What Does The Bible Say About Easter? Easter is an important Christian event worth understanding its history and symbols. Before proceeding, it is important for us to pour more light on the meaning of Easter. In simple terms, Easter is the celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the tomb on the 3rd day after His crucifixion and burial. Referring to the book of Prophet Isaiah 53, we can say without doubt that Easter is the fulfilled prophesy of the Messiah who would be persecuted, killed for our sins, and rise on the third day. Celebrating Easter every year is a way of remembering Jesus Christ. And remembering His resurrection is a way of renewing our hope for eternal life with God through Him.
In addition, celebrating Easter reminds us of the victory of Christ over sin, evil, and death for those who come to Him. Coming to Christ is being set aside for God’s mercy and favor. To benefit from this divine mercy and favor, one must first Sincerely Repent and engage self in obeying the Key Teachings of Jesus Christ. Christ is the lamb of God that takes away the sins of the faithful and offers them life that never finishes in the presence of God Almighty. In line with he New Testament, Easter is three days after the death of Jesus Christ on the Cross at Calvary. Easter follows a period of fasting which is called Lent. During this period of Lent, many churches set aside time for repentance and remembrance. The period of Lent begins on Ash Wednesday and ends on Good Friday, the day that Jesus Christ was crucified.
What Does The Bible Say About Easter?
Overview
Just as we previously mentioned, Easter follows a period of fasting called Lent. The 40 day period was established by Pope Gregory 1 using the 40 day pattern of Israel, Moses, Elijah, and Jesus’ time in the wilderness. The week that leads to Easter is called The Holy Week, or “Passion Week”. The Holy Week includes Palm Sunday (the day that Jesus Christ entered Jerusalem and was celebrated as King). It also includes Maundy Thursday (the “Last Super”, a day where Jesus Christ came together with His Apostles to observe the Passover). And lastly, the Holy Week includes Good Friday (the day that Jesus Christ was crucified on the Cross at Calvary). Behold, there is much that the Bible says about Easter.
Easter is one of the most important events in Christianity. In short, it is the foundation of the Christian faith. It portrays Jesus Christ, the beloved Son of God who willingly gave up His own life so that all those who come to Him will never die but have everlasting life in the presence of God the Father. Jesus Christ having no sin of His own was persecuted and given the punishment of sinners. He came in the human nature, taught the ways of God the Father and was crucified on the cross at Calvary for our sake. Today, He is welcoming all those who hear His voice, turn away from their sins, and embrace the teachings of His Father.
When did Easter start?
It is important to know when Easter started in as much as it is important to know what the Bible says about Easter. The resurrection of Christ was celebrated by the earliest Christians on the fourteen of Nisan (our March-April), the date which matches with the Jewish Passover. The Jewish days were reckoned from evening to evening, implying that Jesus Christ had celebrated His Last Super the evening of the Passover and was crucified on the day of the Passover. Most early Christians who celebrated the Passover did worship Jesus Christ as the Paschal Lamb and Redeemer. It is reported that some of the Gentile Christians started celebrating Easter in the nearest Sunday to the Passover since Jesus Christ actually arose on a Sunday. This practice was significantly observed in the Western part of the Roman Empire. Even in Rome, different congregations celebrated Easter on different days.
However, many felt that the date should continue to be based on the timing of the resurrection during Passover. And as a result, immediately the Jewish authorities established or determined the date of Passover each year, Christian leaders went forth to establishing the date for Easter by counting three days after Passover. Note that following this schedule will mean that Easter would be a different day of the week each year, and only falling on a Sunday once in a while. From the other angle of view, other Christian leaders believed that since the Lord rose on a Sunday and that this day had been set aside for the Lord’s Day, this was the only possible day to joyfully celebrate His Resurrection. And as Christianity drew away from Judaism, many were reluctant to base this special Christian celebration on the Jewish calendar.
How the Easter date is calculated?
Besides knowing what the Bible says about Easter, it is worth knowing how the Easter date is calculated. Constantine was in support that Christianity should be totally separated from Judaism and did not want Easter to be celebrated on the Jewish Passover. In respect of his wish and that of other spiritual leaders, the council of Nicea required the feast of resurrection to be celebrated on a Sunday and never on the Jewish Passover. From then, Easter was set to be the Sunday after the first full moon following the spring equinox. Calculating the proper date of Easter can be challenging since the date of the vernal equinox change from year to year. Whatever the case, this is still the method being used to calculate the date of Easter these days. This explains why we have Easter earlier during some years than others.
