Holy Week: Easter Essays Note Savior’s Atonement, Crucifixion and Resurrection

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This story appears here courtesy of TheChurchNews.com. It is not for use by other media.

By David Schneider, Church News

The days around Good Friday and Easter are a time to learn about, remember and celebrate the remarkable events associated with the death and resurrection of the Messiah.

Four authors shared essays with the Church News on this topic. See the full essays and more Easter content, including videos and podcast episodes, at TheChurchNews.com/easter.

Matthew Grey: Jesus’ Last Supper and the Biblical Passover

According to the synoptic Gospels (Mark, Matthew and Luke), the disciples spent their last day with Jesus making the necessary preparations and participating in one final Passover meal together — now known as the Last Supper.

These scriptural accounts suggest that, like other Jewish families, Jesus and the disciples gathered that night in a local home, recounted the stories of God’s deliverance of Israel from Egyptian bondage, sang psalms that recalled God’s power of deliverance and partook of the ritual Passover foods (see Mark 14, Matthew 26 and Luke 22).

What made Jesus’ final Passover remarkable, however, was the fact that He took two items from the commemorative meal — the broken pieces of unleavened bread and the poured cup of wine — and provided additional interpretation for the disciples to consider: “Take, eat; this [bread] is my body. … Drink from [this cup], for this is my blood of the [new] covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins” (Matthew 26:27–28, NRSV).

By adding this new layer of meaning to the redemption symbolism of the Passover, He essentially told His disciples to eat the unleavened bread and drink the wine both in remembrance of God’s past deliverance of Israel through the death of the first-born lamb, and in recognition of their own personal deliverance through His redemptive work as the Messiah.

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In other words, just as Israel was freed from Egyptian bondage by the slaughter and blood of the original Passover lamb, so Jesus’ followers would be freed from the bondage of their sins by His approaching death on the cross. Jesus, in short, would be the ultimate Passover sacrifice provided by God for the salvation of His people.

Those partaking of the Eucharist or sacrament have a beautiful opportunity to recall God’s deliverance of Israel in the past (as celebrated in the biblical Passover), while at the same time pondering their own redemption through Jesus’ atoning acts and looking forward to the day He returns to complete His messianic mission of salvation.

— Matthew J. Grey is a professor of ancient scripture and the coordinator of the Ancient Near Eastern Studies program at Brigham Young University.
 

Krystal Pierce: Seeing, Knowing, Recognizing True Identity of the Risen Christ

Jesus Christ appeared to hundreds of His followers over the 40-day period between His Resurrection and Ascension, but one specific group was blessed to see and interact with the risen Christ first.

On the morning after His Resurrection, He first appeared to Mary Magdalene and other female disciples at the tomb. Surprisingly, the individuals in this group did not immediately recognize Jesus when He first appeared to them, clearly demonstrating that there was, and still is, an important difference between seeing someone and recognizing someone.

Read the full article in the Church News. Recognizing the true identity of the risen Christ

Mary and the other women present physically saw and spoke to a man, who was Jesus Christ, with their physical eyes; however, they did not recognize His true identity until He opened their spiritual eyes and minds through audible signs and teachings.

The behaviors and actions of these disciples after the Savior’s death indicated that they had certain expectations for the Lord. They expected Him to continue teaching them until they understood the fullness of His gospel and to lead them as the head of His new earthly church.

However, three days after His Crucifixion, the disciples went to His tomb also expecting to find the body of the deceased Jesus. These conflicting expectations led to feelings of sadness, disappointment and confusion.

It was only through the personal appearance of the risen Christ to Mary and the other disciples that their mistaken expectations were corrected, allowing them to recognize the true identity, purpose and significance of the resurrected Savior and to react with feelings of happiness and peace.

As disciples of Christ, we have a lot in common with Mary and the other disciples. We all have certain inconsistent expectations of the Lord and His Church, which, when they are not fulfilled according to our own limited mortal understanding, can at times hinder our view of the Savior so that even when He is near enough for us to feel His presence and “see” Him, we are not able to truly recognize Him and the significant role He plays in our lives.

