Soudarion

It’s hot!
We have had minimal rain this summer, over ninety degree days, high humidity.
I am not a fan of hot weather.

I have always liked crisp fall days…even cold winter days.
Snow on the ground…fire in the fireplace…hot cup of tea…good book to read.

I saw many people running outside today and they were constantly wiping their face.
I went to a warehouse type hardware store yesterday.
It was hot in there…with a large fan running right near the register.
The cashier had a towel wrapped around his neck to wipe his face.

Sweating is something you expect in summer.
But did you know there is a reference to sweating in the Bible?

In Luke 19, Jesus tells the parable of the ten minas.

A man of noble birth went to a distant country to have himself appointed king and then to return. So he called ten of his servants and gave them ten minas (about three months wages). “Put this money to work”, he said, “until I come back.” (Luke 19:11-13)

Even though his subjects hated him and didn’t want him to become king, he was made king anyway and returned home. He wanted to see what his servants had done with the money in his absence.

The first one reported that he had earned ten more minas.
The second one reported  that he had earned five more.
Each received praise and the charge of ten cities and five cities respectively.

Then another servant came and said, “Sir, here is your mina; I have kept it laid away in  a piece of cloth. I was afraid of you, because you are a hard man. You take out what you did not put in and reap what you did not sow. (Luke 19:20, 21)

If you do a word study on the word “cloth”, you will find the Greek word soudarion.
Soudarion means “sweat rag”.
It is fitting that this man wrapped his minas in a sweat rag.
He didn’t need it.
He didn’t do any work.

He may have tried to shift the blame back on the king, but in reality, he was just too lazy.
This man’s sweat rag was only good for wrapping things.

His master replied, “I will judge you by your own words, you wicked servant! You knew, did you, that I am a hard man, taking what I did not put it, and reaping what I did not sow? Why then didn’t you put my money on deposit, so that when I came back, I could have collected it with interest?” (Luke 19:22, 23)

There are two other times the word soudarion is used…both are in the Gospel of John.
Soudarion also means “burial cloth”.

When He had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!” The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.” (John 11:43, 44)

And another time…

Then Simon Peter. who was behind him, arrived and went into the tomb. He saw strips of linen lying there, as well as the burial cloth that had been around Jesus’ head. The cloth was folded up by itself, separate from the linen. (John 20:6, 7)

Both Lazarus and Jesus had grave clothes around them.
Both Lazarus and Jesus had a burial cloth around their face.

Lazarus did nothing to remove his soudarion…it was removed for him.
Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead.
Lazarus simply answered Jesus’ call.

Jesus did nothing to remove his soudarion…His resurrected body passed through it.
God the Father raised Jesus from the dead.
Jesus obeyed as He submitted to the Father’s will.
Jesus died on the cross…was buried…and rose again.

The soudarion wrapped around Jesus’ face is always mentioned as being separate from the linen…folded up by itself…as if there was no need to rush…no haste.

The soudarion wrapped around Lazarus’ face was still on him when he came out of the tomb.
Jesus called…Lazarus answered…the grave clothes were removed.

While we are here, we have work to do…for our Master…our Lord Jesus.
No amount of work or sweat will get us into heaven.

If we trust in Jesus alone for our salvation, we are alive in Christ!
No need for grave clothes!
Remove the soudarion.
The work has already been done…by the King Himself!