The historic events of the Easter season revolve around the Son of God. His last week of mortal life began with Palm Sunday, where throngs crowded the narrow streets of Jerusalem to welcome the Messiah. They cut palm tree branches and with their outer garments covered the ground on which He entered the city on the back of a donkey. It was a triumphal entry into the city and marked the beginning of a week never to be repeated again, because there never would be another Savior. He is the Only Begotten Son of the Father. Many knew Him and worshipped Him openly on that Sunday. He proceeded to the temple where He cast out the money changers and cleansed it for a second time.
Of course, the population was divided in their opinions about Him. Later that same week many would stand in the open courtyard and shout, "Crucify Him! Crucify Him!," as the Romans bowed to the wishes of the Jewish leaders who accused Him of blasphemy before the Roman governor, Pontius Pilate. Only Roman law could render the capital punishment required that they demanded. And what was His crime? That He dared to declare himself as God's Son. And there were witnesses!
It seemed Christ and all the prophets who came before Him and those who came after Him would be destined to the same fate. When a prophet speaks truth it divides the people. It has not changed in our day, nor should we expect that it would.
The Savior, seeking to prepare His Apostles for His impending death and resurrection, took them into an upper room nearby to share the Passover Saddar meal with them. He taught them and introduced the ordinance of the sacrament emblematic of His body and blood that would be offered as a sacrifice to satisfy the demands of justice. He broke the bread and instructed them: "Jesus took bread, and blessed, and brake it, and gave to them, and said, Take, eat: this is my body. And he took the cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them: and they all drank of it. And he said unto them, This is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many." (Mark 14:22-24).
He was betrayed to the Roman troops and the other Jews who came for Him later in the Garden of Gethsemane. His Apostle, Judas Iscariot, "one of the twelve, went before them, and drew near unto Jesus to kiss him. But Jesus said unto him, Judas, betrayest thou the Son of man with a kiss?" (Luke 22:47-48). For the pre-arranged fee of thirty pieces of silver (the cost of a common slave) the act was done.
Christ was scourged, beaten, tried before Romans and the Jewish hierarchy, and ultimately Pilate washed his hands of the matter, stating that Christ was innocent but he bowed to the wishes of the mob. Christ was nailed by His hands and His wrists and His feet to a crude wooden cross. He was mocked, spat upon and crucified on the hill known as Golgotha outside the city walls after enduring the agony He suffered in Gethsemane where he bled from every pore. (See D&C 19:15-19).
His body was taken down in haste by His followers because evening was coming on and they wanted to complete the burial before Shabbat began at sundown. The tomb was donated by Joseph of Arimathea. A large round stone was placed in front of the opening to prevent, as they supposed, His loyal followers from coming later to retrieve the body and claim the resurrection He had prophesied would happen. The tomb was empty three days later, and the glorious resurrection was a reality.
On the morning of the third day, "the first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre." (John 20:1). She encountered two angels in white sitting where the body of Jesus had lain. She turned and saw a man she supposed to be the gardener, and then she recognized Him as the risen Lord. He instructed her to go back into the city and to tell the remaining Apostles what she had witnessed.
They met later that night, and "the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord." (John 20:19-20).
Thomas of Didymus, one of the Apostles, was absent that night, but later saw with his own eyes the risen Lord. He encouraged Thomas to feel the prints in his hands and the scar in His side, and admonished, "be not faithless, but believing." (John 20:27). "Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed." (John 20:29).
Enjoy this Easter concert by the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square:
It is my witness that Christ reveals Himself to us each day of our lives if our eyes are open and our ears attuned to His spirit. When we attend the temple He further reveals Himself, even to those of us like Thomas who have not seen but believe.
Last week, our assigned high councilor, Bill Atkin, who works and travels extensively throughout the world for the Church's legal department, told us of a needlepoint piece of art he had picked up during his travels in Ukraine. He explained a traditional Easter greeting in the Greek and Russian Orthodox Church is the exclamation “He is risen!” and the traditional response is “He is risen, indeed!” The words are sometimes accompanied by the exchange of three kisses on alternate cheeks, depending on the church. In the Orthodox and Catholic churches, the greeting is called the “Paschal greeting” and is a very old custom.
It would be a worldwide phenomenon indeed, if we could all greet each other routinely wherever we live with the faith inherent in that tradition.