—Krystal V.L. Pierce is an assistant professor in the Department of Ancient Scripture at Brigham Young University.

Lani Hilton: Easter Is a Season

Easter is more than a single day. It is more than Holy Week — it’s a season. It’s a period of weeks that invites us to reflect on the Savior’s life, ministry, atoning sacrifice and Resurrection.
This simple shift of seeing Easter as a season will elevate how we prepare for, experience and are changed by this sacred time of year.

Read the full article in the Church News. Lani Hilton: Easter is a season

Like in the weeks leading up to Christmas, music, devotionals, decorations, traditions, scripture study and acts of service — centered on the life of the Savior — can be part of our Easter season.

The Easter season can be a period of many weeks, or even months. For example, Catholics have a Lenten season, which starts about 40 days before Easter Sunday, and then an Easter season that spans seven weeks, from Easter Sunday to Pentecost. Latter-day Saints traditionally haven’t delineated between a Lenten season and an Easter season. A webpage on ChurchofJesusChrist.org about planning Easter worship services posed this question: “How can we intentionally worship the Savior in the weeks leading up to and following Easter Sunday?”

We are blessed to be able to add on the Book of Mormon Easter events, with the appearance and ministry of the resurrected Savior in the Americas, after the Ascension (see 3 Nephi 10:18, 3 Nephi 11:12).

Part of the beauty of viewing Easter as a season and knowing we have a large span of time to discuss and honor these holy events can alleviate some of the stress. If schedules make it difficult on a particular part of the season, we can find time on a different day. An additional benefit of intentionally worshipping in the weeks leading up to and following Easter Sunday is more time and opportunities to speak of the goodness of God.

I know as we follow prophetic counsel and embrace Easter as a season, we will focus more on the teachings and divinity of Jesus Christ and our faith in Him will increase.

— Lani Hilton is an author, speaker and teacher.
 

Jason Wright: 7 Days to Easter

Easter celebrates the single most important event in human history: the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.

For members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the Church’s “Love, Share, Invite” initiative reminds us that sharing the gospel doesn’t require a pulpit, a formal lesson or perfect timing. It often happens through sincere, everyday moments of faith.

Read the full article in the Church News. Jason Wright: 7 days to Easter

The tools may be modern, but the message is refreshingly ancient. What we’re really sharing is the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.

As Easter approaches, here are seven modern ways to love, share and invite.
Each is easy enough to do in a single day, but meaningful enough to point those we love toward the risen Savior.

Taken together, these small efforts can help focus our hearts on the miracle we celebrate each Easter morning.

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Day 1: Rise in your own heart. Study the Resurrection story, and journal your impressions. Spend a few minutes reading a Resurrection account: Luke 24, John 20 or 3 Nephi 11. Then write down a few impressions in a journal or notes app.

Day 2: Rise on social media. Share a testimony of the Resurrection. Consider posting a brief, personal reflection about why Easter matters to you. Think less announcement, more confession of faith.

Day 3: Rise by sharing inspired media. Share a message from the Church’s Easter initiative, found at easter.ChurchofJesusChrist.org. Add a short personal note about why it resonates with you.

Day 4: Rise through kindness to a stranger. Serve someone you do not know. A small act of Christlike kindness toward a stranger can be a beautiful testimony of Him.

Day 5: Rise through conversation. Share why Easter matters to you. The restored gospel spreads most naturally through everyday conversation. Mention to a co-worker or friend that Easter week means something important to you.

Day 6: Rise by gathering. Create a small moment at home centered on Christ. You don’t have to wait for Sunday. Gather the people already in your life: family, roommates, neighbors. Create something small and sacred right where you are.

Day 7: Rise by inviting. Invite someone to Palm Sunday worship. As it approaches, consider asking a friend, neighbor or co-worker: “Would you like to join me at church on Palm Sunday?”

— Jason F. Wright is an author and YSA branch president.

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