Claire Bingham

“See, what a morning, gloriously bright, with the dawning of hope in Jerusalem; folded the grave-clothes, tomb filled with light, as the angels announce ‘Christ is risen!’” Why should we sing about folded up grave clothes? To make the comparison between Jesus and Lazarus. Lazarus was raised to the resumption of life. Jesus was raised triumphant over death. Lazarus came forth from the grave, bound with linen strips and wrapped in a cloth (John 11:44). By contrast, the disciples saw the linen cloths of Jesus folded up in a place by itself (John 20:7). Nothing to unwrap. No one to unbind. Jesus did not struggle to get free. He did not stumble out of the tomb. He got up on resurrection morning, took off those nasty death pajamas, and folded them neatly in a corner because he had no need for them anymore. Jesus was not simply living again; he was done dying forever. “Death is dead, love has won, Christ has conquered.”