Thanks for the Sunday enjoyment. 

[easy]

Once again Heavy thankyou so much.

[LIBoy]

A beautiful story, but alas, just a story.  Not fact.

 

 

The Message in the Neatly Folded Napkin in Jesus' Tomb-Fiction!

Summary of the eRumor:
According to this forwarded email, the head covering over the body of Jesus Christ in the grave was a neatly "folded napkin." It goes on to say that among Jews of the time a master would let his servants know whether he was finished eating or coming back to the table by the way he left his napkin. If he tossed it aside, he was finished. If he folded it, he was not finished and would return. The hidden message in the story is that by laying his "napkin" aside and neatly folded Jesus was saying he was coming back. The Truth:
There are a couple of problems with this eRumor. One is the translation or interpretation of the Bible verse quoted. The other is the alleged Jewish custom referenced in the story.

The Verse
The eRumor is based on whether the cloth was a "napkin" and was "folded" in the empty tomb of Jesus.

The story is based on the account of Jesus' resurrection in John 20:7.

Here is how that verse is translated in one of the most widely-used versions of the Bible, the King James Version: "...and the napkin, that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself."

We checked seven of the most respected translations of the Bible to see how the translators handled this verse.

Three of them translated the cloth as a "napkin" (King James, American Standard, Revised Standard Version). Others translated it as a "burial cloth" (New International Version), a "handkerchief" (The New King James Version), or a "face-cloth" (New American Standard Bible). The Greek word is saudarion, which comes from a Latin word for "sweat." It connotes, for example, a towel for wiping sweat. It is used in the Greek for a towel or cloth, but not specifically a table napkin.

The other key word is "folded." Was the burial cloth or napkin left folded in the tomb?

Two of the translations used the word "folded" (New International Version, New King James Version). Others translated the word as "rolled up" (New American Standard Bible, American Standard Version, Revised Standard Version), or "wrapped together" (King James Version).
The Greek word is "entulisso," which is from words that may mean to twist or to entwine.

The bottom line is that there is not agreement that it was a table napkin and not agreement that it was neatly folded in any meaningful way. The main meaning of John 20:7 is to convey that the cloth, which was placed over Jesus head or face at burial, was separate from the rest of his grave clothes.

The Story
We have checked numerous Bible study sources and have found nothing about this alleged Jewish custom of the folded napkins. We did not find any Bible scholars who have used this story and illustration about the meaning of the folded napkin.

Additionally we talked with a Jewish rabbi friend of TruthOrFiction.com's who has been a life-long Orthodox Jew, a Jewish scholar, and lives in Jerusalem, Israel, and he said he'd never heard of it

The only references to this story that we found are from Internet postings and emails that seem to have originated in 2007.

.Updated 1/28/08

 

A real example of the eRumor as it has appeared on the Internet:

Why did Jesus fold the napkin?

An unusual approach to a biblical story. 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!

[pattyangel]

Wow, LIboy, your absolutely correct in saying it was a "beautiful story"... indeed.  But the message it place on the folded napkin, was magnificent, exceptionally beautiful. 

 

I think you missed the point of the story. 

[tkeaton]

My fellow believers, with your permission I would like to offer a more likely identification and significance for the folded cloth.

 

In Deuteronomy the Lord instructed Moses to have everyone put tassels (tzit tzit) on the corners of their covering garment (talit. talith or tallit). "You shall make yourself tassels on the four corners of the garment (talit) with which you cover yourself” (Deu. 22:12).

 

This became a very important part of Jewish life and even to this day covering oneself with a prayer shawl is prevalent. Go to Israel or any Synagogue and you’ll see them on every observant male. Look at pictures of the IDF in the field and in some of those pictures you’ll see soldiers wearing them. The patterns and tassels will vary but they’re almost always white with blue.

 

In biblical times all the Jewish men wore this garment at all times, not just at prayer. The word “Talith” contains two Hebrew words; TAL, meaning tent and ITH, meaning little. There is no Greek equivalent to the Hebrew word, so in the King James and some other translations the word is called a mantle, cloak, tent, napkin, and sometimes even handkerchief.

 

In 2 Kings 2: 11-14 when Elisha received Elijah’s mantle it was almost certainly his talit.

 

When the woman with the issue of blood touched Jesus’ clothing, she probably touched his talit.

 

In a centuries old tradition, when a Jew in Israel dies they are buried the same day when possible and they are wrapped in a talit. In Mark 5:38-42 Jesus spoke to a dead little girl the words “ταλιθα κουμ.” A good translation of this is “little girl in the talit, arise.”

 

My wife and I were given one when we were in Israel last year and we were told that it is traditional for each individual’s talit to be unique in some way. Every Hebrew male in Jesus’ time had his own talit. I believe the disciples watched Jesus many a night remove his, then, fold or roll it up and lay it aside in a habitual way. When they saw the one in the tomb they recognized the manner in which it had been handled as the same way that Jesus always had done it. He had arisen!

