The Meaning of John 20:7 Explained

John 20:7

KJV: And the napkin, that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself.

YLT: and the napkin that was upon his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but apart, having been folded up, in one place;

Darby: and the handkerchief which was upon his head, not lying with the linen cloths, but folded up in a distinct place by itself.

ASV: and the napkin, that was upon his head, not lying with the linen cloths, but rolled up in a place by itself.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And  the napkin,  that  was  about  his  head,  not  lying  with  the linen clothes,  but  wrapped together  in  a place  by itself. 

What does John 20:7 Mean?

Context Summary

John 20:1-10 - The Witness Of The Empty Tomb
In considering John's account of the Resurrection, we should remember that it is largely supplementary to the other narratives. This Gospel having been written long after those were in circulation, the selection of incidents which are recorded is made for spiritual purposes. John's object was to show various instances of faith in the risen Christ, each one being typical and having its own lessons to teach.
Easter morning! What dismay there is in Mary's voice and what consternation in her face! What a mistake also she made, for who can take our Lord away from hearts where He is enshrined! The Greek word used to describe the disposition of the clothes is very remarkable. It conveys the idea that they had fallen together, as if that which they had covered had been suddenly withdrawn.
How much those two disciples missed! Had they only waited, they might have seen the Lord. Do not hurry with wanton haste from the mysteries of our Lord's grave; but learn that on the one hand He was declared to be God's Son, Romans 1:4, and on the other we are taught the victory of faith even over death, John 11:26. [source]

Chapter Summary: John 20

1  Mary comes to the tomb;
3  so do Peter and John, ignorant of the resurrection
11  Jesus appears to Mary Magdalene,
19  and to his disciples
24  The incredulity and confession of Thomas
30  The Scripture is sufficient to salvation

Greek Commentary for John 20:7

The napkin [το σουδαριον]
Already in John 11:44 which see. This napkin for the head was in a separate place. Rolled up Perfect passive participle, predicate accusative like κειμενον — keimenon from εντυλισσω — entulissō late verb, to wrap in, to roll up, already in Matthew 27:59; Luke 23:53. It was arranged in an orderly fashion. There was no haste. By itself Old adverb, “apart,” “separately.” [source]
Napkin [σουδάριον]
See on Luke 19:20. [source]
Wrapped together [ἐντετυλιγμένον]
Rev., much better, rolled up. The orderly arrangement of everything in the tomb marks the absence of haste and precipitation in the awakening and rising from the dead. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for John 20:7

