The First Easter
St. Luke
And the Sabbath drew on. And the women also,which came with him from Galilee, followed after, and beheld the sepulcher, and how his body was laid. And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments; and rested the Sabbath-day, according to the commandment. Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulcher, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them. And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulcher, and they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus. And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments, and as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them. Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen. Remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee, saying. The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again. And they remembered his words, and returned from the sepulcher, and told all these things unto the eleven, and to all the rest.
It was Mary Magdalene, and Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, and other women that were with them, which told these things unto the apostles. And their words seemed to them as idle tales, and they believed them not. Then arose Peter, and ran unto the sepulcher, and stooping down, he beheld the linen clothes laid by themselves, and departed, wondering in himself at that which was come to pass.
And behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about three score furlongs, and they talked together of all these things which had happened. And it came to pass, that, while they communed together, and reasoned Jesus himself drew near, and went with them, but their eyes were holden, that they should not know him.
And he said unto them, What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad? And one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answering, said unto him. Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days? And he said unto them, What things? And they said unto him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God, and all the people, and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to death and have crucified him. But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel: and besides all this, to-day is the third day since these things were done. Yea, and certain women of our company made us astonished, which were early at the sepulcher, and when they found not his body, they came saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels, which said that he was alive. And certain of them which were with us, went to the sepulcher, and found it even so as the women had said: but him they saw not.
Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory?
And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.
And they drew nigh unto the village whither they went: and he made as though he would have gone further, but they constrained him, saying. Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went in to tarry with them.
And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them, and their eyes were opened, and they knew him : and he vanished out of their sight.
And they said one to another. Did not our heart burn within us while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?
And they rose up the same hour, and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, and them that were with them, saying, The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon. And they told what things were done on the way, and how he was known of them in the breaking of bread.
And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and said unto them. Peace be unto you. But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit. And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts? Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.
And when he had thus spoken he showed them his hands and his feet, and while they believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here any meat? And they gave him a piece of broiled fish, and of a honey-comb. And he took it, and did eat before them.
And he said unto them. These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms concerning me.
Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures, and said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And ye are witnesses of these things.
And behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.
And he led them out as far as to Bethany: and he lifted up his hands and blessed them. And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven. And they worshiped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy: and were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God.
Did you know the day on which Easter falls is governed by the Jewish Feast of the Passover, simply because Jesus (whose resurrection Easter celebrates) was crucified at the time of the Jewish Passover? The Passover, like all other events of those early times, was governed by a change by a change of the moon's phase; for there were no almanacs or calendars then, but everybody had the glorious heaven stretched out over him and everybody was taught to watch the moon and study the stars. Easter, then, under the same laws as the Passover, always comes when the feast is being celebrated; and the sure rule for finding its date is: "Easter is the first Sunday after the first full moon after the 20th of March. Easter always falls upon a Sunday, the expression "Easter Sunday," which is often heard, is mere tautology.
