In the Christian tradition, we鈥檝e just celebrated the Easter season but here鈥檚 a detail I鈥檝e never heard addressed: Following His resurrection, why was the napkin that covered the face of Jesus in the tomb, folded?
In recording details of His death and resurrection, we鈥檙e told that early that Sunday morning Mary Magdalene came to the tomb only to find that the massive stone covering the entrance to the tomb had been rolled away. Mystified she ran and found disciples John and Simon Peter.
鈥淭hey鈥檝e taken the Lord鈥檚 body out of the tomb and I don鈥檛 know where they鈥檝e put Him 鈥︹�� she cried out. (John 20:7)
John outran Peter, and stooping, he looked in and saw the linen cloth lying with the other funeral garments; when Simon Peter arrived, he went inside where he also noticed that the cloth that had covered Jesus鈥檚 head was folded up and lying to the side.
Here鈥檚 the significance: In Hebrew tradition when the servant set the dinner table for the master, he made sure that it was exactly the way the master wanted it. Then he would wait, just out of sight, until the master had finished eating. Until then he would not dare touch that table. Once the master was done eating, he would rise from the table, wipe his fingers, his mouth and clean his beard, then would wad up that napkin and toss it onto the table. It was the signal to clear the table.
If the master got up from the table, however, folded his napkin, and laid it beside his plate, the servant knew his master was saying, 鈥淟eave it, I鈥檓 coming back!鈥�
In these days of confusion, pandemic and horrific warfare, its both important and comforting to realize that 鈥渢he napkin is still folded.鈥�
His promise still stands: He hasn鈥檛 forgotten us. Hallelujah!