What does Easter mean?
Before going deeper into what the Bible says about Easter, it is important to get its true meaning. Truth be told, the origin of the word easter is not certain. The Venerable Bede, an eighth-century monk and scholar suggested in his writings that the word may have been derived from the Anglo-Saxon Eeostre or Eastre – a Teutonic goddess of spring and fertility. However, recent scholars haven’t been able to trace back to any reference that supports this fact or links back to the goddess Bede. Hence, this theory has been discredited. Another possibility at hand worth analyzing is the Norse eostur, eastur, or ostara which literally means “the season of the growing sun“. Note that the word east comes from these very roots. Hence, there is a possibility that the word Easter is linked to the changing season.
A more recent and complex explanation of the origin of the word Easter comes from the Christian background unlike those from pagans. The early Latin word that was used for the Week of Easter was hebdomada alba or “white week,” and the Sunday after Easter day was referred to as dominica in albis. This word is derived from the white robes of those who were Baptized. The word alba is the Latin word for White and Dawn. Those who were speaking High Old German made a serious mistake in translating as they used a plural word for dawn, ostarun, instead of using the plural for white. From Osterun, we clearly get the German Ostern and the English Easter.
The connection between Easter and Passover
The day before Jesus’ crucifixion, He observed Passover with His 12 Apostles. This event is what we refer today as the Last Super. On the other hand, the Passover feast is a time that the Jews people remember their freedom and exodus from Egypt. During the Passover feast or Last Super of Jesus Christ, He told His Apostles that the bread symbolizes His body that would be broken and the wine, His blood, that would be poured out for the forgiveness of sins (Mathew 26:17-30). Today, Christian bodies celebrate the Last Super in order to keep a memory of Jesus’ sacrifice for the forgiveness of sins. After the Last Super, Jesus Christ was arrested at the Garden of Gethsemane where He was praying and taken to the Roman Governor, Pontius Pilate, for trial.
Christian and Pagan Traditions surrounding Easter
Today, one can’t argue the fact that there are many traditions surrounding the entire lent season, Holy Week, and Easter Sunday. Some of the globally celebrated traditions include the Easter Bunny, gift baskets, colored eggs, and flowers. Bunnies are considered pests that ruin crops and land in Australia. Aussies celebrate with their native marsupial. On Easter Monday in Poland, boys try to suck people with buckets or water. A tradition that roots in the baptism of Polish Prince Mieszko that took place on Easter Monday 996. However, what the Bible says about Easter will pour more light on this.
The morning of Holy Saturday in Greece is known as the annual “pot throwing”, a situation were residents throw pots out of windows. This tradition marks the beginning of spring and new crops being gathered in new pots. Large bornfires called Easter Fires are lit on Easter Sunday into Monday in Europe. The myth behind this is that the fire will chase away winter and Easter will bring spring.
Origin and History of Easter Bunny and Easter Eggs
Many ancient cultures viewed eggs as a symbol of life. Many Egyptians, Hindus, and Persians believe that the world began with an enormous egg. Some early Christians looked at the connection that eggs had with life and decided that eggs could be part of their celebration. That’s why you hear of colored eggs today. Concerning the connection of the rabbit with Easter in the name of Easter Bunny, we’ll say that some Christians saw the rabbit coming out of its hole as Jesus Christ defeating death and coming out of the tomb.
Other points of views come as a result of the fact that Easter is celebrated during spring which is believed to be a moment of fertility that portrays new life. And any animal like the hare or rabbit that produces many offspring was easily included to the feast. The hare is also an ancient symbol for the moon. And as we know, the Easter date depends on the moon. In short, there are several reasons for the hare or rabbit to be associated to Easter, all of which come through pagan celebrations.