Edited June 9, 2013 by tkeaton

[Heavyduty053]

Facts about Christ is in the eye of the believer. We can relate to it because in the spirit we know what it means. If it weighs heavy on the side of importance to someone to try to dispell it then in their heart there is something missing. A Christian knows what is meant and knows how to separate knowledge that is outside of the spirit . It is Ok. Many will have different opinions as to how they see this.

[LIBoy]

Facts about Christ is in the eye of the believer. We can relate to it because in the spirit we know what it means. If it weighs heavy on the side of importance to someone to try to dispell it then in their heart there is something missing. A Christian knows what is meant and knows how to separate knowledge that is outside of the spirit . It is Ok. Many will have different opinions as to how they see this.

Absolutely understand where you are coming from.  Faith is the cornerstone of my Christian being.  I also very much love the fact based history of the bible and my religion and try to rely on correct historical perspective as much as posible.  It's just how I practice my religion.  There are many paths to the mountain top.  Love the story.  Thanks for sharing.

[Heavyduty053]

This is beautiful

[bamagirl]

This is beautiful

Yes it is Heavy and I still thank you for posting BUT I took the original post as your own observation not an internet rumor that hadn't been fact checked... He is coming back, that is fact but the story itself was misrepresented..

[willy1der]

God is a God of order. The napkin being rolled up or folded kind of helps shoot down that robbers stole the body of Christ. The rest of the burial clothes were laying on floor of the tomb. And yes, He's coming back!

Edited June 10, 2013 by willy1der

[MyLadiesDaddy]

Absolutely understand where you are coming from.  Faith is the cornerstone of my Christian being.  I also very much love the fact based history of the bible and my religion and try to rely on correct historical perspective as much as posible.  It's just how I practice my religion.  There are many paths to the mountain top.  Love the story.  Thanks for sharing.

 

Then can you please explain these scriptures to me?

 

Matthew 7:13-14

King James Version (KJV)

13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:

14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

 

 

John 14:5

 

5Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way? 6Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

 

 

 

 

[LIBoy]

 

Then can you please explain these scriptures to me?

 

Matthew 7:13-14

King James Version (KJV)

13 Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:

14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

 

 

John 14:5

 

5Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way? 6Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

 

 

 

 

 

That's the beautiful thing.  I'm free and don't need to explain anything.  My personal relationship with my creator is all I need.  Peace out cub scout!

[cranster]

Here is what many believe to be that actual cloth.

http://www.shroud.com/guscin.htm

[Markinsa]

That's the beautiful thing.  I'm free and don't need to explain anything.  My personal relationship with my creator is all I need.  Peace out cub scout!

 

1 Peter 3:13-17 (NLT)

¹³ Now, who will want to harm you if you are eager to do good? ¹⁴ But even if you suffer for doing what is right, God will reward you for it. So don’t worry or be afraid of their threats. ¹⁵ Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your Christian hope, always be ready to explain it. ¹⁶ But do this in a gentle and respectful way. Keep your conscience clear. Then if people speak against you, they will be ashamed when they see what a good life you live because you belong to Christ. ¹⁷ Remember, it is better to suffer for doing good, if that is what God wants, than to suffer for doing wrong!

[LIBoy]

1 Peter 3:13-17 (NLT)

¹³ Now, who will want to harm you if you are eager to do good? ¹⁴ But even if you suffer for doing what is right, God will reward you for it. So don’t worry or be afraid of their threats. ¹⁵ Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your Christian hope, always be ready to explain it. ¹⁶ But do this in a gentle and respectful way. Keep your conscience clear. Then if people speak against you, they will be ashamed when they see what a good life you live because you belong to Christ. ¹⁷ Remember, it is better to suffer for doing good, if that is what God wants, than to suffer for doing wrong!

Mark, please don't tell me you are unable to see that the question LGD asked me was a rhetorical one. I would hope you have a clearer understanding of English colloquialisms than that.

You can quote the bible till the cows come home. Every passage is a pearl of infinite wisdom. Praise be his name. However, my relationship with my creator will forever and always remain just that. Mine.

Edited June 11, 2013 by LIBoy

[Markinsa]

Mark, please don't tell me you are unable to see that the question LGD asked me was a rhetorical one. I would hope you have a clearer understanding of English colloquialisms than that.

You can quote the bible till the cows come home. Every passage is a pearl of infinite wisdom. Praise be his name. However, my relationship with my creator will forever and always remain just that. Mine.

 

You say there are many ways to the mountaintop (to God), that is contrary to scripture. And then when you are confronted with your statement, you turn around and say you don't have to explain yourself.  The Bible says different.  Whatever your relationship is, with the statement you made about the many paths, it surely isn't a relationship with Jesus Christ.

 

-

[LIBoy]

You say there are many ways to the mountaintop (to God), that is contrary to scripture. And then when you are confronted with your statement, you turn around and say you don't have to explain yourself.  The Bible says different.  Whatever your relationship is, with the statement you made about the many paths, it surely isn't a relationship with Jesus Christ.

