The Empty Tomb With the Stone Rolled AwayBible World
20:7John 20:7
And the napkin, that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself.
When Jesus rose His body was gone but the burial linens remained in the tomb, with the cloth that had covered His head lying apart by itself neatly folded together. He Himself arranged them with care, leaving each piece deliberately placed in order rather than cast aside. Left in this way they stood as proof that He had risen and had not been taken away, and seeing them the other disciple believed that He was alive. The careful folding shows that order and attention to small things matter, revealing habits that were never careless or disorderly. It was done to teach His followers courtesy and faithfulness in little things, to do thorough, conscientious work that can stand trial rather than working carelessly or shabbily.
Cloths Left in Tomb
The cloth that had been about the head lay apart from the linen burial clothes, folded or wrapped together in a place by itself, while the body was gone and the linen clothes remained in the tomb. After the resurrection the napkin that had been about the head lay in its own place, wrapped together and set separately from the linen clothes. The detail belongs to the discovery of the empty tomb, when the disciples found the tomb as it had been reported to them.
The burial wrappings were not carelessly discarded but were left in order, each piece placed deliberately, the head cloth folded and set apart. Christ Himself folded the grave-clothes and put them carefully in their proper place, folding up the cloth that had been bound about His head and putting it away by itself. His deliberate care in this small detail shows His habits and work were orderly and free from disorder, not careless or haphazard.
An angel removed the cloth covering the head inside the tomb before or as the resurrection took place, after which Jesus walked out of the tomb victorious over death. This is the teaching of those who held it, while the weight of the passages holds that Christ Himself did the folding and placing. Likewise the weight of the passages holds that the verse describes the napkin and its arrangement, while those who held the other view taught that the account of the empty tomb leaves the napkin undescribed and unexplained, and that seeing the clothes did not immediately lead to belief in the report that Jesus had risen.
Testimony to Resurrection
Together with the empty tomb, the linen clothes remaining with the head cloth folded apart and lying by itself are evidence that Jesus had risen and that His body had not been taken or stolen. The wrappings were not carelessly discarded but left in order, and this orderly arrangement testifies that He had risen, contrary to the thought that someone had removed Him. After seeing the burial cloths, the other disciple entered, saw, and believed that Jesus was alive and risen, trusting Jesus' own words.
At that time the disciples had not yet understood the Scripture and the Old Testament prophecies that Jesus must rise from the dead. The disciples testified that they had seen and spoken with Him, confirming that He had risen and that His body had not undergone corruption. This evidence defeated the priests' false account and supported the truth of the resurrection.
In its wider setting the verse belongs to the proof that Jesus is not still buried in Joseph's new tomb behind the great stone but has risen and is alive. He is a living Saviour, the Head of the church and the Good Shepherd whose voice His sheep know and follow. To act as if He were still buried is unbelief that brings discouragement and doubt, while knowing He is risen gives courage and faith to hope and trust in God when things become entangled and cannot be easily adjusted.
Lesson in Carefulness
The folded head-cloth lying apart from the linen clothes, wrapped together in its own place, shows that attention to little things matters. The burial wrappings were not carelessly discarded but each piece was placed in order, and Christ Himself folded them and put them carefully in their proper place, showing that order and care matter even in small things. When He rose from the tomb by His own mighty power He did not disdain this simple act of folding the grave-clothes, noticing the most simple things in life even while the great work of redemption weighed upon Him.
His deliberate care in this small detail demonstrates that His habits had nothing careless or haphazard and His work was orderly and free from disorder, not done haphazardly. It was done deliberately to teach a lesson in true courtesy and faithfulness in little things. That means His followers are to reveal courtesy in association with all, to avoid rudeness and selfishness and carelessness about little things, and to show kind words and courteous conduct as witnesses for Christ.
It gives Christians an example of faithful and conscientious attention to little things to follow in their work of cooperating with Christ for the salvation of souls. Their work must be thorough and solid and never done carelessly or shabbily, but built on a sure foundation to stand the test of trial, just as character is to appear in perfection. Such faithfulness in little things is the secret of success in every line of Christian effort and influence. He is not still buried but has risen and is alive, and knowing this gives courage and faith to hope and trust in God when things become entangled and cannot be easily adjusted, while to act as if He were still buried is unbelief that brings discouragement and doubt.
