The Meaning of Easter
The Meaning of Easter by Henku Grobler
A pharisee-convert named Paul made the following claim in his first letter to the Corinthian church - "And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins... If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are all people most to be pitied."
To followers of Jesus of Nazareth, it is clear that this is what our faith hinges on. For a moment I want to put these words at the back of our mind. Let's recall a few days before Jesus of Nazareth gave up his last breath, on a hill outside of Jerusalem.
A week or so before Passover time, we read how Jesus enters Jerusalem on a young donkey with crowds of people, literally, welcoming him into the Holy City. The moments that followed will, I believe, deepen our understanding of the celebration we partake in today.
Jesus' reputation spread like a wild fire, untameable and this crowd of people believed Him to be the longed-for Messiah of Israel. They treated him as if he had just been sworn in as King by laying their coats out in front of him to walk over, as was the custom when a new king was anointed in Israel's history. The palm-leaves they were waving and laying down also signified a victorious moment for the nation of Israel. They were deeply convinced. They've been yearning for this moment, praising - "Hosanna to the Son of David!" Literally "we beg you to save us!" They were willing to risk starting a revolution against the current king in power, for they were about to follow their descendant of David into his Kingdom.
The purpose of Jesus riding into the capital of Israel, was to make the public claim that he was indeed the awaited King of Israel enthroned on these people's praise. He went on to exceed the nation's expectations by giving up his life. Like a true King would for his people, but not as they expected.
Low and behold - salvation did come! What seemed to be a failure to launch a dynasty, ended up being an eternal instilling of his Kingdom. Not merely an earthly one but forever and for everyone. Everything that he taught, claimed and eventually achieved through death were proved to be true and triumphant - only because it followed with a gaping tomb!
Jesus became the Worthy King by proving he's the final Passover lamb.
Today we celebrate and remember this flurry of days in history to partake in the future of the Revelation: '... and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”'