Mark 15:46 Wound [ενειλησεν]
This word is only here in the N.T. As εντυλισσω — entulissō is only in Matthew 27:59; Luke 23:53; John 20:7. Both verbs occur in the papyri, Plutarch, etc. They both mean to wrap, wind, roll in. The body of Jesus was wound in the linen cloth bought by Joseph and the hundred pounds of spices brought by Nicodemus (John 19:39) for burying were placed in the folds of the linen and the linen was bound around the body by strips of cloth (John 19:40). The time was short before the sabbath began and these two reverently laid the body of the Master in Joseph‘s new tomb, hewn out of a rock. The perfect passive participle For further details see Matthew 27:57-60. Luke 23:53 and John 19:41 also tell of the new tomb of Joseph. Some modern scholars think that this very tomb has been identified in Gordon‘s Calvary north of the city. [source]
Luke 19:20 Laid up [αποκειμενην]
Present passive participle agreeing with ην — hēn (which), used often as perfect passive of τιτημι — tithēmi as here, laid away or off It is not the periphrastic construction, but two separate verbs, each with its own force.In a napkin (εν σουδαριωι — en soudariōi). A Latin word sudarium from sudor (sweat) transliterated into Greek, a sweatcloth handkerchief or napkin. Found in papyrus marriage contracts as part of the dowry (second and third centuries a.d., Deissmann, Bible Studies, p. 223). Used also for swathing the head of the dead (John 11:44; John 20:7). [source]
Luke 19:20 In a napkin [εν σουδαριωι]
A Latin word sudarium from sudor (sweat) transliterated into Greek, a sweatcloth handkerchief or napkin. Found in papyrus marriage contracts as part of the dowry (second and third centuries a.d., Deissmann, Bible Studies, p. 223). Used also for swathing the head of the dead (John 11:44; John 20:7). [source]
John 6:68 Simon Peter []
Assailants of the authenticity of John's Gospel have asserted that it reveals an effort on the part of the writer to claim for the disciple whom Jesus loved a pre-eminence above Peter. The assertion is effectually contradicted by the narrative itself. See John 1:42; John 6:68; John 13:6; John 18:10, John 18:16; John 20:2, John 20:7; John 21:3, John 21:7, John 21:11, and notes on those passages. Peter's replying for the twelve, in this passage, is a case in point. [source]
John 11:44 Grave-clothes [κειρίαις]
Literally, swathing-bands. Only here in the New Testament. In John 19:40; John 20:5, John 20:7, ὀθόνια , linen bands, is used. [source]
John 11:44 He that was dead came forth [εχηλτεν ο τετνηκως]
Literally, “Came out the dead man,” (effective aorist active indicative and perfect active articular participle of τνησκω — thnēskō). Just as he was and at once. Bound hand and foot Perfect passive participle of δεω — deō with the accusative loosely retained according to the common Greek idiom (Robertson, Grammar, p. 486), but literally “as to the feet and hands” (opposite order from the English). Probably the legs were bound separately. With grave-clothes Or “with bands.” Instrumental case of this late and rare word (in Plutarch, medical papyrus in the form κηρια — kēria and Proverbs 7:16). Only here in N.T. His face Old word, but προσωπον — prosōpon is usual in N.T. See Revelation 1:16 for another instance. Was bound about Past perfect passive of περιδεω — perideō old verb to bind around, only here in N.T. With a napkin Instrumental case of σουδαριον — soudarion (Latin word sudarium from sudor, sweat). In N.T. here, John 20:7; Luke 19:20; Acts 19:12. Our handkerchief. Loose him First aorist active imperative of λυω — luō From the various bands. Let him go Second aorist active imperative of απιημι — aphiēmi and present active infinitive. [source]
Acts 10:11 Corners [ἀρχαῖς]
Lit., beginnings; the extremity or corner, marking a beginning of the sheet. “We are to imagine the vessel, looking like a colossal four-cornered linen cloth letting itself down, while the corners attached to heaven to support the whole.” The word is used in this sense by Herodotus, describing the sacrifices of the Scythians. The victim's forefeet are bound with a cord, “and the person who is about to offer, taking his station behind the victim, pulls the end ( ἀρχὴν )of the rope, and thereby throws the animal down” (iv., 60). The suggestion of ropes holding the corners of the sheet (Alford, and, cautiously, Farrar) is unwarranted by the usage of the word. It was the technical expression in medical language for the ends of bandages. The word for sheet in this passage was also the technical term for a bandage, as was the kindred word ὀθόνιον , used of the linen bandages in which the Lord's body was swathed. See Luke 24:12; John 19:40; John 20:5, John 20:6, John 20:7. Mr. Hobart says: “We have thus in this passage a technical medical phrase - the ends of a bandage - used for the ends of a sheet, which hardly any one except a medical man would think of employing” (“Medical Language of St. Luke”). [source]
Acts 19:12 Handkerchiefs [σουδαρια]
Latin word for συδορ — sudor (sweat). Used in Luke 19:20; John 11:44; John 20:7. In two papyri marriage-contracts this word occurs among the toilet articles in the dowry (Deissmann, Bible Studies, p. 223). [source]

What do the individual words in John 20:7 mean?

and the soudarion which was upon the head of Him not with the linen cloths lying but by itself having been folded up in a place
καὶ τὸ σουδάριον ἦν ἐπὶ τῆς κεφαλῆς αὐτοῦ οὐ μετὰ τῶν ὀθονίων κείμενον ἀλλὰ χωρὶς ἐντετυλιγμένον εἰς ἕνα τόπον

σουδάριον  soudarion 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Neuter Singular
Root: σουδάριον  
Sense: a handkerchief.
ἐπὶ  upon 
Parse: Preposition
Root: ἐπί  
Sense: upon, on, at, by, before.
κεφαλῆς  head 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Feminine Singular
Root: κεφαλή  
Sense: the head, both of men and often of animals.
αὐτοῦ  of  Him 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Root: αὐτός  
Sense: himself, herself, themselves, itself.
ὀθονίων  linen  cloths 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Neuter Plural
Root: ὀθόνιον  
Sense: a piece of linen, small linen cloth.
κείμενον  lying 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Middle or Passive, Accusative Neuter Singular
Root: κεῖμαι  
Sense: to lie.
χωρὶς  by  itself 
Parse: Adverb
Root: χωρίς  
Sense: separate, apart.
ἐντετυλιγμένον  having  been  folded  up 
Parse: Verb, Perfect Participle Middle or Passive, Accusative Neuter Singular
Root: ἐντυλίσσω  
Sense: to roll up, wrap together.
τόπον  place 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: τόπος 
Sense: place, any portion or space marked off, as it were from surrounding space.

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