The Easter story is one of the most important events in Christianity. It’s the story of Jesus Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection. Christians celebrate Easter to remember Jesus’ sacrifice for humanity and His victory over death. But where does the Easter story actually begin in the Bible? What are the events that lead up to Jesus’ resurrection? This article will take you through the key moments in the Bible that set the stage for Easter, starting with the events in Jesus’ life that happened before His death and resurrection.
The Old Testament: A Promise of a Savior
The Easter story doesn’t start in the New Testament with the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. It begins much earlier, in the Old Testament, with God’s promises to send a Savior.
The Promise to Adam and Eve
In the book of Genesis, the very first book of the Bible, we find the first hint of God’s plan to send a Savior. After Adam and Eve sinned by eating the forbidden fruit, God spoke to them and promised that one of Eve’s descendants would crush the head of the serpent (Satan), who had tempted them to sin. This is known as the “Protoevangelium” (Genesis 3:15), which is the first announcement of the coming of a Savior who would defeat evil.
This promise is important because it shows that God already had a plan for redemption, even after humanity’s first failure. The Easter story begins with God’s intention to save humanity from sin and death.
God’s Covenant with Israel
Throughout the Old Testament, God continued to reveal His plan for salvation. He made a covenant with the people of Israel, choosing them to be a special nation through which He would bring the Savior into the world. In the book of Isaiah, for example, the prophet foretold that the Messiah would come to suffer and die for the sins of the people. Isaiah 53 speaks of a “Suffering Servant” who would be pierced for our transgressions and crushed for our iniquities, a passage that Christians believe is a prophecy about Jesus Christ.
In the book of Psalms, King David also wrote about a future king who would suffer but ultimately be victorious. These Old Testament passages point forward to Jesus and His role in the Easter story.
The New Testament: The Life of Jesus
The New Testament begins with the story of Jesus Christ, who Christians believe is the fulfillment of all the promises and prophecies in the Old Testament. The Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) provide the details of His life, ministry, death, and resurrection.
The Birth of Jesus
The Easter story doesn’t start in the middle of Jesus’ life; it actually begins with His birth. In the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, we read about how Jesus was born to Mary, a young woman from Nazareth, and her husband Joseph. Jesus’ birth was miraculous because Mary was a virgin, and He was conceived by the Holy Spirit. This was the fulfillment of the prophecy in Isaiah 7:14, which said that a virgin would give birth to a son called Immanuel, meaning “God with us.”
Jesus’ birth was a sign that God had come to be with His people, and it marked the beginning of the story that would lead to Easter.
The Ministry of Jesus
Jesus grew up and began His public ministry when He was around 30 years old. He traveled throughout the region of Galilee and Judea, teaching about the Kingdom of God, healing the sick, casting out demons, and performing miracles. He called people to repentance and to follow Him.
One of the key events in Jesus’ ministry was His baptism by John the Baptist in the Jordan River. This moment marked the start of His public ministry and His identification with humanity. During His baptism, God’s voice from heaven declared, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17). This confirmed that Jesus was the promised Messiah.
Jesus also revealed His true identity through His teachings and miracles. He declared Himself to be the Son of God and the Savior of the world. He performed miracles like feeding thousands of people with a small amount of food, healing the blind, raising the dead, and calming storms. These acts showed that He had divine power and authority.
However, not everyone accepted Jesus as the Messiah. Religious leaders, particularly the Pharisees and Sadducees, saw Jesus as a threat to their authority. They were unhappy with His growing popularity and His claim to be the Son of God. This tension would eventually lead to His arrest and crucifixion.
The Last Supper
The Easter story takes a significant turn in the final days of Jesus’ life. In the Gospels, we read about the Last Supper, which was a meal that Jesus shared with His disciples before His arrest. During this meal, Jesus instituted what we now call the Lord’s Supper or Communion. He took bread and wine, broke the bread, and said, “This is my body, which is given for you; do this in remembrance of me” (Luke 22:19). He also took the cup and said, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you” (Luke 22:20).
The Last Supper was a significant moment because it marked the beginning of a new covenant between God and humanity. Jesus was about to offer His body and blood for the forgiveness of sins. His disciples didn’t fully understand this at the time, but the events of Easter would soon reveal the full meaning of Jesus’ words.
The Arrest of Jesus
After the Last Supper, Jesus went with His disciples to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray. There, He experienced great anguish as He prayed to God, asking if there was any way for the “cup” of suffering to be taken from Him. Jesus knew that He was about to face betrayal, suffering, and death, but He submitted to God’s will, saying, “Not my will, but yours be done” (Luke 22:42).
In the Garden, Jesus was betrayed by one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot. Judas led a group of soldiers to arrest Jesus. He was taken to the high priest’s house, where He was falsely accused and condemned.
The Trial and Crucifixion
The following day, Jesus was put on trial before the Roman governor Pontius Pilate. Pilate questioned Jesus but could find no reason to condemn Him. However, because the crowd demanded His crucifixion, Pilate handed Jesus over to be crucified.
Jesus was beaten, mocked, and forced to carry His cross to a hill called Golgotha. There, He was nailed to the cross and hung between two criminals. As He hung on the cross, Jesus uttered several powerful statements, including, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34) and “It is finished” (John 19:30).
Jesus died on the cross, and His body was taken down and placed in a tomb. The Gospels say that the earth became dark for several hours, and the temple veil was torn in two, symbolizing the removal of the barrier between God and humanity.
The Resurrection of Jesus
The Easter story reaches its climax with the resurrection of Jesus. Three days after His death, on the third day, Jesus rose from the dead. Early on the morning of the third day, some women who were followers of Jesus went to His tomb to anoint His body with spices. When they arrived, they found the stone that sealed the tomb rolled away, and the tomb was empty.
An angel appeared to them and told them that Jesus had risen from the dead. The women ran to tell the disciples, and Peter and John went to the tomb to see for themselves. They also found it empty, and they believed that Jesus had indeed risen.
After His resurrection, Jesus appeared to His disciples several times, proving that He was alive. He showed them His wounds and ate with them to prove that He was not a ghost. The resurrection of Jesus is the foundation of the Christian faith. It is the victory over sin and death and the hope of eternal life for all who believe in Him.
The Significance of the Easter Story
The Easter story is central to the Christian faith because it reveals God’s love for humanity and His plan for salvation. Jesus’ death on the cross was a sacrifice for the sins of the world, and His resurrection is the proof that He conquered death and offers eternal life to all who trust in Him. Easter is a time to remember the great gift of grace that God offers through Jesus Christ.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the Easter story begins in the Old Testament with God’s promise to send a Savior. It continues in the Gospels with the life, ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus. Easter is a celebration of the fulfillment of God’s plan of salvation and the hope of new life in Christ. Through His death and resurrection, Jesus offers forgiveness, peace, and eternal life to all who believe in Him.
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