As I read John’s account of the resurrection, I was struck by how restrained his writing is.
He did not begin with an explanation
or a theological conclusion.
He recorded what exactly was seen,
in the order it was seen, and allowed
the details to carry weight on their own.
When Peter entered the tomb,
John tells us that he saw the
linen burial cloths lying there.
Then John adds a specific
and seemingly minor detail.
The cloth that had covered Jesus’ head
was not lying with the other cloths.
It was folded and placed separately.
At first, this detail did not seem necessary.
It could easily be passed over.
But throughout John’s Gospel,
details are never incidental.
John consistently includes concrete
observations at key moments,
often before their meaning
is fully understood.
That pattern made me pause
and ask why this detail was preserved.
Jewish burial practices in the
first century help clarify the scene.
The body of the dead was wrapped
tightly in linen cloths, along with burial spices.
These wrappings were not
temporary...