Centrality of Easter
Christians, world over, celebrate Easter today. The nature of celebrations is primarily dictated by local customs and traditions. The central theme of Easter celebrations inevitably remains the resurrection of Christ, the Son of God, the sacrificial lamb, and the way to eternal life . One of the pillars on which Christianity rests is resurrection.
Beyond Christianity
There is an interesting aspect within the Holy Bible that goes beyond Christianity. It is something that we often come across and experience but seldom find courage to emulate. It is about recognising and acknowledging someone’s contributions, often against great odds, at great personal risk and costs. Let us revisit resurrection in a new perspective to understand the role of two individuals, hardly spoken about. Maybe you could end up finding yourself there. Maybe you could end up identifying someone like that in your organisation.
The First Easter
Unlike contemporary Easter, marked by joyous celebrations, the day of actual resurrection according to scriptures, was one steeped in fear, despair, and disbelief.
The masses who followed Christ for about three years were mostly peasants, poverty stricken, downtrodden, and the lowest of the lowest in the society. They followed Jesus of Nazareth in the hope that he would overthrow the cruel and oppressive political and religious regime. They believed that He would lead them to better days, which He called the Kingdom of God.
It was a Friday. The very man who promised them deliverance was sentenced to death by the very regime he promised to topple! He was crucified like any other criminal. He even suffered the ignominy of carrying his own cross all the way up to Calvary in front of the very same people, those He had promised the kingdom of God. He was charged with blasphemy and rebellion against the crown. He was an Anti National. The majority wanted him dead. He had become a threat talking against them and their ways. He had to die . He was crucified.
His followers were let down by His death. Everybody who went out to listen to him was scared. Those considered close to him went into hiding. The closest disowned him. His resurrection from the dead only added to the confusion.
Two Who Stood Out
Two individuals emerge very special after the crucifixion. The first was Joseph of Arimathea, a rich and eminent personality. He was a minister in the council. He felt what Jesus said was right but kept quiet out of fear of his community, the ruling majority. The Second person was a man called Nicodemus, a renowned teacher also a member of the nobility. He is known to have met Jesus, secretly at night to understand the meaning of being born again or born anew. The underlying fact is that both belonged to the majority, believed what Jesus said was right but was scared of coming out in the open.
After the crucifixion Joseph approaches Pilate for permission to take the body of ‘Christ who is Dead’ for burial. He was joined by Nicodemus who provided the spices required for the burial. Imagine the danger the two put themselves in, trying to give the dead, an Anti National sentenced to death for allegedly speaking against the Kaiser, the ruler. Both these individuals did not have the courage to openly support Christ or to openly criticise the policies and practices of the ruling elite. But His death changed all that.
It would have taken immense inner courage and moral strength to publicly proclaim through their deeds to say “Yes; He was right”. They were putting themselves at the greatest risk and likelihood of reprisals by the administration. Being from the nobility, they certainly knew what the repercussions could be .
Takeaway For Us
Easter, for Christians, is a celebration of hope over despair and victory of life over death. But Christians and non Christians alike it is an occasion that must draw our attention to the need of finding inner strength to stand up for what is right before someone is crucified even knowing what reprisals could bring about.
For Christians it may be an occasion to reaffirm their faith in Christ but for everybody else it is an occasion to find Joseph of Arimathea or Nicodemus within, or at least identify and acknowledge the two outside.
For the church, it is time to honour the two beyond what has been done till now.
Acknowledgment.
I like to humbly place on record that this article and the thought behind it was inspired by the message of Rev Dr Abraham Kuruvila
