When God Says …
“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 KJV).
These passages certainly marked the unrelenting action that unfolded in this Sunday morning that followed the week of stress-filled drama, culminated by the Lord’s gruesome crucifixion. Here, we see great signs of hope and promise with the napkin wrapping of the Lord’s head separately placed from the linen clothes that Apostle Peter saw as he went straight in the sepulcher. He was following behind Apostle John who came first but did not enter. Yet John saw it too, peeking from the entrance. The burial clothes and head napkin were neatly piled on different places. (These clothes and napkins are the customary dressings used by the Jews in burying their dead. It’s in contrast to the present practice to dress them with their best and favorite outfits). This impulsive action of Peter is very typical with his nature. He is one, just like many of us, who acts without thinking and at times regret it later. This time, perhaps Peter did it right with eagerness to be in the presence of the Lord, as John followed to enter and affirmed what he saw from afar. These clues are signs of events happening with profound significance.
The sight of the linen clothes and head wrappings left behind, neatly piled conspicuously, send a reassuring message to Apostles Peter and John, and all of us who believe. These, they saw without the benefit of knowledge that we now have. They experienced it real-time at ground zero-in the tomb, without the benefit of hindsight of the full outcome that we are now privileged to know. All they have is the Lord’s Words given to them before His death. Those Words were spoken with no available precedence to relate to.
These manifestations must have brought to Apostle Peter’s remembrance his interaction with the Lord Jesus while they were in the district of Caesarea Philippi (Matthew 16:13). These must also solidify our ground of faith resting in the Lord’s grace through His finished work on the cross. In that interaction with the Lord, Apostle Peter wrongly rebuked the Lord Jesus Christ. For that mistake, he received a very serious chastisement from the Lord. It is written: “From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you.” But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.”” (Matthew 16:21-23 ESV).
And I say, AMEN!
Daily reflections by:
F. A. Frias
PFC Ministries
When God says... I say, AMEN! is a provocative reflection of the Lord's holy Word. It intends to challenge every seeker of truth to dig deep into the core of the Word of Life to point every being to Christ Jesus - the author and finisher of our faith, and to draw revelations for change, for nourishment and for strength of every soul.
Partners For Christ Ministries, INC
P. O. Box 773716
Ocala, FL 34477
Touching lives in Cambodia, The Philippines, The Middle East, The USA, and... other countries.
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