So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb -first. 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. Finally, the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. (They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.)
What captures my attention is the clothing of Jesus at the time of his birth. Luke 2:12 “This will be a sign to you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."
Swaddling clothes consisted of fabric cut into long thin bands. We see a relationship of a child “wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid in a manger" with the body of Jesus "wrapped in linen, laid in a sepulcher that was hewn in stone."
It seems the reason the angel points out these cloths have both a practical and prophetic implications.
When a body is buried, it would not need clothes, but Nicodemus brought about a hundred pounds of myrrh and aloes to spice Jesus body and that He was bound in linen wrappings. We find out that His body and His head were wrapped separately.
Why does the Holy Spirit call our attention to this?
When Jesus was raised from the dead, He apparently passed through these wrappings, leaving them behind as they were. All of this information is in keeping with Jesus as the Great High Priest. Aaron, as the first Israelite priest, wore garments of glory and beauty when he carried out his work. Among these were a tunic of checkered work of fine linen. On the Day of Atonement, however, Aaron set aside these glorious garments and wore only "holy garments," consisting of linen tunics, undergarments, sash, and turban. When the work of atonement was concluded, Aaron put back on his garments of glory and beauty.
The linen garments in which Jesus was wrapped speak of His work as Great High Priest on the Great Day of Atonement. They were left behind "in a holy place" when His work was finished, and He assumed His glorified body.
Thus, the seamless tunic removed from Jesus at the crucifixion corresponds to Aaron’s garments of glory and beauty. The "tunic" of Aaron’s garments is the same word as the "garments" of skin God made for Adam and Eve to cover their nakedness. Jesus’ nakedness was exposed on the cross, signifying His humiliation and His taking the punishment for our sins.
There are new cloths for Jesus Matt 28:3 “His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow.”
His body in birth or death didn’t need these binding cloths anymore. He is free, glorious, and prepared as we will be in the heavenly marriage.
Application: Thank God throughout the day for clothing you in His righteousness.
Prayer: As I ponder these truths Lord, I am strengthened in my faith to see how beautifully you weave together Your Holy Word to reveal Yourself to us. Thank you for your atoning sacrifice and for giving me the beauty of being free in Christ, clothed in His righteousness, prepared as a bride for heaven.
