Easter Eggs

 

Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.” So Peter went out with the other disciple, and they were going toward the tomb. Both of them were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. And stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there, and the face cloth, which had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen cloths but folded up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; for as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead. Then the disciples went back to their homes. (John 20:1-19 ESV).

 

We have so many traditions and symbols surrounding Easter. Often, they have been scoffed at, if not outright rejected. We’ll look at a few of these in the coming days to attempt to explain some of the development and validity of these symbols. The first is the Easter Egg.

 

In Christianity, Easter eggs symbolize the empty tomb of Jesus, from which he resurrected, and represent new life and rebirth, drawing on ancient pagan traditions of eggs as symbols of fertility and the reawakening of nature. Eggs have long been associated with fertility, new life, and the renewal of nature, especially during springtime. In Christianity, Easter eggs are seen as a visual representation of Jesus' resurrection, with the eggshell symbolizing the empty tomb from which Jesus emerged. Further, the color of the decorated egg is also symbolic. In some Orthodox traditions, eggs are painted red to symbolize the blood of Christ shed on the cross.

 

During Lent, Christians traditionally abstain from certain foods, including eggs, and the celebration of Easter marks the end of this period, with eggs becoming a special treat and symbol of the resurrection. I like the tradition of Easter egg hunts too. They may have origins in the 16th century, with Martin Luther organizing egg hunts for his congregation, where men would hide eggs for women and children to find, symbolizing the joy of finding the empty tomb. The egg is also a symbol of death and resurrection.

The egg can be seen as a symbol of the sealed tomb from which Christ emerged after his resurrection, just as the chick emerges from the closed egg. However you observe Easter, celebrate the new life and hope of eternity with Jesus that comes with it!