What interests me is how stories like this become popular.
People often ask me why I don't mention the napkin story when I preach from the resurrection account in John 20. I normally don't have time to give this long answer below:
The Napkin Story
The napkin story speaks about Jesus burial clothes. In the King James version the cloth that would have covered Jesus' head is described as a 'napkin'."Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulchre, and seeth the linen clothes lie, And the napkin, that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself."
- John 20:6-7
The word 'napkin' leads people to think of a table serviette. The napkin explanation then says: "Every Jewish boy knows..." and then goes on to explain that if someone eating a meal folds their napkin it means they are coming back; if the napkin is crumpled; then they have finished their meal. The story interprets it to mean that Jesus is coming back.
It appeals to people because it seems to reveal the meaning of an apparently mysterious detail recorded in John's gospel. Why is the cloth folded and lying near where his body lay? Is it meant to mean something?
The apparent meaning is revealed through an appeal to a Jewish cultural practice; the cultural practice sounds quite sensible because nobody really knows what to do with a serviette at a fancy meal; so this one sounds plausible. Is this a Jewish custom from the first century?
Probably not.
It is possible that people eating at a table would have used bread to clean their hands; but probably not some expensive cloth that was difficult to wash.
Is this a well known Jewish custom that every young Jewish boy would know about? No.
It sounds plausible because we like to 'know' about other cultures - and if someone who seems to know something about a subject tells someone who doesn't know much - and it seems that the information makes sense and does no harm we're likely to trust it, and assimilate it. Christians love using little Hebrew phrases as a way of showing their knowledge / privileged position in the community to others.
Then, because the apparent fact is interesting and hopefully helpful and it doesn't contradict what Christians believe; they are likely to share it.
In the age of facebook, email and twitter its really easy to forward this kind of thing on to as many people as you can; and so the misinformation explodes. Well meaning Bible study leaders will clip this interesting morsel for discussion...
Beyond that - pastors, struggling for illustrations on Saturday night might even assimilate this into their preaching without doing some diligent fact checking because its nice to show some learning and share an interesting 'fact' with the congregation. People really love this one.
So - what does the scripture really say / mean?
"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." - John 20:6-7 (NRSV)
The part of this that catches everyone's attention is the 'sauderion' (face covering) which was separate from the linen wrappings and rolled up in a place by itself.
Matthew and Mark say nothing about Jesus' grave-clothes; Luke says that Peter "saw the linen cloths by themselves" (24:12). Why this mysterious face covering lying on the side only recorded in John's gospel? The only occurrence of the same word in John is John 11:44, describing the resurrection of Lazarus.
In the case of John's gospel the repeat of 'sauderion' helps us to compare Jesus resurrection with that of Lazarus. In the case of Lazarus - he is still bound by the clothes; his body is still mortal. In the case of Jesus - the folded clothes remain; his body is different. Paul says that in resurrection our bodies are 'Spiritual' not 'Physical' (1 Corinthians 15:44). The folded clothes language lets us know that Jesus body has somehow moved through the grave clothes without disturbing them; no longer physical; somehow 'spiritual'.
This is important - some people might have thought that Jesus survived crucifixion and entombment and revived in the grave. If he had stood up and walked out of the tomb he would have kept the grave clothes wrapped around him like Lazarus. If Jesus body had been stolen then the thieves would not have left the grave clothes behind - they would have taken them with the body.
So why the detail? Is it a secret message from John the gospel writer to his readers?
Probably not.
Is it about resurrection and the nature of Jesus resurrected body?
Definitely.
What interests me the most - why is this story so popular?
1 - People love a bit of 'exotic' information; the detail about a Jewish custom is enticing.
2 - The message is not explicitly harmful; it is quite orthodox - we believe Jesus will return.
3 - It sounds like secret, slightly controversial knowledge; the popularity of books like the DaVinci Code are testament to the fact that people like 'secret' information. It gives you a sense of privilege.
4 - Because of all of the above; people share it widely. If someone mentioned it to you 10 years ago and you see it or hear it again - you are more likely to think its true.
5 - Finally - we're all a bit too lazy to fact check what we share with each other.
What do you think?
