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Jesus is Coming Soon!

righteousdude2

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
This is an interesting nugget from the book of John...it is my prayer that it blesses you as much as it blessed me.

Shalom,

Pastor Paul :type:

Something I didn't know about the napkin

This is really beautiful, with such significance. I truly hope you enjoy it as much as I did. John 20:7 reads (in "The Woman's Study Bible, The New King James Version) "v. 6: Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb; and he saw the linen cloths lying there, v.7 and the handkerchief that had been around His head, not lying with the linen cloths, but folded together in a place by itself."

Why Did Jesus Fold the Napkin?

This is one I can honestly say I have never seen circulating in the
emails so; I'll start it, if it touches you and you want to forward it.

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
outran 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.

Was 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 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 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!! Be Blessed
 

Amy.G

New Member
I've never heard that before but I found THIS doing a Google search. It's evidently been around the web a few times.


Question from a reader: Do you know anything about the following Hebrew tradition? "John 20:7 tells us that the napkin that 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. Is that significant? Absolutely! 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. 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, folded his napkin, and laid it beside his plate, the servant would not dare touch the table because the servant knew that the folded napkin meant, 'I'm not finished yet.' The folded napkin meant, 'I'm coming back!' He (the master, Jesus) is coming back! Hallelujah!"

This is almost word for word what you posted.

HERE'S another forum with the same story. It's Catholic.


I think this is an urban legend. Jesus is coming back though, but I don't think the burial napkin is saying this. We have His own words, which is good enough for me!
 
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righteousdude2

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
Thanks Amy...

I've never heard that before but I found THIS doing a Google search. It's evidently been around the web a few times.




This is almost word for word what you posted.

HERE'S another forum with the same story. It's Catholic.


I think this is an urban legend. Jesus is coming back though, but I don't think the burial napkin is saying this. We have His own words, which is good enough for me!
I appreciate your insight. I don't know from where this came, but, as you say, He is coming back, and that is all that matters. This teaching of the napkin was just an interesting side-bar. It would make for a great intro into a sermon, which I think you would agree?
 

Tom Butler

New Member
I've heard a variation of the story. This one says that the napkin is actually a prayer shawl called the tallit. Each individual folded his prayer shawl in a distinctive way when it was not in use. For three years the disciples had seen the way Jesus folded his prayer shawl.

The scriptures tell us the shawl (napkiin) was folded and laid apart from the other grave clothes. Someone like Peter would recognize the distinctive way of folding it as that of Jesus'. The body could not have been stolen, since such thieves would not have known how to fold the shawl. One must be alive to fold the shawl Jesus' way. Jesus was the only one in that sealed tomb. The folded tallit, with Jesus distinctive folding, was proof positive that He was alive.

I'm not much on Jewish custom, but this story is pretty neat, even if it's not true.
 

Jkdbuck76

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
Why bury Christ with a dinner napkin?

Seriously.

I have a friend who is ministers to Jewish people and has lived in Israel. I'll ask him and report back.
 
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