The cloth which had covered the face of Jesus was lying by itself some distance from the linen strips. Some take the meaning of this and the previous verse to indicate that the grave clothes were in exactly the same position and form as when they were wrapped around the body of Jesus and that He had risen through them, but the Greek does not indicate one way or the other whether this was the case. However, the head cloth being by itself would certainly not support this position because it should have been immediately above the position of Jesus’ neck.

What is shown here is an orderly scene. The body has obviously not been taken away by grave robbers or anyone else, for anyone taking the body would not have unwrapped it first and if they had, they most certainly would not have been neat and orderly about such a gruesome business, but would have torn the linen strips off and scattered them as they fell. Grave robbers were not in the habit of stealing bodies, anyway. They stole everything but the body!

What is obvious is that Christ left His grave clothes in the tomb. When He appeared later to the women and His disciples, it was not in these strips of linen. When Lazarus was raised from the dead he still had his grave clothes on (John 11:43-44). This was because he was going to need them again, but death had no more mastery over Christ because His resurrection was the definitive victory over death once and for all (Rom 6:9). Jesus would never need His grave clothes again.

John 11:43-44  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.”

Romans 6:9  For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him.

Jesus was also discarding the rags of this world in favor of clothing more worthy of Him and His position (Rev 1:12-13). That which he wore on this planet were for a time, but their purpose had passed and they were to be left here much as was Elijah’s cloak (2 Kings 2:9-14).

Revelation 1:12-13  I turned round to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands,  and among the lampstands was someone “like a son of man,” dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash round his chest.

2 Kings 2:9-14  When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me, what can I do for you before I am taken from you?” “Let me inherit a double portion of your spirit,” Elisha replied.  “You have asked a difficult thing,” Elijah said, “yet if you see me when I am taken from you, it will be yours— otherwise not.”  As they were walking along and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind.  Elisha saw this and cried out, “My father! My father! The chariots and horsemen of Israel!” And Elisha saw him no more. Then he took hold of his own clothes and tore them apart.  He picked up the cloak that had fallen from Elijah and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan.  Then he took the cloak that had fallen from him and struck the water with it. “Where now is the LORD, the God of Elijah?” he asked. When he struck the water, it divided to the right and to the left, and he crossed over.

This is also a picture of when we are saved, as shown in Christian baptism (Rom 6:3-7). The grave clothes, which remained in the grave, are a symbol of sin which we no longer wear in our new life with Christ.

Romans 6:3-7  Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptised into Christ Jesus were baptised into his death?  We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.  If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection.  For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin—because anyone who has died has been freed from sin.