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| Carl Heinrich Bloch, The Resurrection (Wikmedia Commons) |
(and has pagan origins), some suggest that "Resurrection Sunday" would be a
better term. The actual word "Easter" only appears once in the King James Bible, at Acts
12:4, where is is better translated as "Passover." So significant was the event
of that Sunday morning that Christians since have celebrated it as "the Lord's
Day," and it has become our weekly sabbath, replacing the Saturday of the Old
Testament. Still, for millennia the term "Easter" has come to be synonymous with
resurrection, hope, and the joyful refrain "He is risen!"
With the rays of the morning sun, the agony of Thursday, the
pain and grief of Friday, and the separation of Saturday suddenly melted away
in the joy of the first Easter. For
millennia the term “Easter” has come to be synonymous with resurrection, hope,
and the joyful refrain “He is risen!” So
significant was the event of that Sunday morning that Christians since have
celebrated it as “the Lord’s Day,” and it has become our weekly Sabbath,
replacing the Saturday of the Old Testament.
As a result, while the week leading up to and including Easter is a
wonderful time to commemorate and reflect upon the sacrifice and resurrection
of Jesus Christ, it is something we celebrate as a church family every week.
Indeed, the covenants that we renew each Sunday enjoin us to remember him
always.
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| The Herodian family tomb west of the Old City provides an idea of what Joseph of Arimathea's tomb would have looked like |
as the foundation of our understanding of the rise of our Lord from the
tomb. They paint for us a dramatic story
as the women found an empty tomb and heard the testimony of angels. The story
crescendos as Peter and John confirm that the tomb was empty. First Mary, then the other women, and then
two disciples converse with Jesus on the way to Emmaus. Finally the ten of the remaining eleven
apostles see the Risen Lord. These and
subsequent appearances confirm that Jesus in fact rose from the dead “with
healing in his wings,” and though he ascended again into heaven, the gospels
leave us with the assurance that in a very real way he remains here with us. (From God So Loved the World, 107–108)
Scriptural Accounts: Matt 28; Mark 16; Luke 24; John 20:1–18
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| William Bouguereau, The Three Marys at the Tomb, 1876. |
- The Empty Tomb
(Mark 16:1–8; Matt 28:1–8; Luke 24:1–9; John 20:1–10) - Jesus Appears
to Mary Magdalene (Matt 28:9–10; Luke 24:10–11; John 20:11–18; [Mark 16:9–11]) - Chief Priests
React to the Resurrection (Matt 28:11–15) - The Road to
Emmaus (Luke 24:13–35; [Mark 16:12–13]) - Jesus Appears
to the Disciples (Luke 24:26–48; John 20:19–23 [to the Ten only]; [Mark 16:14])
Holy Week Lectionary: A collation of the New Testament gospel texts for each day from Palm Sunday to Easter morning.Ideas for Families
- I find nothing wrong with traditional activities such as egg hunts and gathering candy Easter morning. But as we do Christmas morning, we make sure that the spiritual focus comes first and the "fun" second.
- Gather in a room, say the parents' bedroom, other than where Easter baskets and candy may be found. Read one of the resurrection stories, such as Luke 24:1–12. Then bear testimony of the resurrection, sing "Christ the Lord Is Risen Today" or "He Is Risen" and have family prayer. After this, other Easter traditions can follow.
- Talk about the reactions of the different characters to the evidence provided them that first Easter: the stone rolled away, the empty tomb, the witness of angels, and finally appearances of the Risen Lord. How do we react to the news of the resurrection of Jesus? How does our testimony start with small evidences, is reinforced by the witness of others, and finally solidified by personal revelation?
- Read or sing C. Austin Miles' "In the Garden" (see the background of this hymn in the musical reflection below)
Please consider taking an hour to watch the Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square's 2019 concert, "He Is Risen!" In my 15 years with the organization, it is one of our best Easter offerings.
Brief Discussion of the Events of Easter Sunday
See the much longer discussion in God So Loved the World, 107–119. All four gospels begin their
resurrection narratives with an account of the empty tomb, preserving the
wonder and awe that filled the women who came to the tomb that early morning
to find the stone rolled away.
And when the sabbath was past, Mary
Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet
spices, that they might come and anoint him. And very early in the morning the
first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of
the sun. And they said among themselves, "Who shall roll us away the stone
from the door of the sepulchre?" And when they looked, they saw that the stone
was rolled away: for it was very great. And entering into the sepulchre, they
saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment;
and they were affrighted. And he saith unto them, "Be not affrighted: Ye seek
Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold
the place where they laid him." (Mark 16:1–6)
Scriptural and Musical Reflection: "In the Garden"
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| Eeugen Burnand, The Disciples Running to the Sepulchre, 1898. |
Jesus saith unto her, "Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou?" She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, "Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away." Jesus saith unto her, "Mary." She turned herself, and saith unto him, "Rabboni," which is to say, Master. Jesus saith unto her, "Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God." (John 20:15–17)
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| Harry Anderson, He Is Risen |
Yet Peter and John too serve as examples for believers, even when our witness is less secure than that of Mary. When she had told them that the tomb was empty, they did not walk, they ran to the garden to see whether her report was true. And though they did not see the Risen Lord at that time, seeing the tomb empty and the burial clothes lying there, they nonetheless believed. Do we too run to find out whether the testimony of the resurrection that we hear and read from others is true? And are we able to accept on faith its reality even when we have not yet seen the resurrected Christ?
