Bible
Story
The First Easter
The
Betrayal
In
the ancient city of Jerusalem, during the festival of Passover, Jesus gathered
with His disciples for what would be their final meal together. Seated in an
upper room, the air was heavy with a mix of foreboding and divine purpose. As
they broke bread and shared wine, Jesus spoke of His impending sacrifice.
"This
is my body," He said, breaking the bread. "And this is my
blood," He continued, passing the cup. The disciples were confused and
anxious, but none more so than Judas Iscariot, who had already agreed to betray
Jesus for thirty pieces of silver.
Later
that evening, Jesus and His disciples went to the Garden of Gethsemane. There,
under the ancient olive trees, Jesus prayed fervently, His soul anguished by
the weight of what was to come. "Father, if it is possible, let this cup
pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will," He prayed.
Judas
arrived with a large crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent by the chief
priests and elders. "The one I kiss is the man; arrest Him," Judas
had told them. Approaching Jesus, Judas greeted Him with a kiss. "Friend,
do what you came for," Jesus said. And with that, Jesus was arrested.
The
Trial
Jesus
was taken to the high priest Caiaphas, where the teachers of the law and the
elders had assembled. Peter followed at a distance and sat down with the guards
to see the outcome. Inside, the trial was a sham, filled with false witnesses
and accusations.
"Are
you the Messiah, the Son of God?" the high priest demanded. Jesus replied,
"You have said so, but I say to all of you, from now on you will see the
Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds
of heaven."
Outraged,
the high priest tore his clothes and declared Jesus worthy of death. They spat
in His face and struck Him. Meanwhile, Peter, outside in the courtyard, denied
knowing Jesus three times, just as Jesus had foretold. At the crowing of the
rooster, Peter wept bitterly.
The
Crucifixion
Jesus
was brought before Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor. Despite finding no fault
in Him, Pilate succumbed to the crowd's cries to crucify Jesus. "I am
innocent of this man's blood," Pilate declared, washing his hands before
them.
Jesus
was flogged, mocked, and crowned with thorns. He was forced to carry His cross
to Golgotha, the place of the skull. There, they nailed Him to the cross
between two criminals. Above His head, they placed a sign that read, "This
is Jesus, the King of the Jews."
From
noon until three in the afternoon, darkness fell over the land. At about three
o'clock, Jesus cried out, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?"
And with a loud cry, He gave up His spirit. The earth shook, rocks split, and
tombs broke open. When the centurion and those with him saw what had happened,
they exclaimed, "Surely He was the Son of God!"
The
Resurrection
As
evening approached, a wealthy man named Joseph of Arimathea, who had become a
disciple of Jesus, went to Pilate and asked for Jesus' body. Joseph wrapped it
in a clean linen cloth and placed it in his own new tomb, cutting out of the
rock. He rolled a big stone in front of the entrance and went away.
The
next day, the chief priests and Pharisees went to Pilate. "Sir," they
said, "we remember that while He was still alive that deceiver said,
'After three days I will rise again.' So give the order for the tomb to be made
secure until the third day. Otherwise, His disciples may come and steal the
body and tell the people that He has been raised from the dead." Pilate
agreed and ordered the tomb to be sealed and guarded.
On
the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to the tomb.
There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven
and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was
like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid
of him that they shook and became like dead men.
The
angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are
looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; He has risen, just as He
said. Come and see the place where He lay. Then go quickly and tell His
disciples: 'He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee.
There you will see Him.'"
Filled
with fear and joy, the women ran to tell the disciples. Suddenly, Jesus met
them. "Greetings," He said. They came to Him, clasped His feet, and
worshiped Him. Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid. Go and tell My
brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see Me."
The
disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go.
When they saw Him, they worshiped Him, but some doubted. Then Jesus came to
them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me.
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of
the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey
everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very
end of the age."
And
so, the first Easter marked the resurrection of Jesus Christ, bringing hope and
salvation to the world, and laying the foundation for the spread of His
teachings that continue to inspire billions to this day.