 

-

My reference to the many paths referred to the many religions of the world. I don't know why you always take what I say so personally and then feel the need to antagonize. I guess that is just your way of telling me you care. I know you are a man of strong faith and I repect that. What I don't respect is someone using scripture solely for the purpose of trying to discredit someone else's personal thoughts or beliefs. I have been in no way malicious with my posts so all I ask is for you to respect my thoughts and beliefs instead of trying to tell me they are wrong.

[Markinsa]

My reference to the many paths referred to the many religions of the world. I don't know why you always take what I say so personally and then feel the need to antagonize. I guess that is just your way of telling me you care. I know you are a man of strong faith and I repect that. What I don't respect is someone using scripture solely for the purpose of trying to discredit someone else's personal thoughts or beliefs. I have been in no way malicious with my posts so all I ask is for you to respect my thoughts and beliefs instead of trying to tell me they are wrong.

 

I do care, and I feel to tell someone its ok to have a faith other than a faith in Jesus Christ is wrong.  If you believe you are a Christian and you believe there is more than one path, I have to tell you, you are wrong, and you're not reading and interpreting the scriptures properly, thus the reason I use scripture for you to see in print what God's word says.  For me to respect your thoughts and beliefs is like me seeing you holding a gun to your head and you telling me it is empty, when in fact it is fully loaded. 

 

I believe you have a good heart, but you are misguided in your thought processes at times.

[LIBoy]

I do care, and I feel to tell someone its ok to have a faith other than a faith in Jesus Christ is wrong.  If you believe you are a Christian and you believe there is more than one path, I have to tell you, you are wrong, and you're not reading and interpreting the scriptures properly, thus the reason I use scripture for you to see in print what God's word says.  For me to respect your thoughts and beliefs is like me seeing you holding a gun to your head and you telling me it is empty, when in fact it is fully loaded. 

 

I believe you have a good heart, but you are misguided in your thought processes at times.

Of course I'm misguided at times. It comes with being human. The bottom line is that there are many many religions and many ways to praise God and Jesus. If someone does it differently than you or I, it doesn't mean they are wrong or "less than" it simply means they do it differently. There seems to be such a lack of tolerance in your brand of Christianity. I just can't practice that type of elitist religion. My brand of religion is different than yours. You don't need to agree with it but please respect it. That is all I ask.

[Nelg]

There are a number of suggestions as to what the linen-cloth wrappings mean and also some interesting applications.  Some of the applications have been seen on the Internet. 

 

Soooo I would like to throw in my opinion base on my research.  I just completed an 18 months study of the Gospel of John.  It was my seventh or eighth time to do a full study of the Gospel.  The entire book of John is written to reveal the deity of Jesus.  The most important of those revelations is the resurrection of Jesus from the grave.

These passages give us insight into what happened in the tomb, how Jesus was resurrected, and dispels the claim of grave robbers or disciples moving the body of Jesus to another location.

Mary and the other women, after discovering the tomb’s stone entrance moved away, ran back to Peter, John, and some of the other disciples and told them their concern, someone moved the body to another place (Jno 20:2).  Peter and John along with Mary ran quickly to the tomb to confirm what the women had told time (20:3-6, 11).  John stooping and looking in saw the linen wrappings.  Peter rushes in and beheld (thorei - carefully observes) the linen wrappings (ta othonia).  The linen wrappings around the body of Jesus contained spices that were to keep down the smell of decay.  The spice also became a type of glue that held the wrappings around the body, much like the Egyptian mummies.  The text does not indicate that the wrappings were thrown all over the floor, but just “lying there.” “There” is probably on the solid rock slab called the arcosolium where the body had been, but now it is only the collapsed wrappings lying there.  Viewing the linen wrapping was enough evidence to indicate that the body had not been moved, but had simply left the wrappings undisturbed.

John’s eyes then fixed on the face cloth that had been around Jesus’ head.  The cloth (soudarion), presumably used to keep Jesus’ jaw in place, was “rolled up” (entylisso – rolled up) in a place (eis hena topon) by itself (choris), separate from the linen wrappings around the body (Mt 27:59: Lk 23:53) yet still in the same folded/rolled up position, but collapsed.  Jesus’ resurrection body had passed through the linen wrappings without them needing to be unwrapped. The soudarion cloth neatly maintaining the same position as when Jesus was buried.  His passing through the wrappings much in the same way he later was able to appear to His disciples in a locked room by passing through the door (20:19-20).

What they observed was that the body had not been “unwrapped” to free the body (Jno 11:42), Jesus just rose up out of the grave-cloths and walked out of the tomb. 

The Scripture says nothing about Peter being convinced of the resurrection.  He was more confused and bewildered at what he observed.  John on the other hand believed.  Yet neither of them understood the passages that said that Jesus must rise again from the dead.  It was only later, after the many appearances, that they finally get the complete picture of the resurrection, and after the Spirit’s coming that they understood the full significance of Christ’s resurrection.