The resurrection of Christ; the scene at the tomb. What is so important that the Spirit would have Luke and John give details about the linen clothes that remained there? The important thing is that Jesus is risen! Who cares about some old grave clothes? Well, apparently God does! Does the Old Testament afford us any answers to the aforementioned questions? The tabernacle is a type of Christ, and likewise the priesthood, to show forth the Lord Jesus, our great High Priest. A comparison of scriptures may prove fruitful.

“Typically, the garments foreshadowed the manifest glories of Christ, the great High Priest, which glories and perfections manifested His fitness for that office. The holy garments of Aaron were for “glory and beauty”: they gave dignity to his person, being suitable apparel for his position. In figure they pointed to Christ in all His perfections with the Father before He was consecrated to His work for us.

“And thou shalt make holy garments for Aaron thy brother for glory and for beauty” (vs.2.) With this should be compared Lev. 16:4, “He shall put on the linen coat, and he shall have the linen breeches upon his flesh, and shall be girded with a linen girdle, and with the linen mitre shall he be attired: these are holy garments.” There were two sets of clothing provided for Israel’s high priest: the one mentioned in Lev. 16 was what he wore on the annual day of Atonement. Then he was robed only in spotless white, foreshadowing the personal righteousness and holiness of the Lord Jesus, which fitted Him to undertake the stupendous work of putting away the sins of his people.”

Gleanings in Exodus, A. W. Pink, page 259.

If an error be taught persistently and long enough it eventually becomes accepted as truth. Somewhere (it is said) back in Jewish writings, they passed on a totally unscriptural story concerning the Tabernacle and Day of Atonement. They apparently disregarded the scripture regarding the changing of the high priest’s garments as found in Leviticus chapter 16. They determined that the high priest entered the Most Holy Place in his usual garments, which had bells and pomegranates attached. Somewhere, somehow, they came up with the old “rope tied around the ankle” story. Supposedly, if the bells ceased to ring while the high priest was in the Holy of Holies, they would know that something went wrong. God had killed him, and since they could in no wise enter in to get the body, they could pull him out with the rope that they had tied around his ankle!

There are certain types of mind, particularly the mystical and fanatical, which are prone to substitute fanciful concepts for spiritual interpretations. God’s Word requires to be handled with reverential fear, and with much prayer for discernment and guidance, lest we tread on holy ground with the shoes of carnal wisdom. . .Every preacher needs to be constantly on his guard against substituting human ingenuity for the teaching of the Spirit. Satan has ever mimicked the operations of the Spirit, and counterfeited a spiritual opening up of the Scriptures by wild perversions thereof. An early instance of this is the Kabbala, which, though of great esteem among the Jews, abounds in the most absurd explanations of Holy Writ.

A. W. Pink, Interpretation of the Scriptures, page 97.

A bit of study and a little sound reasoning should be convincing: the design of the tabernacle was so exacting that anything that was not purposed of God would not, could not, be in any way a part of its design. The “rope” theory would have been one of unbelief. Further, it would have been the works of the flesh. Had the high priest went along with such a scheme he would have signed his own death warrant! God Himself had made full provision for his acceptance into the Most Holy Place. To second guess Him in this matter would have been absolute wickedness and unbelief. To enter into the Shechinah [residence of God] dragging a rope would have been a gross insult as well as an abomination. More important, it was not possible that the high priest fail, for he prefigured Christ, the great High Priest. To fail would have rendered that portrayal of God’s eternal plan and purpose as ruined and void. God’s eternal purpose was at stake. Failure was an impossibility!

The Day of Atonement provides a picture prophesy of both the death and resurrection. . .That Aaron came out testified to the acceptance of the sacrifice. That Christ was raised from the dead testified to the success of His Atoning sacrifice. Had there been no resurrection, there would have been no atonement. I am confident in asserting that there is no way a high priest could die behind the veil. For a high priest to die behind the veil would sabotage the prophesy and jeopardize the very message. It would charge God with caprice and eliminate any hope for reconciliation with him.

Michael Barrett, professor of Old Testament Theology and Interpretation, BJU Seminary

“And Aaron shall come into the tabernacle of the congregation, and shall put off the linen garments, which he put on when he went into the holy place, and shall leave them there. And he shall wash his flesh with water in the holy place, and put on his garments, and come forth. . .! Do I read this right? After, and only after the high priest finished his work, having entered the Most Holy Place and sprinkling the blood upon the Mercy Seat--then did he come forth and remove the linen garments, putting on again the garments of “glory and beauty.” Then did he “come forth” to appear to the congregation.

