If I can live my life again, many would think and take that chance. Life again is what a seed gets, to create a new tree. Little a corn and mighty Oak, is proverbial. Dead winter is followed by new life in the spring. Rituals offered to provide security for life after death, have become big time business.
All of Rome’s power in Jerusalem, King Herod and all of Jewish hierarchy, in one accord thought,“done and dusted”, smacking their lips, as the dead body of Jesus was laid in the tomb, provided by the rich man Joseph of Arimathea, member of the Sanhedrin.
For good measure, a proper Roman guard was appointed to prevent disciples stealing the body of their revered teacher. There was no need for such apprehension, because they were trembling in fear and did not expect a Resurrection, in spite of the Lord teaching them that he would come back to life.
Coming back to life was thought of as impossible. Medically speaking, a crucified victim generally dies of cardiac tamponade. High pressure in the lungs causes heart failure, with fluid accumulation around the lungs (pleural effusion) and around the heart in the pericardial sac (Cardiac Tamponade).
The Roman forensic process certified death by piercing the heart with a spear. In the case of the Saviour, straw coloured fluid and blood clots came out of his pierced side, confirming death.
The Jewish method of burial encloses the body with bandage cloth, caked with aloe and myrrh – a sort of embalming method. No life is possible. The theory that Jesus fainted and was revived, is medically impossible.
King David in 1000 BC prophesied that the Messiah would be pierced to death but will come back to life. At Passover, Jerusalem was crowded and there was no place to hide a body. When John and Simon ran to the tomb, informed by the women who were there first, they saw the bandages around the body well laid aside, while the body had slipped out – Resurrection. So far bemused and unbelieving, that convinced them.
This all happened on Friday, the day of preparation, the day before the Sabbath. As evening approached, an honoured member of the high council, Joseph from Arimathea, gathered his courage and went to Pilate to ask for Jesus’ body.
Pilate could not believe that Jesus was already dead, so he called for the Roman military officer in charge and asked him. The officer confirmed the fact, and Pilate told Joseph he could have the body. Joseph bought a long sheet of linen cloth, and taking Jesus’ body down from the cross, he wrapped it in the cloth and laid it in a tomb that had been carved out of the rock. Then he rolled a stone in front of the entrance. Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joseph saw where Jesus’ body was laid.
The Resurrection – Jesus Is Risen
The next evening, they went out and purchased burial spices to put on Jesus’ body. Very early on Sunday morning, just at sunrise, they came to the tomb. On the way they were discussing who would roll the stone away from the entrance to the tomb. But when they arrived, they looked up and saw that the stone – a very large one – had already been rolled aside.
So they entered the tomb, and there on the right sat a young man clothed in a white robe. The women were startled, but the angel said, “Do not be so surprised. You are looking for Jesus, the Nazarene, who was crucified. He is not here! He has been raised from the dead! Look, this is where they laid his body. Now go and give this message to his disciples, including Peter: Jesus is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there, just as he told you before he died!” The women fled from the tomb, trembling and bewildered, saying nothing to anyone because they were too frightened to talk.
A rock weighing over one tonne had rolled – no man could have done it. Brave Roman soldiers were flat on the ground. No man can do that. The Earth quaked at his death, in sorrow and earth quaked again at his resurrection, in triumph.
The Roman Empire was no more. The Church of the Risen Lord was everywhere – every tribe and tongue has spoken and sung the resurrection.
Reconciliation
Many alienated factions were reconciled by the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Good Friday and Crucifixion were validated, when the Risen Christ proved sin was atoned – no more will we have to try pay wages for our sins by exotic and expensive rituals; Father forgive them”, and “It is Finished”, were proved and validated. We do not have to be dead in our sin and trespass.
The Lord’s prayer activated and empowered, “Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us”; Man and God reconciled. Brother and brother reconciled; Women were the first to see the empty tomb and became first evangelists of the truth of Resurrection. Women will never be second class in serving the Master and Lord.
Let the Children come to the Lord, for theirs is the Kingdom of God; Every Life is precious. Unborn child belongs to God. Abortion is murder; No more religious hierarchy, keeping sinners far away – all can come to the Lord and touch him; No more Gentiles all are One; Truth and mercy embraced each other; righteousness kissed peace. Mercy triumphed over Justice.
Today, Easter is the single most important Holy Day of the Christian Church. It celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the central event in Christianity.
To Christians, the resurrection backs up Jesus’ claim that he had the authority to die for the sins of the world and the power to come back to life again. It also gives hope to Christians that they too will experience a resurrected life in Heaven. Easter gives hope to all of humanity for a better tomorrow.
