“The powerful meaning behind a simple, folded napkin.”

By Misty Strieff Prine

                Each year on Easter, we are reminded of the fact that we serve a RISEN Savior. We focus on the days leading up to when our Savior was crucified for our sins. We know that on that third day, He arose from the grave and by His willingness to give His own life for ours, He made a way, the ONLY way, by which we could be forgiven for our sins. Saving grace could only be brought by the shed blood of a perfect lamb...the Son of God. He willingly gave His life for you and for me on that cruel cross of Calvary. And one day, He is coming back! Will you be ready?

                There is a special highlight of a part of scripture that I love to focus on each Easter “Why did Jesus fold the napkin?” 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 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 disciple. 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. He bent down and looked in to see the linen cloth lying there, but he didn't go in. Then Simon Peter arrived and went inside. He also noticed the linen cloths lying there, while the cloth that had covered Jesus' head was folded up and lying to the side. Was that important? Absolutely! Is it 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. During those times, 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'S COMING BACK!!!!

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