What Shroud?

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 came along behind him and went straight into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, as well as the cloth that had been wrapped around Jesus’ head. The cloth was still lying in its place, 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.) Then the disciples went back to where they were staying. John 20:3-10

“the other disciple” of course, was John, the writer of this gospel. Mary had announced that the body of Jesus was not in the tomb, and she was distraught, so they ran to see. John got there first, but did not enter right away. He looked in though, and saw “strips of linen lying there.” These were death-dressings, wrappings as for the newborn swaddling cloths; long, narrow strips of cloth that were wrapped around the body like bandages.

Then Peter ran straight in. He saw the strips of cloth, too, and the separate face-cloth, lying in place apart from the linen strips. This was a soudarion; like a sweat-rag or a towel which bound the face of the corpse. Also referred to as a handkerchief or napkin.

We do not need relics of Jesus to know He is real. Whatever relics have been found or counterfeited to prey on the gullible or add to the story never seem to conform to the Bible accounts we have been given. The fact that people superstitiously keep coming up with those things just adds to the ridicule we Christians have to endure from a skeptical world.

We walk by faith, not by sight. Humans are easily deceived and easily influenced to worship tangible objects in addition to, or rather than, the Lord of Life. Relics do not prove the reality. The Holy Spirit’s teaching of our spirit does. The existence of the Perfect Word of Truth does.

…these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. I Corinthians 2:10

Actually, John, Peter and the other disciples had plenty of tangible proof of Jesus’ resurrection. Among the evidence: those burial clothes that had been left lying in place, and that separate face-cloth that seemed not to have been moved. It would take a while for the cobwebs of grief to clear from their stunned souls, but they would soon see Jesus face-to-face, in His resurrection body!

These ordinary men who had become apostles of the gospel of Christ and suffered all manner of adversity with Him, as well as wonderful times of blessing, now had the magnificent joy of knowing Him in His resurrection. They would every one go to his death proclaiming the Living Lord Jesus as the only Savior! They never got over it. Neither will we.

He is Alive!