Easter Poems

Easter is one of the most important holidays on the Christian calendar. From a theological point of view, this day marks the resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth, whom the Christians believe was the Son of God. He came to Earth to live among the people, teaching them and providing them with an example of how they should live their lives. He spent three years going about the cities and towns along the eastern edge of the Mediterranean Sea. He taught in the synagogues to the learned Jewish leaders and to the common people who lived along the streets. His ministry included healing people from all manner of sickness and injury, providing food for the masses, driving out evil spirits from the wandering souls in cemeteries and other public places. He had gained a great reputation as a healer, and people flocked from all over the region to find him. He taught using stories, known as parables, which he used to help people understand heavenly messages but by using earthly examples.

Carve Your Name Into the Cross
by Elizabeth Cole

He predicted that he would be taken one day, and that he would die for those who had no other means of forgiveness. Unlike the animals that were sacrificed on altars within the Jewish temples, Jesus said his sacrifice was for everyone, including those who were not Jewish. This, along with many of his other teachings, was blasphemous according to the majority of the Pharisees and Sadducees who listened to his teachings. And like the scriptures from the Jewish books (which later became the Christian Old Testament) predicted, Jesus was indeed killed, even though he was innocent. This became an important concept in Christianity. There is even the story of Jesus being hung between two thieves. One of them scoffed at Jesus, but the other one believed that Jesus was the Son of God. The one who believed was told that he would be in heaven with Jesus by the end of the day.

The Day of Resurrection
by Anonymous

Of course, the real story of Easter comes from what happened a few days later. In the same manner that Jesus had predicted his death, he also predicted that he would be raised from the dead. He referred to the story of Jonah, whom God had sent to Ninevah to preach about the people”s sins and to rebuke them for their evil ways. But Jonah refused and went another way. A large fish, perhaps a whale, although it is uncertain, is said to have swallowed Jonah and then spit him out on the shores of Ninevah. He spent three days in the belly of that fish before he was delivered to do as God had commanded him. Jesus said he too would be in the grave the same number of days as Jonah was in the belly of the fish. And so it came to pass, that on that third day, he returned to life and was seen by hundreds of believers. From that day onward, Christians have celebrated his resurrection from the dead by remembering what happened on that Easter Sunday so many years ago.