Easter is not all about bunnies and brightly painted chocolate eggs. It is a time to remember the most important event in history: the death and resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
What is Easter?
Easter is a festive Christian holiday which commemorates the resurrection of Jesus three days after he was crucified. The story of the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus can be found in the New Testament books of Bible, also known as the Gospels. Each of the Gospels – Matthew, Mark, Luke and John – give an account of the arrest, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
The Prediction
In Matthew 16:21, Jesus, the Son of God, knew that he would be required to sacrifice his life to save mankind from their sin. A Christian views sin as any wrongdoing that goes against God’s divine law. Jesus told his disciples that he would die and rise again three days later:
“From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life” (NIV).
The Arrest
During his ministry, Jesus taught many people about having faith in God and he performed many miracles. Unfortunately, the Jewish leaders did not like it that Jesus was growing in popularity and that the number of people who started to believe in him and follow him was rapidly increasing. And so they plotted to have Jesus arrested and killed. They made a deal with Judas Iscariot who led the way for the Roman soldiers to arrest Jesus. It is written in Matthew 26:47-50:
“While he was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived. With him was a large crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests and the elders of the people. Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: ‘The one I kiss is the man; arrest him.’ Going at once to Jesus, Judas said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” and kissed him.
“Jesus replied, ‘Do what you came for, friend.’
“Then the men stepped forward, seized Jesus and arrested him.” (NIV)
The Trial
Jesus was put on trial for making the claim that he was the king of the Jews. Back in those days in Roman law, if anyone rebelled against the king they would be put to death by crucifixion in which a person was nailed to a cross. Jesus was taken to Pontius Pilate the Roman governor who questioned him about the accusations that were made against him by the Jewish leaders. However, Pilate found no wrong in Jesus as it was written in Luke 23:1-5:
Then the whole assembly rose and led him off to Pilate. And they began to accuse him, saying, “We have found this man subverting our nation. He opposes payment of taxes to Caesar and claims to be Messiah, a king.”
So Pilate asked Jesus, “Are you the king of the Jews?”
“You have said so,” Jesus replied.
Then Pilate announced to the chief priests and the crowd, “I find no basis for a charge against this man.”
But they insisted, “He stirs up the people all over Judea by his teaching. He started in Galilee and has come all the way here.”
Pilate found no wrong in Jesus and wanted to release him but the Jewish leaders wanted him to be crucified. Pilate gave in to their demands and handed over Jesus to be put to death by crucifixion. In Luke 23:20-24 it is written:
Wanting to release Jesus, Pilate appealed to them again. But they kept shouting, “Crucify him! Crucify him!”
For the third time he spoke to them: “Why? What crime has this man committed? I have found in him no grounds for the death penalty. Therefore I will have him punished and then release him.”
But with loud shouts they insistently demanded that he be crucified, and their shouts prevailed. So Pilate decided to grant their demand.
The Crucifixion
The soldiers took Jesus to be beaten. They placed a crown of thorns on his head and mocked him. Then they made him carry his cross along the road leading up to a hill where he was to be crucified. The place where Jesus was crucified is called Calvary which is translated as ‘place of a skull’. Large crowds came to watch and mourn the death of Jesus.
He was nailed to the cross and was placed between two other men who were criminals, one on his right and the other on his left. The soldiers and leaders mocked him and one of the criminals insulted him. But the other criminal asked Jesus to remember him and Jesus promised that he would be with him in paradise as it is written in Luke 23:32-43:
Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed. When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him there, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left. Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.
The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, “He saved others; let him save himself if he is God’s Messiah, the Chosen One.”
The soldiers also came up and mocked him. They offered him wine vinegarand said, “If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.”
There was a written notice above him, which read: this is the king of the Jews.
One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!”
But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.”
Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”
Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.” (NIV)
The Death
When Jesus had accomplished all that he was required to do, he breathed his last breath and said “It is finished” and gave up his spirit. Some extraordinary things happened after Jesus died. The land remained in darkness for three hours, there was an earthquake, tombs of dead saints were opened and their bodies were raised from the dead. The curtain in the temple was also torn in half from top to bottom. These events were recorded in Matthew 27: 45-54:
From noon until three in the afternoon darkness came over all the land. About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”).
When some of those standing there heard this, they said, “He’s calling Elijah.”
Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge. He filled it with wine vinegar, put it on a staff, and offered it to Jesus to drink. The rest said, “Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to save him.”
And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit.
At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split and the tombs broke open. The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. They came out of the tombs after Jesus’ resurrection and went into the holy city and appeared to many people.
When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, “Surely he was the Son of God!”
The Burial
A rich man from Arimathaea, named Joseph who was also a disciple of Jesus, begged Pilate to give him the body of Jesus. He placed the body of Jesus in a new tomb which was carved out of a rock. A great stone was rolled in front of the door.
The Jewish leaders went to Pilate and informed him that Jesus had foretold that he would die and then be raised up on the third day. They were worried that his disciples would try to steal his body away at night and then tell people that Jesus has risen from the dead. At the request of the Jewish leaders, Pilate sent soldiers to seal the tomb and they kept watch over it. In Matthew 27:62-66 it is written:
The next day, the one after Preparation Day, the chief priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate. “Sir,” they said, “we remember that while he was still alive that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise again.’ So give the order for the tomb to be made secure until the third day. Otherwise, his disciples may come and steal the body and tell the people that he has been raised from the dead. This last deception will be worse than the first.”
“Take a guard,” Pilate answered. “Go, make the tomb as secure as you know how.” So they went and made the tomb secure by putting a seal on the stone and posting the guard.
The Resurrection
On the first day of the week, an angel appeared and rolled away the stone from the tomb and sat upon the stone. The soldiers who were keeping watch fainted as if they were dead. A couple of women arrived at the tomb and saw the angel which made them very afraid.
The angel announced that Jesus is no longer in the tomb and that he has risen from the dead. The angel commanded them to go and spread the news to Jesus’ disciples that he has been raised from the dead and that they will see Jesus in Galilee. The event of the resurrection of Jesus is recorded in Matthew 28:1-8:
After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.
There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.
The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.”
So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples.
Why do we celebrate Easter?
As Christians, we celebrate Easter because we believe that Jesus is the Son of God who was sent to this earth to be crucified and was resurrected on the third day. The crucifixion of Jesus was on Friday, which is also known as Good Friday and his resurrection was on Sunday, the first day of the week. We can be sure that Jesus has risen and he is alive today and wants us to believe in him.
Conclusion
I know that people love Easter because of the cute bunnies and sweet chocolate eggs, but we must never forget that the real reason for this festive occasion is because of the crucifixion and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ who paid for our sins and is alive in heaven today.
