Want to know more about Easter?
Easter Sunday (also called Resurrection Sunday), is the bedrock of the Christian faith. It's the moment christians celebrate the resurrection of Jesus and his powerful victory over sin and death!
In short, we believe the good news that God became man in Jesus Christ. He lived the life we couldn’t live and died the death we should have died because of our sin. Three days later he rose from the dead, proving he is the Son of God and offering the gift of salvation and forgiveness of sins to anyone who repents and believes in him.
The crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus are described in all four Gospels. Here are the key scriptures:
Crucifixion and Resurrection
- Matthew 27:32-28:10 – Jesus’ crucifixion, suffering, and death along with the women at the tomb.
- Mark 15:21-16:8 – The events leading up to Jesus’ death on the cross, the empty tomb and Jesus’ appearances.
- Luke 23:26-24:12 – Jesus’ crucifixion, His words at the cross, the resurrection, and Jesus appearing to the disciples.
- John 19:16-20:29 – The detailed account of Jesus’ death, fulfillment of prophecy, and his appearance to Mary Magdalene and Thomas.
Yes! There are a few ancient sources outside the Bible that reference Jesus’ resurrection or the belief in it by early Christians. They offer historical context showing that the resurrection belief was widely known and significant. We know this is a lot but here you go! Here are some notable sources:
“Now there was about this time Jesus, a wise man, if it be lawful to call him a man… He was [the] Christ; and when Pilate, at the suggestion of the principal men among us, had condemned him to the cross, those that loved him at the first did not forsake him, for he appeared to them alive again the third day…”
2. Tacitus (c. 56–120 AD)—The Roman historian Tacitus, in Annals (Book 15, Chapter 44), discusses Emperor Nero blaming Christians for the Great Fire of Rome. He mentions:
“Christus, from whom the name [Christians] had its origin, suffered the extreme penalty during the reign of Tiberius at the hands of one of our procurators, Pontius Pilatus…”
While Tacitus does not mention the resurrection directly, he confirms Jesus’ execution and the continued presence of Christians who believed in him.
3. Pliny the Younger (c. 61–113 AD)—In a letter to Emperor Trajan (Letters 10.96), Pliny, a Roman governor, describes how Christians worshiped Jesus as a deity and met regularly for worship. This suggests their belief in the resurrection was central to their faith.
4. Lucian of Samosata (c. 125–180 AD)—Lucian, a Greek satirist, wrote mockingly about Christians, saying:
“The Christians, you know, worship a man to this day—the distinguished personage who introduced their novel rites, and was crucified on that account…”
Though dismissive, his account confirms that Christians believed in a crucified and risen Jesus.
5. The Talmud (c. 200–500 AD)—The Jewish Talmud (Sanhedrin 43a) refers to Jesus’ execution, though it does not mention the resurrection. However, it acknowledges that Jesus’ followers persisted in their beliefs.
At the center of the Christian faith is the belief that Jesus didn’t just die—He rose again. And that changes everything. The resurrection is seen as confirmation that Jesus truly is who He claimed to be—the Son of God. As Romans 1:4 explains, He was “appointed the Son of God in power by his resurrection from the dead.” If Jesus had stayed in the grave, His claims about having authority over sin and death would fall apart—but He didn’t. He rose, and in doing so, showed that death doesn’t get the final word. That’s why 1 Corinthians 15 celebrates, “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” Through Jesus, there is real hope beyond the grave.
But the resurrection isn’t just about proving who Jesus is—it’s about what He’s done for us. Romans 4:25 says that Jesus “was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification,” meaning His resurrection is the assurance that forgiveness is real and that we can be made right with God. And it doesn’t stop there. Jesus Himself said in John 11:25, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die.” In other words, His resurrection becomes a promise—what happened to Him is what He offers to us: eternal life.
And maybe most surprisingly, this isn’t just about what happens after we die. It’s about what can happen in us right now. Romans 6:4 says that just as Jesus was raised from the dead, we too can “live a new life.” Christians believe that the same power that brought Jesus out of the grave is at work in ordinary people—bringing freedom, healing, and real change. So the resurrection isn’t just a moment in history—it’s an invitation: to trust Jesus, to be made new, and to step into a life that death itself can’t take away.
Seems weird, right? We totally get it. Even if you don’t share in either tradition, this will help provide a little history as to how we got here.
First, many ancient cultures, including early Europeans, saw eggs as a symbol of fertility and renewal during spring. As Christianity spread, these symbols were adopted and given new meaning to represent Jesus’ victory over death. Eggs, for instance, represent new life and connect to Jesus’ resurrection from the dead. Just as a chick hatches from an egg, Jesus emerged from the tomb, bringing eternal life to believers.
As traditions go, the Easter egg hunt is believed to have been popularized by Martin Luther and German Protestants in the 16th century. Men would hide eggs, and women and children would search for them, symbolizing how the disciples searched for the empty tomb of Jesus. To be fair, this is difficult to verify, but that’s the word on the street.
As for the Easter Bunny, this tradition was introduced by German immigrants to America in the 1700s. The bunny was said to bring eggs as a symbol of abundance and joy.