The Easter Lamb
Concerning what the Bible says about Easter, the Easter lamb is the most symbolic during this Christian celebration. It is worth noting here that the Easter lamb has no strong ties with pagan traditions or celebrations. The lambs we are talking about are young animals born in spring time. The lamb comes from the Jews Passover during which each family killed a lamb as a sacrifice. And when Jesus Christ became the Passover lamb for everyone who comes to Him, the lamb became the symbol for His sacrifice. He is indeed the lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world as we can read from John 1:29 – “The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”
What The Bible Says About Easter
John 19:30 – “When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.”
Luke 24:6-7 – “He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: ‘The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’”
Matthew 28:5-6 – “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.””
Mark 16:6 – “Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him.”
Mark 14:36 – ““Abba, Father,” he said, “everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.””
Luke 23:46 – “Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” When he had said this, he breathed his last.“
Matthew 21:9 – “The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted,“Hosanna to the Son of David!”“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”“Hosanna in the highest heaven!””
Matthew 27:28-29 – “They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, and then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head. They put a staff in his right hand. Then they knelt in front of him and mocked him. “Hail, king of the Jews!” they said.”
Group 1 – What The Bible Says About Easter
Zechariah 9:9 – “Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion!Shout, Daughter Jerusalem!See, your king comes to you,righteous and victorious,lowly and riding on a donkey,on a colt, the foal of a donkey.”
John 20:8-9 – “Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. (They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.)“
Matthew 27:37 – “Above his head they placed the written charge against him: this is jesus, the king of the jews.”
Matthew 20:18-19 – “We are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified. On the third day he will be raised to life!”
Romans 5:8 – “But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
Acts 12:4 – “And when he had seized him, he put him in prison, delivering him over to four squads of soldiers to guard him, intending after the Passover to bring him out to the people.”
John 3:16 – “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”
1 Peter 1:3 – “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,“
Psalm 118:25-26 – “Lord, save us!Lord, grant us success!Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.From the house of the Lord we bless you.”
Group 2 – What The Bible Says About Easter
John 11:25-26 – “Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?””
Romans 4:25 – “Who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.”
Luke 24:1-12 – “But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel. And as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? …”
Romans 1:4 – “And was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord,”
Mark 16:1-8 – “When the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him, And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb, And they were saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?” And looking up, they saw that the stone had been rolled back—it was very large. And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe, and they were alarmed. …”
Group 3 – What The Bible Says About Easter
Luke 24:36-39 – “As they were talking about these things, Jesus himself stood among them, and said to them, “Peace to you!” But they were startled and frightened and thought they saw a spirit. And he said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me, and see. For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.””
1 Corinthians 15:42-44 – “So is it with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable; what is raised is imperishable. It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power, It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body.”
Romans 5:11 – “More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.”
Matthew 28:1-20 – “Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men. But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. …”
Group 4 – What The Bible Says About Easter
Isaiah 58:1-14 – ““Cry aloud; do not hold back; lift up your voice like a trumpet; declare to my people their transgression, to the house of Jacob their sins. Yet they seek me daily and delight to know my ways, as if they were a nation that did righteousness and did not forsake the judgment of their God; they ask of me righteous judgments; they delight to draw near to God. ‘Why have we fasted, and you see it not? Why have we humbled ourselves, and you take no knowledge of it?’ Behold, in the day of your fast you seek your own pleasure, and oppress all your workers. Behold, you fast only to quarrel and to fight and to hit with a wicked fist. Fasting like yours this day will not make your voice to be heard on high. …”
John 20:1-18 – “Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.” So Peter went out with the other disciple, and they were going toward the tomb. Both of them were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. And stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. …”
Group 5 – What The Bible Says About Easter
1 Corinthians 5:7 – “Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.”
Mark 16:6 – “And he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen; he is not here. See the place where they laid him.”
Matthew 20:18-19 – “See, we are going up to Jerusalem. And the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn him to death and deliver him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified, and he will be raised on the third day.”
John 17:9 – “I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours.”
Isaiah 53:1-12 – “Who has believed what he has heard from us? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? For he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground; he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed. …”
Group 6 – What The Bible Says About Easter
Romans 8:34 – “Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.”
Romans 10:9 – “Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”
Psalm 136:1-26 – “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever. Give thanks to the God of gods, for his steadfast love endures forever. Give thanks to the Lord of lords, for his steadfast love endures forever; to him who alone does great wonders, for his steadfast love endures forever; to him who by understanding made the heavens, for his steadfast love endures forever; …”
Acts 3:15 – “And you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses.”