When Jesus rose His body was gone but the burial linens remained in the tomb, with the cloth that had covered His head lying apart by itself neatly folded together. He Himself arranged them with care, leaving each piece deliberately placed in order rather than cast aside. Left in this way they stood as proof that He had risen and had not been taken away, and seeing them the other disciple believed that He was alive. The careful folding shows that order and attention to small things matter, revealing habits that were never careless or disorderly. It was done to teach His followers courtesy and faithfulness in little things, to do thorough, conscientious work that can stand trial rather than working carelessly or shabbily.
Cloths Left in Tomb
The cloth that had been about the head lay apart from the linen burial clothes, folded or wrapped together in a place by itself, while the body was gone and the linen clothes remained in the tomb. After the resurrection the napkin that had been about the head lay in its own place, wrapped together and set separately from the linen clothes. The detail belongs to the discovery of the empty tomb, when the disciples found the tomb as it had been reported to them.
The burial wrappings were not carelessly discarded but were left in order, each piece placed deliberately, the head cloth folded and set apart. Christ Himself folded the grave-clothes and put them carefully in their proper place, folding up the cloth that had been bound about His head and putting it away by itself. His deliberate care in this small detail shows His habits and work were orderly and free from disorder, not careless or haphazard.
An angel removed the cloth covering the head inside the tomb before or as the resurrection took place, after which Jesus walked out of the tomb victorious over death. This is the teaching of those who held it, while the weight of the passages holds that Christ Himself did the folding and placing. Likewise the weight of the passages holds that the verse describes the napkin and its arrangement, while those who held the other view taught that the account of the empty tomb leaves the napkin undescribed and unexplained, and that seeing the clothes did not immediately lead to belief in the report that Jesus had risen.
Testimony to Resurrection
Together with the empty tomb, the linen clothes remaining with the head cloth folded apart and lying by itself are evidence that Jesus had risen and that His body had not been taken or stolen. The wrappings were not carelessly discarded but left in order, and this orderly arrangement testifies that He had risen, contrary to the thought that someone had removed Him. After seeing the burial cloths, the other disciple entered, saw, and believed that Jesus was alive and risen, trusting Jesus' own words.
At that time the disciples had not yet understood the Scripture and the Old Testament prophecies that Jesus must rise from the dead. The disciples testified that they had seen and spoken with Him, confirming that He had risen and that His body had not undergone corruption. This evidence defeated the priests' false account and supported the truth of the resurrection.
In its wider setting the verse belongs to the proof that Jesus is not still buried in Joseph's new tomb behind the great stone but has risen and is alive. He is a living Saviour, the Head of the church and the Good Shepherd whose voice His sheep know and follow. To act as if He were still buried is unbelief that brings discouragement and doubt, while knowing He is risen gives courage and faith to hope and trust in God when things become entangled and cannot be easily adjusted.
Lesson in Carefulness
The folded head-cloth lying apart from the linen clothes, wrapped together in its own place, shows that attention to little things matters. The burial wrappings were not carelessly discarded but each piece was placed in order, and Christ Himself folded them and put them carefully in their proper place, showing that order and care matter even in small things. When He rose from the tomb by His own mighty power He did not disdain this simple act of folding the grave-clothes, noticing the most simple things in life even while the great work of redemption weighed upon Him.
His deliberate care in this small detail demonstrates that His habits had nothing careless or haphazard and His work was orderly and free from disorder, not done haphazardly. It was done deliberately to teach a lesson in true courtesy and faithfulness in little things. That means His followers are to reveal courtesy in association with all, to avoid rudeness and selfishness and carelessness about little things, and to show kind words and courteous conduct as witnesses for Christ.
It gives Christians an example of faithful and conscientious attention to little things to follow in their work of cooperating with Christ for the salvation of souls. Their work must be thorough and solid and never done carelessly or shabbily, but built on a sure foundation to stand the test of trial, just as character is to appear in perfection. Such faithfulness in little things is the secret of success in every line of Christian effort and influence. He is not still buried but has risen and is alive, and knowing this gives courage and faith to hope and trust in God when things become entangled and cannot be easily adjusted, while to act as if He were still buried is unbelief that brings discouragement and doubt.