In the New Testament account, the Resurrection of Jesus Christ which the solemn Easter feast celebrates, is a foundation of our Christian faith. The Resurrection established Jesus as the powerful Son of God and is cited as a proof that God will judge the world in righteousness; the event has also given Christians a new birth into a living hope. The outstanding theological implication of this great and important salvific experience is that, through faith in the working of God we (Christians) are spiritually resurrected with Jesus so that we may walk in a new way of life.
It is against this backdrop, that we are going to reflect on the lesson of this solemn and unique feast – the Eastertide.
A circumspective look at the term “Easter” shows that it is in the modern English form, cognate to modern German Ostern, developed from an Old English word that usually appears in the form Eastrun. It is also called Pasch (derived, through Latin: Pascha and Greek Πάσχα Paskha, from Aramaic: פסחא, cognate to Hebrew: פֶּסַח Pesaḥ), or Resurrection Sunday. It is a festival and holiday celebrating the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, described in the New Testament as having occurred three days after his crucifixion by Romans at Calvary c. 30 AD (cf. Ferugson, Everett, Baptism in the Early Church: History, Theology, and Liturgy in the First Five Centuries, Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 2009, p. 351 ).
In the Christian tradition the term ‘Pascha’, which originally denoted the Jewish festival, known in English as Passover, commemorating the story of the Exodus is employed to mean the festival of Christ’s Resurrection (cf. Exodus 12:1 ff.). Already in the early 1st century, Paul, on his third missionary journey writing from Ephesus to the Christians in Corinth, applied the term to Christ, and it is unlikely that the Ephesian and Corinthian Christians were the first to hear the term within the context of Exodus chapter 12 being interpreted as speaking about the death of Jesus, not just about the Jewish Passover ritual. This solemn Easter Triduum began on Maundy Thursday which is officially referred to as ‘Holy Thursday’ the commemoration of the Lord’s last supper followed by Good Friday – which commemorates the crucifixion and death of Jesus and reached its apogee on Holy Saturday with Easter vigil.
Having gone through thick and thin of genesis of this great festival of our salvation, it is therefore of great importance to elucidate the spiritual imports this ancient event; but with new and deeper meaning it has for us. Over two thousand years ago, sprout from the tribe of David came a child whose birth, life and death surrounded with mysteries beyond man. His coming was foretold by the prophets in the Old Testament account. According to a renowned Jewish Rabbi and Physician Moses Maimonides, the expectation of the arrival of the Messiah forms part of the twelfth article of faith for the Jews which says - “I firmly believe in the coming of the Messiah and even if he comes late, I wait everyday for his arrival.” For them the expected Messiah would have political aspiration and mission favourable to them. Not one who dine and wine with sinners (Lk 19:70); touches lepers (Lk 5:12-16); not one who saves others but cannot save himself (Lk 23:35) like Jesus. Their expectation was untimely put to death with the coming of a Messiah whose life was shrouded with mystery beyond humanity. One whose greatness consists on his immeasurable meekness and humility towards all but especially the anawims of the society, that is the retarded and the abandoned; those who needed to be regarded and treated as ‘sons of Abraham’ and ‘sons of God’ – the orphans, the widows, the down trodden, the accused, etc. the one who above all conquered death in a unique way, through the way of the cross and through His glorious Resurrection to life. (cf. Okoronkwo C., Lecture Notes on Fundamental Scripture, unpublished, p. 35). Among the Christians, this same Jesus is seen as one with the Father (Jn 10:30) and who is the ‘Anointed’ of the Holy Spirit (Lk 4:8), the Redeemer and Comforter of the afflicted. It is this same man that Simeon cried out at his presentation as the fulfillment of God’s promise, which made himself manifested as the light to the Gentiles (Lk 2:29 ff.).
Consequently, Christ’s death gave a new and deeper meaning to man. Easter according to Biblical scholars is linked to the Passover and Exodus from Egypt recorded in the Old Testament through the Last Supper and crucifixion that preceded the resurrection.
According to the New Testament, Jesus gave the Passover meal a new meaning, as he prepared Himself and His disciples for His death in the upper room during the Last Supper. He identified the matzah and cup of wine as His body soon to be sacrificed and his blood soon to be shed. Paul states "Get rid of the old yeast that you may be a new batch without yeast - as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed"; this refers to the Passover requirement to have no yeast in the house and to the allegory of Jesus as the Paschal lamb. This solemn experience was foretold by the prophets accorded with many wonderful things about the Passover mystery which is Christ. Bearing this in mind, Melito of Sardis, one of the leading ancient writers of the church in his homily on the Pasch; sees Christ as: the Passover of our salvation, who was present in many so as to endure many things. In Abel he was slain; in Isaac bound; in Jacob a stranger; in Joseph sold; in Moses exposed; in David persecuted; in the prophets dishonoured. He became incarnate of the Virgin. (cf. Homily of Melito of Sardis on the Pasch Nn. 65-71, The Divine Office vol. II, p. 284) With this symbolic representation Jesus Christ, he is seen as the mediator between God and man. His coming was very necessary for the salvation of human race. The account of Jesus’ death and resurrection as reported by the Evangelist was not to play on our emotions, but to show us the unconditional love of God upon humanity by giving out His only begotten son for our salvation (cf. Jn. 3:16)
The joy of Easter cannot be over emphasized; the pictorial presentation of Jesus as the man wrapped in grief, nailed to that barren wood and suffered bitter pains has given to the entire human race a sure hope of salvation. With His death the tree of life is made with the branches of unfailing yield. Indeed by His Resurrection the chain of slavery has been broken, the gate of comfort let loosed, man regained his rightful position after the fall of the first Adam (cf. Genesis 3:1ff.). This salvific event called us to a deeper attitude of great joy and hope as Easter people. With joy and hope in the risen Lord, we encounter a different perception of our daily troubles, hardships and sufferings we experience in our daily journey of life. It is with the spirit of this unique festival and undoubtable faith in Him, whom we live, move and have our being that we will be at peace and experience serenity because of the Risen Lord.
Finally, Easter is the primary act that fulfills the purpose of Christ's ministry on earth, which include: to defeat death by dying on the cross and to purify and exalt humanity from the dungeon of sin and give hope for everlasting life beyond this mortal life that will one day whiter off. As we will patiently wait with great anticipation of the paraclete in the next fifty days, let us be mindful of the fact that; Christ’s passion, death and resurrection has purchased for us a life devoid of pains and the present challenging situation we face in this present life. And as Easter people may Alleluia continue to be on our lips as we patiently carrying our daily cross of life through Christ our Lord, Amen.
