Simon Peter arrived just after him. He entered the tomb and saw the linen cloths lying there.Then Simon Peter came, following him, and entered into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying,Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulchre, and seeth the linen clothes lie,Simon Peter therefore also cometh, following him, and entered into the tomb; and he beholdeth the linen cloths lying,
4 sermons cite this verse
… John's very big on telling everybody that he's the faster of the two. And he, stooping down, looking in, saw the linen cloths lying there, yet he did not go in. This is important, everyone. And the handkerchief that had been around his head, Jesus' head, not lined with the linen cloths, but folded together in a place by itself. For as yet they did not know the scripture, or they were not understanding, that he must rise again from the dead. Then the disciples were to wake into their own homes. And verse 11 says, But Mary stood outside by the tomb weeping. And as she wept, she stooped down and looked into the tomb. And she saw two angels who might see on the head of the earth and the feet, for I, Jesus, her name. In verse 13 ends with it saying, then they said to her, woman, why are you weeping? Father, again, speak to us out of your precious word. What a day in history. …
… So anyway, then watch this, stooping to look in. So John saw the linen cloths lying there, but he didn't go in. Then Simon Peter came following him and went into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there and the face cloth, which had been on Jesus' head, not lying with the linen cloths, but folded up in a place by itself. Did you notice that? Three different times, there's an emphasis on what kind of cloths? Linen cloths. Three different times. It's like John's trying to tell us something. And he specifically tells us that they're folded up. What's going on here? Like John is telling us, Jesus didn't just die and rose again. That would have been sufficient. John is telling us Jesus died, rose again, and he made his bed. Why would he tell us that? Well, look a couple of verses later. We read that Mary stood weeping outside the tomb. As she wept, she stooped to look into the tomb and she saw two angels in white sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet whoa wait a second we got two angels flanking this scene with linen cloths nicely folded up between them does that sound familiar ever when the priest on the day of atonement would put on linen cloths go into the center of the tabernacle the mercy seat was two angels one on each side of it the priest offers his sacrifice then he'd leave those clothes …
… So anyway, they get there, stooping to look in. John saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came following him and went into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there and the face cloth, which had been on Jesus' head, not lying with the linen cloths, but folded up in a place by itself. Well, that's interesting. Three times there's a focus on what kind of cloth? linen cloths. It's like John's trying to tell us something, and he specifically tells us they're folded up. Why? Why is he? It would have been sufficient to tell us Jesus died and rose again. John's telling us Jesus died, rose again, and he made his bed. Why is he telling us this? Well, I'm glad you asked. Look, a couple of verses later, we read, Mary stood weeping outside the tomb. And as she wept, she stooped to look into the tomb and she saw two angels in white sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. Get the picture. You got two angels flanking this scene with linen cloths nicely folded up and left between them. Does that sound familiar? Remember when the priest on the day of atonement would put on linen clothes, would go into the center of the tabernacle where the mercy seat was with two angels, one on each side, and the priest would offer the sacrifice, and then he would leave those clothes there, change into …
Lean close, my friends. Let us listen together to the story of the first Easter as recorded in the Gospel according to John, chapter 20, beginning with the first verse. Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved and said to them, They have taken the Lord out of the tomb and we do not know where they've laid him. Then Peter and the other disciple set out and went toward the tomb. The two were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent down to look in and saw the linen wrappings lying there, but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen wrappings lying there, and the cloth that had been on Jesus' head, not lying with the linen wrappings, but rolled up in a place by itself. …