Remember: On the first day of the week. . .they came to the sepulchre. . .found not the body of the Lord Jesus. . .two men in shining garments. . .“Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen.” “Then arose Peter, and ran unto the sepulchre, stooping down, he beheld the linen clothes laid by themselves” Luke 24. In John chapter 20 we have Peter and “that other disciple” (John). “So ran they both together: and the other disciple did outrun Peter, and came first to the sepulchre. And he stooping down, and looking in, saw the linen clothes lying; yet went he not in. Then cometh Simon Peter following him, [but not following afar off this time] and went into the sepulchre, and seeth the linen clothes lie, And the napkin, that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself. Then went in also that other disciple, which came first to the sepulchre, and he saw, and believed.” John 20:4-8.

First, we know that two is the number of witness; Peter and John saw the linen garments and believed. And then, both Luke and John record the same; an empty tomb, with only the linen clothes lying. Interesting is the order of progression: John outran Peter; he stooped down and looked in, but he didn‘t go in. He saw the linen clothes lying. Saw, blepo, to behold, see, look on. Next, Peter went in to the sepulchre, and seeth the linen clothes lie. Seeth, theoreo, to be a spectator of. Then John himself went in; “and he saw and believed.” Saw, eido, to know, to understand. And just what did John “know” and “understand?” You figure it out.

“These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come: glorify thy Son, that thy Son may glorify thee. . .I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do. And now O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was” John 17:1,4,5. Jesus is the “Lamb slain from the foundation of the world” Rev. 13:8. True, at the time of the prayer He was yet to suffer the cross; but he saw it in faith -- it was a done deal!

The high priest, upon finishing his appointed work, came out of the linen garments and put on the holy garments of ‘glory and beauty.’ As Arthur Pink said, “In figure they pointed to Christ in all His perfections with the Father before He was consecrated to His work for us.” As Jesus prayed the Father, “I have finished the work;” now as High Priest He is to take again upon Himself the garments of “glory and beauty;” Therefore He said, “Father, glorify thou me [or clothe me] with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.

“And the napkin, that was about his head. . .wrapped together in a place by itself” John 20:7. “and with the linen mitre shall he be attired” Lev. 16:4.

To complete the priestly attire normally worn by the priest was a mitre, and upon that mitre, a crown: “And thou shalt put the mitre upon his head, and put the holy crown upon the mitre” Ex. 29:6. Since the high priest entered the Most Holy wearing only the fine linen, it follows that the “mitre” too was only of fine linen: no crown sat upon it. Remember, Aaron is here pictured the obedient servant; as such do we find our Lord. In researching this, it would appear that the “mitre” worn by the sons of the high priest was some sort of turban which was wrapped around the head. If this is what the high priest wore on that Day of Atonement, it may shed some light on the description given of the “napkin” found in the tomb. “that was about His head. . .wrapped together” Sounds like a turban, doesn’t it? Could it be that the thorn-pierced brow of our Lord was “wrapped” “about His head” with a linen towel not unlike that which adorned the high priest?

If all this be true; if the comparison be valid, then what is the significance? It is proof that Christ has indeed finished His work of Atonement; that He has entered the Most Holy Place through the veil; He has sprinkled the Mercy Seat with His own blood; He has reconciled us to God. Now coming forth [in Resurrection] He has left His garments laying, the Father “glorifying” Him with “thine own self.”

Other evidence is given: the renting of the veil; God Himself thus declaring the “way” to be opened. And that could not be until the blood was upon the Mercy Seat. Again, the Resurrection, the glorified Christ; His appearing to the women and the disciples. When the O.T. high priest appeared again to the people, they knew that it was FINISHED! The blood was upon the Mercy Seat!

In Matthew chapter 27, Jesus “yielded up the ghost,” the “veil of the temple was rent in twain,” and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, and came out of their graves after His resurrection.” This could not happen until after the blood was sprinkled upon the Mercy Seat and the High Priest had come forth.

Twice in Ezekiel chapter 37 does the Lord tell Israel, “I will open your graves. . .will bring you up out of your graves.” In Matthew 27 we find the graves were opened. . . saints came out of their graves! It is after His resurrection. The purpose: “ye shall know that I AM the Lord.” Thus the fulfillment of scripture, a sign given, a beacon which draws our attention to a yet future fulfillment for Jacob’s seed. Even now Israel’s bones continue to be gathered, the flesh coming upon them; but there is no breath in them that they should live. That will happen only when Christ the Messiah shall come and “breathe into their nostrils the breath of Life.”

Remember again the quotation from A. Pink, the “two sets of clothing for the high priest; one “for glory and for beauty,” the other of spotless white linen, (picturing the submissive office of servant to which our lord gave Himself.) “And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God hath highly exalted Him. . .“ Phil. 2:8,9.

An empty tomb? Well, not quite! There remained the linen garments of our great High Priest. Having come forth from the Most Holy, He leaves them lying; for He has put on the Glory! “And now O Father, glorify thou me with thine Own Self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.”

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