Why did Jesus fold the linen burial cloth after His resurrection?

Why did Jesus fold the linen burial cloth after His resurrection?
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 ha d 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.

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 and mouth with that napkin and toss it on to 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 be side his

plate, the servant knew that the folded napkin meant, 'I'm not finished yet.'

The folded napkin meant, 'I'm coming back!'

Ironically, I was thinking about this yesterday while listening to the gospel of John on a bike ride.

My guesses were that a folded cloth might indicate that Jesus' body was not hurriedly stolen by anyone, or that I ought to keep my room clean.

No kidding, I was thinking, "Even when He rose, Jesus cleaned up after Himself." :-)

Enter by faith the Redeemer's vacant tomb. See the vestments in which He had been wrapped. These are lying scattered on the rocky floor, the blessed vouchers and evidences, that in behalf of all His covenant people, He has burst the bands of death. But behold, too, a further significant symbol. The napkin is folded up. It is carefully laid by. It is of use no more. The time of tears is over. The weeping world has had its anguish hushed by that risen Conqueror. Its sorrow, its crying, its pain—oh! for a little longer these may, and will continue. But the fear of eternal anguish, eternal weeping, eternal crying, is now past! And so brief is our weeping time during earth's passing night, so near is the tearless hour, that the napkin may well be folded up, "wrapped together in a place by itself." Gaze upon it reposing in the tomb of Jesus as the pledge of a tearless immortality.

Blessed Savior! You who shed for me, not Your tears, but Your blood, open these gates of righteousness in the celestial city; then shall I enter into them, and praise the Lord. It is Your sovereign grace and bleeding love which will bring me there! This, shall be my ascription now, in sight of these jeweled gates and jasper walls, and my ascription, when admitted as a glorified inhabitant, "Blessed be the Lord, who has shown me His marvelous kindness in a strong City!"

What a beautiful expression!! God no longer has
to hide His face from us; we can behold His
beauty and glory in the face of His Beloved Son!! :-)