1 Corinthians 11:23-26 – “For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.”
1 Corinthians 15:17 – “And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins.”
Group 7 – What Does The Bible Say About Easter?
Isaiah 53:5 – “But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed.”
Luke 24:6-7 – “He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise.”
Romans 6:8-11 – “Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.”
Isaiah 1:1-31 – “The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah. Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth; for the Lord has spoken: “Children have I reared and brought up, but they have rebelled against me. The ox knows its owner, and the donkey its master’s crib, but Israel does not know, my people do not understand.” Ah, sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, offspring of evildoers, children who deal corruptly! They have forsaken the Lord, they have despised the Holy One of Israel, they are utterly estranged. Why will you still be struck down? Why will you continue to rebel? The whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint. …”
Group 8 – What Does The Bible Say About Easter?
Mark 16:9 – “Now when he rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons.”
Luke 24:46-47 – “And said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.”
Luke 23:46 – “Then Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, said, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” And having said this he breathed his last.”
Acts 4:33 – “And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all.”
Matthew 28:6 – “He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay.”
Mark 9:9 – “And as they were coming down the mountain, he charged them to tell no one what they had seen, until the Son of Man had risen from the dead.”
1 Corinthians 15:3-8 – “For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. …”
Group 9 – What Does The Bible Say About Easter?
Philippians 3:10-12 – “That I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own.”
1 Corinthians 15:3-5 – “For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.”
Romans 6:4 – “We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.”
1 Corinthians 15:20 – “But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.”
Psalm 16:10 – “For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption.”
2 Corinthians 5:17 – “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”
Zechariah 9:9 – “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.”
Group 10 – What Does The Bible Say About Easter?
Matthew 27:50-53 – “And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit. And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split. The tombs also were opened. And many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many.”
John 20:1 – “Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb.”
1 Corinthians 15:4 – “That he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,”
Ephesians 1:20 – “That he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places,”
Job 19:25 – “For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth.”
Colossians 1:13-14 – “He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”
Isaiah 26:19 – “Your dead shall live; their bodies shall rise. You who dwell in the dust, awake and sing for joy! For your dew is a dew of light, and the earth will give birth to the dead.”
John 11:25 – “Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live,”
Group 11 – What Does The Bible Say About Easter?
Luke 24:34 – Saying, “The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!”
John 19:30 – “When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.”
Acts 13:34-35 – “And as for the fact that he raised him from the dead, no more to return to corruption, he has spoken in this way, “‘I will give you the holy and sure blessings of David.’ Therefore he says also in another psalm, “‘You will not let your Holy One see corruption.’”
Romans 6:9 – “We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him.”
1 Corinthians 6:14 – “And God raised the Lord and will also raise us up by his power.”
Romans 12:10 – “Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.“
1 Corinthians 15:21-22 – “For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.“
Mark 15:32 – “Let the Christ, the King of Israel, come down now from the cross that we may see and believe.” Those who were crucified with him also reviled him.”
Romans 1:4-5 – “And was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations,”
Group 12 – What Does The Bible Say About Easter?
1 Corinthians 15:3 – “For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures,”
Mark 16:5-7 – “And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe, and they were alarmed. And he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen; he is not here. See the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.”“
Philippians 2:8 – “And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”
Mark 14:36 – “And he said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.””
John 20:8-9 – “Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; for as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead.”
Romans 8:11 – “If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.”
Romans 6:5 – “For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.”
Group 13 – What Does The Bible Say About Easter?
Romans 1:1 – “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.”
1 Peter 1:21 – “Who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.”
Matthew 27:37 – “And over his head they put the charge against him, which read, “This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.”“
Mark 15:46-47 – “And Joseph bought a linen shroud, and taking him down, wrapped him in the linen shroud and laid him in a tomb that had been cut out of the rock. And he rolled a stone against the entrance of the tomb. Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses saw where he was laid.”
1 Corinthians 15:3-4 – “For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,“
Matthew 27:28-29 – “And they stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, and twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on his head and put a reed in his right hand. And kneeling before him, they mocked him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!””
Matthew 21:9 – “And the crowds that went before him and that followed him were shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!”“
Group 14 – What Does The Bible Say About Easter?