The experiences of Peter, John, and above all of Mary provided author and composer C. Austin Miles (1896–1946) inspiration for a touching hymn that has become a Christian classic. In April of 1912 Miles was reading from John 20 when he felt that he was drawn into the garden scene. In what he described as a vision, he saw Mary and then the other two disciples as they discovered the empty tomb. But above all, he saw Mary as she heard the voice of Jesus, turned to look at him, and cried out "Rabboni!" It was under the influence of this vision that Miles wrote "In the Garden" (Osbeck, Amazing Grace, second edition, 113).
I come to the garden alone, while the
dew is still on the roses;
And
the voice I hear, falling on my ear, the Son of God discloses.
He speaks, and the sound of his voice
is so sweet the birds hush their singing;
And
the melody that he gave to me within my heart is ringing.
I’d stay in the garden with him tho the
nigh around me is falling;
But
he bids me go—through the voice of woe, his voice to me is calling.
Watch and listen to the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and the Orchestra at Temple Square as they perform Ryan Murphy's arrangement of "In the Garden."
Through the words and the melody of this lovely yet simple song, we can picture ourselves in that garden scene, imagining what it will be like when we also have the privilege of seeing the Risen Lord.
.JPG) |
| With Samuel at the Garden Tomb, Holy Week 2011 |
Christians the world over at the Easter miracle.
Christ the Lord is ris’n
today, Alleluia!
Sons of men and angels say, Alleluia!
Raise your joys and triumphs high, Alleluia!
Sing, ye heav’ns, and earth reply, Alleluia!
Love’s redeeming work is done, Alleluia!
Fought the fight, the vict’ry won, Alleluia!
Jesus’ agony is o’er, Alleluia!
Darkness veils the earth no more, Alleluia!
Lives again our glorious King, Alleluia!
Where, O death, is now thy sting? Alleluia!
Once he died our souls to save, Alleluia!
Where thy victory, O grave? Alleluia! (Hymn 200)
Subsequent Appearances
- Jesus and Thomas (John 20:24–29)
- Jesus Meets the Disciples in Galilee (John
21:1–14)- Jesus and Peter: Three-fold affirmation of
Peter’s love (21:15–19) - Jesus and the Other Disciple (21:20–23)
- Jesus and Peter: Three-fold affirmation of
- The Forty Day Ministry (Acts 1:1–5)
- Apostolic commission (Mark 16:15–18 [still in
Jerusalem?]; Matt 28:16–20 [Galilee]; Acts 1:6–8) - The Ascension (Mark 16:19–20; Luke 24:49–53;
Acts 1:9–11) - See also Paul’s list of post-resurrection
appearances in 1 Corinthians 15:3–9 (Peter, the rest of the Twelve, over five
hundred, James the brother of Jesus, "all the ‘apostles,’" and, last of all,
Paul)
Lord was seen, heard, and felt. To these accounts one can add Paul’s list of
post-resurrection appearances in 1 Corinthians 15:3–9 (Peter, the rest of the
Twelve, over five hundred, James the brother of Jesus, "all the ‘apostles,’"
and, last of all, Paul).
Much later the apostle John, referring both to
the reality of the Incarnation and Jesus’ continuing physical reality wrote:
That which was from the beginning, which we have
heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our
hands have handled, of the Word of life; (For the life was manifested, and we
have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was
with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) That which we have seen and heard
declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our
fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. (1 John 1:1–3)
Reflection
 |
| With my mother at the Garden Tomb, December 2011 |
beauty and power, confirming our own testimonies that Jesus indeed rose from the
dead and lives today. The fact that the first to actually see him were Mary
Magdalene, the other women, and the two disciples on the road to Emmaus suggests
that all disciples, not just the Twelve, can receive sure testimonies that Jesus
lives. Nevertheless, we are grateful for such special witnesses, "to whom also
he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs [Greek
tekmēriois, "sure signs" or "tokens"]" (Acts 1:3).For my final Easter message, however, I want to share the
implications of his resurrection for us. Inasmuch as Jesus has overcome death,
all shall live again . . . and as the Book of Mormon teaches, all will be
restored to a perfect frame with imperfections corrected and challenges overcome
(see Alma 11:42–44).Mounting examples in this life of those who
struggle with physical, developmental, and other challenges—including those of
my own precious son—have caused me to see a new need for the hope of renewal,
rebirth, and healing that are so marvelously illustrated in the reality of the
resurrection of Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus’ own resurrection healed hearts as
"grief turned to joy":
"A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow,
because her hour is come: but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she
remembereth no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the world.
And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart
shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you." (John 16:20–21)
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| Mother, my daughter Rachel, and my niece Lindsay |
many grieving hearts as well as bodies, giving new meaning to the prophecy "but
unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in
his wings" (Malachi 4:2). Significantly, Jesus’ final commission to the apostles
included the important injunction that they go forth not only to teach and
baptize (Matt 28:19–20) but also to lay hands on the sick that should recover
(Mark 16:18, 20). Certainly part of our discipleship should be that as Christ
brought hope and healing, so should we work for these ends in our own small way.
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| "He is not here, for he is risen!" |
resurrection for those who accept him and are true and faithful to the covenants
that they make with him. In recent years the deaths of grandparents, my father,
my mother-in-law, and now last year my dear Mother have brought new meaning to this Easter
message. Because He lives, so shall we . . . accordingly I close with the words
of Paul that I shared at Dad's funeral:For if we believe that Jesus died and rose
again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For
this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and
remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice
of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall
rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together
with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever
be with the Lord." (1 Thessalonians 4:14–17; see D&C 88:95–98)
Easter Quicklinks
Preliminary Materials
The Passion Week and the Resurrection
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