Napkin

Vine's Expository Dictionary of NT Words

1: Σουδάριον (Strong'S #4676 — Noun Neuter — soudarion — soo-dar'-ee-on )

for which see Handkerchief , is translated "napkin" in  Luke 19:20;  John 11:44;  20:7 . In  Luke 19:20 the reference may be to a towel or any kind of linen cloth or even a sort of head-dress, any of which might be used for concealing money.

Wilson's Dictionary of Bible Types

 Luke 19:20 (b) This is a type of the preparations made by gifted Christians for keeping and preserving their gifts, instead of using them for the blessing of others. There are those who are well taught in the Scriptures. They listen well to sermons, but none of their talents and gifts are used for the blessing of others.

 John 20:7 (b) Probably this is a picture of the separation that was to take place between Christ the head of the Church, and His followers who constituted His Body. By this means the Saviour is telling that He was to leave this earth, leave the Christians behind, and ascend to His Father. The head was to be in Heaven, while the Church, which is His Body, was to remain on earth. Mary did not want Him to leave, and so she tried to hold Him here. For that reason the Lord forbade her to hold Him.

Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible

Napkin ( soudarion ). The cloth in which the unprofitable servant wrapped the money of his lord (  Luke 19:20 ); used to bind the face of the dead (  John 11:44;   John 20:7 ); carried, possibly as indicated by the name (Lat. sudarium ), to wipe off perspiration (  Acts 19:12 ). The Arabic renders mandîl , which may be either ‘towel,’ ‘napkin,’ ‘veil,’ or ‘head-band.’ See also Dress, §§ 5 ( a ), 8.

W. Ewing.

Smith's Bible Dictionary

Napkin.  Luke 19:20;  John 11:44;  John 20:7;  Acts 19:12. This term was used in much the same manner, and having much the same significance as at the present.

Webster's Dictionary

(1): ( n.) A handkerchief.

(2): ( n.) A little towel, or small cloth, esp. one for wiping the fingers and mouth at table.

Easton's Bible Dictionary

 John 11:44 20:7 Luke 19:20 Acts 19:12

Morrish Bible Dictionary

Any light cloth or handkerchief.  Luke 19:20;  John 11:44;  John 20:7 .

King James Dictionary

NAPKIN, n. nape, cloth of which napkin is a diminutive.

1. A cloth used for wiping the hands a towel. 2. A handkerchief.

Holman Bible Dictionary

Handkerchief

Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament

See Handkerchief, Napkin.

Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature

the rendering in the A.V. of Σουδάριον , Vulg. Sudarium in  Luke 19:20; John ii, 44; 20:7; which, however, is rendered "handkerchief' in  Acts 19:12, where it is associated with aprons, Σιμικίνθια : they are classed together, inasmuch as they refer to objects of a very similar character. Both words are of Latin origin: Σουδάριον = Sudarium, from Sudo, "to sweat" (the Lutheran translation preserves the reference to its etymology in its rendering, Schweisstuch); Σιμικίνθιον =Semicinctiun, i.e., "a half girdle." Neither is much used by classical writers; the sudar-ium is referred to as used for wiping the face ("candido frontem sudario tergeret," Quintil. 6:3) or hands ("sudario manus tergens, quod in collo habebat," Petron. infragm. Trugur. cap. 67); and also as worn over the face for the purpose of concealment (Sueton. in Neron. cap. 48) the word was introduced by the Romans into Palestine, where it was adopted by the Jews, in the form סידרא as מַטְפֵּחֵת in  Ruth 3:15. The Sudarium is noticed in the N.T. as a wrapper to fold up money ( Luke 19:20) — as a cloth bound about the head of a corpse ( John 11:44;  John 20:7), being probably brought from the crown of the head under the chin — and, lastly, as an article of dress that could easily be removed ( Acts 19:12), probably a handkerchief worn on the head like the Kefieh of the Bedouin. The Semicinctiunm is noticed by Martial, 14, Epigr. 153, and by Petron. In Satyr. cap. 94.

The distinction between the Cinctus and the Semicinctium cdonsisted in its width (Isidor. Orig. 19:33): with regard to the character of the Σιμικίνθιον , the only inference from the passage in which it occurs ( Acts 19:12) is that it was easily removed from the person, and probably was worn next to the skin. According to Suidas, the distinction between the Sudarium and the Semicinctiuni was very small, for he explains the latter by the former, Σιμικίνθιον Φακιόλιον Ἤ Σουδάριον Φακιόλιον being a species of head-dress: Hesychius likewise explains Σιμικίνθιον by Φακιόλιον . According to the scholiast (In Cod. Steph.), as quoted by Schleusner (Lex. s.v. Σουδάριον ), the distinction between the two terms is that the su4arlium was worn on the head, and the senicinctium used as a handkerchief. The difference was probably not in the shape, but in the use of the article; we may conceive them to have been bands of linen of greater or less size, which might be adapted to many purposes, like the article now called lungi among the Arabs, which is applied sometimes as a girdle, at other times as a turban (Wellsted) Travels, 1:321). (See Apron); (See Handkerchief).

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

nap´kin ( σουδάριον , soudárion  ; Latin sudarium): In   Luke 19:20 , the cloth in which the "unprofitable servant" wrapped the money of his lord; compare  John 11:44;  John 20:7; see Dress 7; Handkerchief .