John 4:24 – “God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”
John 2:19 – Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”
Romans 1:16 – “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.”
Acts 17:2 – “And Paul went in, as was his custom, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures,“
Matthew 12:40 – “For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.”
Luke 23:1-56 – “Then the whole company of them arose and brought him before Pilate. And they began to accuse him, saying, “We found this man misleading our nation and forbidding us to give tribute to Caesar, and saying that he himself is Christ, a king.” And Pilate asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” And he answered him, “You have said so.” Then Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds, “I find no guilt in this man.” But they were urgent, saying, …“
John 10:17-18 – “For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.”“
Group 15 – What Does The Bible Say About Easter?
Matthew 28:1-6 – “Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. ...”
Mark 8:31 – “And he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again.”
Isaiah 25:8 – “He will swallow up death forever; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces, and the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth, for the Lord has spoken.”
2 Chronicles 30:1-27 – “Hezekiah sent to all Israel and Judah, and wrote letters also to Ephraim and Manasseh, that they should come to the house of the Lord at Jerusalem to keep the Passover to the Lord, the God of Israel. For the king and his princes and all the assembly in Jerusalem had taken counsel to keep the Passover in the second month— for they could not keep it at that time because the priests had not consecrated themselves in sufficient number, nor had the people assembled in Jerusalem— and the plan seemed right to the king and all the assembly. So they decreed to make a proclamation throughout all Israel, from Beersheba to Dan, that the people should come and keep the Passover to the Lord, the God of Israel, at Jerusalem, for they had not kept it as often as prescribed. …”
Group 16 – What Does The Bible Say About Easter?
1 Thessalonians 4:14 – “For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep.”
Philippians 2:5-11 – “Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, ...”
Mark 16:12 – “After these things he appeared in another form to two of them, as they were walking into the country.”
Luke 23:46-47 – “Then Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, said, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” And having said this he breathed his last. Now when the centurion saw what had taken place, he praised God, saying, “Certainly this man was innocent!””
1 Corinthians 15:6 – “Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep.”
Luke 24:2-3 – “And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.”
Group 17 – What Does The Bible Say About Easter?
Matthew 27:65-66 – “Pilate said to them, “You have a guard of soldiers. Go, make it as secure as you can.” So they went and made the tomb secure by sealing the stone and setting a guard.”
Luke 23:44-47 – “It was now about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour, while the sun’s light failed. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. Then Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, said, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” And having said this he breathed his last. Now when the centurion saw what had taken place, he praised God, saying, “Certainly this man was innocent!””
Jeremiah 44:1-30 – “The word that came to Jeremiah concerning all the Judeans who lived in the land of Egypt, at Migdol, at Tahpanhes, at Memphis, and in the land of Pathros, “Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: You have seen all the disaster that I brought upon Jerusalem and upon all the cities of Judah. Behold, this day they are a desolation, and no one dwells in them, because of the evil that they committed, provoking me to anger, in that they went to make offerings and serve other gods that they knew not, neither they, nor you, nor your fathers. Yet I persistently sent to you all my servants the prophets, saying, ‘Oh, do not do this abomination that I hate!’ But they did not listen or incline their ear, to turn from their evil and make no offerings to other gods. ...”
Group 18 – What Does The Bible Say About Easter?
Matthew 15:1-39 – “Then Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said, “Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat.” He answered them, “And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? For God commanded, ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.’ But you say, ‘If anyone tells his father or his mother, “What you would have gained from me is given to God,” …”
Genesis 3:14-15 – “The Lord God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, cursed are you above all livestock and above all beasts of the field; on your belly you shall go, and dust you shall eat all the days of your life. I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.””
Group 19 – What Does The Bible Say About Easter?
Hebrews 6:1-20 – “Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, and of instruction about washings, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. And this we will do if God permits. For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, …”
Revelation 1:1-20 – “The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things that must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, who bore witness to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all that he saw. Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near. John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. ...”
Group 20 – What Does The Bible Say About Easter?
1 Corinthians 15:16-20 – “For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied. But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep.”
Colossians 1:1-4:18 – “Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, To the saints and faithful brothers in Christ at Colossae: Grace to you and peace from God our Father. We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, because of the hope laid up for you in heaven. Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel, …”
