Easter tale resonates
Significance of Easter
holiday is more than just eggs and bunnies
By Anne Henderson
Argus Observer
Sunday, March 23, 2008 3:21 AM PDT
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| A plastic model of Jesus on the crucifix stands on the counter flanked by other crosses Thursday, on the wall of ‘Mary Heart Crusaders,’ a Meriden, Conn., store specializing in religious products. Today Christians across the world celebrate the life and death of Jesus of Nazareth. |
The history behind Easter is often neglected, nestled somewhere in the green plastic grass and foil-wrapped chocolate Cadbury Bunny eggs.
Of course, there is more to Easter than brightly-colored eggs. Much more.
The story of Jesus of Nazareth and his subsequent crucifixion provides a chance for history buffs, believers and the curious to explore the reasons why Jesus was executed.
Jesus left Galilee for Jerusalem during the Jewish festival-time of Passover. Jerusalem, with its massive temple as its centerpiece, was a holy town packed with pilgrims during Passover. The large number of pilgrims and heightened emotions of Passover increased security concerns for the city’s Roman overlords and their Jewish elite allies.
Jesus obviously did not intend to keep a low profile when he entered Jerusalem.
As the story goes, Jesus went to the temple and started over-turning the tables of traders and money changers inside. These people purchased goods from pilgrims who wished to make a contribution of money at the temple. Jesus proclaimed that to buy and sell there was a transgression against God.
John Crossan, professor of religious studies at DePaul University, explains on the PBS Frontline Web site, the event in the temple means different things for different people. For example, Christians see the event as a rejection to Judaism, in favor of the new religion of Christianity Jesus was about to introduce.
However, followers of the Jewish tradition believe that Jesus, himself a Jew, was trying to purify the temple.
The gospels of Mark, Matthew and Luke report that this event took place during the last week of Jesus’s life. According to comments on the Frontline Web site by Samuel Ungerleider, professor of religious studies, Brown University, by protesting against the money changers, Jesus was demonstrating how the Pharisees had gone awry. This disruption most likely alarmed the Jewish leadership as well as the Romans, including the governor of Judea, Pontius Pilate, who also happened to be in Jerusalem on Passover. His actions also stirred the reactions of the people.
Ungerleider proposes Jesus was most likely put to death for political insurrection. In those days, anyone who challenged the political power of Roman rule was put to a swift death.
Plain and simple, Jesus was stirring up trouble in an already volatile area. By condemning Jesus to death by crucifixion, Pilate was only following normal procedure with “the King of Jews.” Crucifixion made an example of Jesus to his followers, none of whom were killed by the Romans at the time. In short, crucifixion was designed to send a swift, undeniable message to the masses about the price one would pay for bucking the Roman system.
Most scholars agree with Ungerleider that Jesus was killed for political transgressions, as any form of taking on the status quo and rejecting authority and social norms was definable as a political rebellion by the Romans.
