What were Jesus’ burial clothes like? And how did they testify to the miracle of resurrection?
With a few clues from Scripture and some common sense, we can understand how Christ was buried, how his graveclothes proved his supernatural resurrection, and why popular relics and imagery do not match up with the testimony of Scripture.
This may seem an odd subject for a prophecy-related blog, but the misunderstanding of this topic seems rampant in “watchman” circles.
A classic image of Resurrection Sunday is the empty tomb with early-morning sunlight streaming in while a large swath of linen spills idyllically off a stone slab. But does this line up with what the Scriptures say? Is this what the disciples saw that gave them undeniable proof that something miraculous had happened (John 20:8)?
No, Jesus was not wrapped or folded into one large sheet. The Bible says he was wound in linen strips like bandages, (John 19:40, G3608), with the head wrapped in a separate cloth (John 20:7). The winding strips would be similar to how we picture an Egyptian mummy, although the Jews did not go through an elaborate embalming process as they did.
Here’s the interesting part: the “spices” that Nicodemus brought for the burial were not dry, ground seasonings as we think of today. Both myrrh and aloes were resins that were aromatic and valuable. These acted like a varnish which was used to seal the linen strips as the body was wound. Again, this process is widely understood from Egypt’s mummies.
Since Nicodemus brought such a generous amount (John 19:39), the wrappings would have been extremely well-saturated and sealed. Once the resins had cured, the graveclothes would have been like a shell or cocoon. It would be impossible for anyone to escape and leave them behind without cutting them open. When Peter saw the linen cloths “lying by themselves,” he likely saw a hollow, intact shell in the shape of a body, like paper mache! You can see how this would cause one to “wonder in himself.” Resurrection aside, how could a body be removed from that without some kind of a miracle?
It is also apparent why the initial burial needed to be done by at least a couple of men (John 19:38-42) with the mourning women just watching (Luke 23:55).
The other distinctive burial feature is the separate head cloth. This also testifies against the idea of one large shroud. And despite modern assertions that the head cloth was removed before final burial, Scripture indicates that it remained in place: John 11:44.
“He is not here: for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.”
Children of the Day 