Easter has many meanings and traditions based on folklore and the Biblical story of Jesus. But what do we know about the alternative meaning beyond Easter according to metaphysics and New Thought believers?
Over the years, I have read Marcus J. Borg’s writings, particularly those about the meaning behind several of the Christian holidays that we in the US typically celebrate. I found his writings inspiring, as he looks beyond the teaching of many Bible versions and traditions.
In his article, Reflections on Easter, Marcus Borg describes Easter as follows:
To think that Easter intrinsically involves the transformation of Jesus’ corpse turns it into an utterly spectacular event that happened once upon a time long ago. This emphasis most often goes with the message that death is not the end for us, at least for those of us who believe in Jesus. As commonly understood, Easter it is about the promise of an afterlife.
But Easter is not primarily about Jesus’ triumph over death and a future for us beyond death. Rather, the meanings of the Easter stories in the gospels and the affirmation of Jesus’ resurrection in the rest of the New Testament are much more significant. Moreover, their meanings are not dependent upon whether a spectacular miracle happened to the physical body of Jesus.
Of course, we also have to look at an alternative meaning beyond Easter by recognizing what Rev. David Robinson, CSL Olympia, senior minister (who also admires Borg’s teaching) tells us:
One of the often-asked questions is – did he (Jesus) really exist? Or is he a composite of various teachers and ideas? And the answer is…. (drum roll please) …nobody really knows, although most scholars do believe he was a real person. All of our information about him comes from four treatises written about him from 30 to 70 years after he died. At a time, and in a culture, where historical accuracy was less important than a good story, and none of the writers was an actual witness to any of the events they describe, one needs to use caution about the accuracy and factuality of these stories.
My conclusion is to remember that the real meaning of Easter is a new beginning or new life. If you fast during Lent (the 40 days before Easter), then this new life/beginning makes perfect sense.
Personally, I don’t worry about where Jesus really died and was resurrected, as the Bible describes. I tend to focus on the meaning behind the story: There is life after death, and our souls/spirits don’t necessarily die when our bodies do. This, to me, is the real meaning of Easter. All the rest are just fun traditions we practice for the holiday.
More on the subject: Metaphysical / New Thought Meaning of Easter