Why the Resurrection is the Foundation of Christianity: Understanding Easter's True Meaning

“He is not here. He is risen.” Luke 24:6

Easter is the high point of the Christian year—a day of celebration, joy, and worship. Easter is rich with mystery and deep spiritual truth. Here are some things to understand about the celebration of Easter.

The resurrection is at the heart of Christianity. It is the foundation of the Christian faith. That Jesus rose from the dead was the core message of the preaching of the early church. The announcement of the resurrection was big news that the early church thought confirmed the scriptures and identified Jesus as the Messiah.

Easter is the oldest Christian celebration. Long before Christmas was widely observed, Easter was central to Christian worship. The early church gathered every Sunday to remember the risen Christ, with Easter as the pinnacle of the church year. The date of Easter changes every year. Easter follows its own calendar—it is celebrated on the first Sunday after the first full moon following the spring equinox. This keeps it tied to the timing of Passover. It is always celebrated on a Sunday. An early Christian dispute was whether or not Easter could be celebrated on a weekday or must be a Sunday. The church decided it would always be celebrated on Sunday.

Though many Old Testament prophecies about the Messiah are veiled, Jesus’ resurrection fulfills several of them. In Isaiah 53 it says that the Suffering Servant will “see his offspring” and “prolong his days” (Isaiah 53:10). Psalm 16 says that God will not let his holy one “see corruption” (Psalm 16:10). The Gospel of Luke understands the Old Testament as foretelling that Christ will suffer and rise on the third day (Luke 24:46). This is probably a reference to Hosea 2, where it says that God will raise up Israel “on the third day” (Hosea 6:2). Jesus is the perfect fulfillment of God’s restoration of the nation’s hope “on the third day.”

It is notable that women were the first witnesses of the resurrection. In all four Gospels, women, and particularly Mary Magdalene, are the first to encounter the empty tomb and see the risen Christ. In a culture where women’s testimony was often discounted, this highlights God’s surprising grace. It is proof of the credibility of the account. If the account of the resurrection were fabricated, the disciples would certainly have been the first at the tomb. Instead, they were hiding for fear of the Jewish authorities. The story would not have been told this way if it were an invention.

In the church calendar, Easter is a season, not just a day. The season of Easter lasts fifty days—stretching from Resurrection Sunday to Pentecost, which is June 8 this year. It is a season of joy, renewal, and deep gratitude. Easter morning turns sorrow into joy. The cross, once a symbol of defeat, becomes a sign of victory and redemption because Christ did not stay in the tomb. The resurrection changed everything for the disciples. They were transformed from fearful to fearless because of the resurrection. Easter launched the church and set in motion a global movement of turning to God. The resurrection still changes everything and gives the world hope. Because Christ is alive, there is great hope for the realization of the kingdom of God in our world.