JESUS IS NOT FINISHED!

By Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

© God’s Breath Publications

 

John 20:5-8

“He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. Then Simon Peter, who was behind him, arrived and went into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, as well as the burial cloth that had been around Jesus’ head. The cloth was folded up by itself, separate from the linen.”

 

When the tomb was found empty on the day of Jesus’ resurrection several amazing observations could be made. First the burial cloth that had covered every inch of his body was lying in the empty tomb. This burial linen was wrapped over and over all around His body and anointed with fragrant oils. Listen to the description of how this burial cloth was placed on Jesus from the book “The Day Christ Died” by Jim Bishop.

 

“John went out to the women and gathered up the strips of linen, into which they had rubbed the spices. These were two: a resin extracted from agave, and soccotrine aloes, which has a scent of balsam, midway between myrrh and saffron. The men hurried noiselessly. One anointed the body with balm oil, rubbing it in with the ball of the thumb; another tore the bog bolt of cloth into strips; a third wound the strips around the legs and arms. A large white linen cloth was fitted down over the body and the three men cut it a few inches beyond the tips of the toes. Narrow strips – or bandages – were now cut from the remainder. The big shroud was tied with these bandages, at the neck, at the waist, and around both ankles. The upper part of the shroud covered the head, but the bandage around the neck enabled anyone at any time to flick the head covering off to identify the body…The bandage around the waist was to keep the hands from slipping from the body. The third one was to prevent the ankles from separating.”

 

As you can see from this description the burial linen used to cover Jesus was tightly woven around His body and stuck to the oils and spices that He had been anointed with. Those who falsely postulate that Jesus was not really dead and never rose from the dead have not been able to explain how an exhausted and bleeding Jesus could extricate Himself from such a Gordian knot of cloth. Imagine yourself wrapped like a mummy from head to toe. How would you untangle yourself from such a situation without being able to use your hands or feet? And they would also have to explain how Jesus could have moved the huge stone away from the tomb’s entrance.

 

But possibly even more revealing is the cloth that was placed over the face of Jesus. This cloth was found not just thrown aside. It was neatly folded lying on the stone upon which Jesus had lain. Is there any significance to the fact that a verse of scripture specifically mentions this fact? A theory has been proposed that there is a symbolic meaning to this evidence.

 

The belief is that this may relate to a Hebrew tradition of that day. When a Master of a household ate at his dinner table, the servant would set the table and provide a piece of cloth or napkin for him to wipe his face and mouth after the meal.

 

The servant was not to bother his master or clear the table until he was finished with his meal. How would the servant know when his master was finished? When the master has wiped his face and mouth with the napkin and tossed it aside, crumpled and dirty.

 

The used crumpled napkin was a symbol that the master was finished and the table could be cleared and wiped clean.

 

As long as the napkin remained neatly folded the master was not finished with his meal. Often a master of the house might be interrupted in his meal and have to get up to address business or guests. He would leave his napkin neatly folded until he really was finished with his meal. The folded napkin meant, “I’m coming back.”

 

While we know Jesus stated on the cross before He died, “It is finished.” He was referring to His death paying for all the sins of the world. But His task of providing full salvation was not over. He knew He must rise from the grave to prove His victory over death and sin. But it doesn’t end there.

 

In order to fulfill all the prophecies of the Bible He must return to the earth to conquer and rule. This is where the theory of the folded napkin at the tomb may possibly be true. The folded facial burial cloth may be a sign of what we know is true. That Jesus Christ is not finished and will return.

 

He is not finished!

 

He is coming back!

 

Are you ready for His return?