For Christians, Easter week symbolizes the height of Christendom’s beliefs and it culminates in the marking of Jesus Christ’s death, which is then followed by a resurrection to be with God the father. Further significant belief is that Christ will return to redeem all believers to that everlasting life of complete peace and joy.
Easter Day, the resurrection day, is always a Sunday in March or April, and the Friday before is referred to as “Good Friday.” For Christians, the Easter Sunday celebration is time for joyous gatherings and church services with the singing of Handel’s “Hallelujah Chorus” from oratorio Messiah and the hymn “Christ the Lord is Risen Today.” This article shares selected verses from the Bible that relate to Easter.
Easter Quotes from the Holy Bible
Most of these quotes come from the book of Zechariah in the Old Testament. It is the penultimate or 11th book of the 12 “minor prophets” in the Christian and Hebrew Bible, which is attributed to Zechariah, a prophet of the kingdom of Judah’s tribe. His career as a prophet began in the second year of Darius, the king of Persia in B.C. 520.
Prophecy of Jesus Christ Riding on a Donkey
The coming of Zion’s king was prophesied in the following quotation: “Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” ~ Zechariah 9:9
Prophecy of Judas's Betrayal for Thirty Pieces of Silver
“I told them, “If you think it best, give me my pay; but if not, keep it.” So they paid me thirty pieces of silver. And the Lord said to me, “Throw it to the potter” – the handsome price at which they priced me! So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them into the house of the Lord to the potter.” ~ Zechariah 11: 12-13
Prophecy of the Suffering on the Cross
This chapter relates to a oracle of destruction of Jerusalem’s enemies. As the Lord saves and protects the dwellings of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the “holy city,” there will be mourning for the enemies.
“And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son. On that day, the weeping in Jerusalem will be great...” ~ Zechariah 12: 10-11
Personal Experience of Easter
The book of Ephesians contains the apostle Paul’s letters to the Christians in Ephesus with his powerful theme that “Christ died on the cross to set believers free, that Christ was raised from death by God,” and now “sits at God’s right side in heaven” to rule over the world in the future, all in accordance with God’s plans.
Ephesians 1: 15-21 primarily deals with thanksgiving, prayer, and assurance of God’s dominion and power. Verses 20 and 21 assert God’s power in “which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.”
A committed Christian takes Easter Day seriously as it signifies the assurance of salvation. It is beautifully echoed by the suffering yet faithful Job in the book of Job 19:25-27. It reads, “I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; I myself will see him with my own eyes – I, and not another. How my heart yearns within me!”
Anyone familiar with Handel’s Messiah will easily recognize the resounding inclusion of “I know that my Redeemer lives!”
Interested readers may want to check out related Easter articles of celebration in praise for Christ’s resurrection: Hymn "Christ the Lord is Risen Today" and Handel’s oratorio Messiah with the famous “Hallelujah Chorus.”
Source:
- Holy Bible, New International Version (NIV). London: Hodder & Stoughton, 1983.
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