“The Paschal Mystery of Jesus Christ lies at the very centre of Christian faith and discipleship. It is the story of redemption, the pattern of Christian living, the creative source of new life, the paradoxical form of Christian existence, and the peculiar shape of Christian hope. There can be no authentic living of the gospel of Christ that is unfamiliar with the painful joy of the Paschal Mystery.” [1]
This statement from Lane encapsulates my answer to this question. There is no Christianity without the death and resurrection of Jesus. In this essay I will begin by outlining the significance of the death and resurrection to the Paschal Mystery. I will then investigate the significance of the death of Jesus and the resurrection as individual events before highlighting the connectedness of the two. An explanation of the links between the experiences of the early disciples and the experiences of believers in current times, will show the justification for Christianity today. Through these investigations I will show that the death and resurrection of Jesus are integral to the beliefs of Christians in the world today.
The Paschal Mystery is made up of the passion, death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus, the death and resurrection being the focus elements with the other components adding depth to these elements. The death and resurrection of Jesus have long been studied as separate entities (with most emphasis being on the death of Jesus), but only since Vatican ll has there been a change in emphasis and a new importance placed on the resurrection. In some instances this has been to the exclusion of the death of Jesus. The one really has no meaning without the other, for “resurrection is, as it were, the other side of the death of Jesus”. [2]
So, remembering that the death and resurrection are intrinsically linked, they also have specific significance in the understanding of Christians. The death of Jesus at face value can be interpreted as a complete failing of all that Jesus had preached throughout his life. The reign of God had failed. However, believing that the resurrection was a consequence of the death of Jesus, provided a new approach and interpreted this human tragedy as “an overcoming of death”. [3] Jesus was able to turn the negativity of death into a positive step in the reign of God. Though it appeared he had been abandoned by God the Father in his suffering and death on the cross, his recitation of Psalm 22 indicated that Jesus, though apparently alone on the cross, had given himself up in faith to this same God the Father. So, in fact, God was present at the cross through Jesus’ suffering. “The silence of God at Calvary does not denote absence. [4] Through this presence of God at the cross of Jesus, we see a God who is sympathetic to and moved by the human suffering and death of his son and of all humanity. This God then is not indifferent to the suffering of Christians down through the ages. Christian belief that Jesus, as both God and human, died on the cross, forms the basis of the true meaning of the need for the cross of salvation. If God was not present then it would have been a waste of Jesus’ life and he would have been viewed as a failure as mentioned before.
Rather than looking at the death of Jesus as a very inappropriate end to a very influential life, we take the view that Jesus was human just like us and so he has shown through his death the degree of possibilities for us in our lives. In the early Church, martyrs were given a lot of attention as their lives and deaths were compared with that of Jesus. The death of Jesus then provides an option for the Christian to approach human death as a contrast between the apparent destruction of a person without choice and the willed transformation of the person. Christian understanding of the death of Jesus becomes the core of Christian hope.
Of course without the resurrection, the death of the man Jesus of Nazareth may have only made it to the local history books as an interesting but tragic story. For, as Paul says in 1Co15:14, If Christ has not been raised from the dead, our preaching is in vain, our faith is futile, and we are still in our sins. However we must remember that without the cross, the resurrection would be just another statement about life after death. [6] The two events are reliant on each other. For the Jewish people at this time, the resurrection of the dead was associated with the end of the world, so the use of resurrection as a symbol indicated to the first Christians the fulfilment of God’s promise of salvation. This was part of the reason why this symbolism so quickly became central to Christianity.
Just as a literal and totally human interpretation of the death of Jesus conveyed a futile image of Christ’s life and praxis, so too does a literal understanding of the resurrection reduce it to a form of magic trick or the physical resuscitation of a person. Again if this were the case, the event of the resurrection would not be central to a faith that has withstood the test of time. However if we describe the resurrection as the exaltation, glorification and ascension of Christ, [7] we are moving away from the materialistic view and putting God back into the human equation.
All Jesus’ preaching, teaching, good example and even the miracles became insignificant at the time of his death. The Christian faith was founded by the apostles, because of the impact of the resurrection; that is, what happened to Jesus after his death. If the resurrection had not occurred then these activities and practices would have also died with him and been forgotten rather than have formed the teachings of the Church. [8] The appearance narratives in the gospels set this out for us by relating the effects of the resurrection of Jesus on the disciples.
Through these appearance stories we can see the continuity between Jesus as an historical figure and the early Christian community. They describe Jesus as the Christ, the exalted, glorified son of God. Women receiving the message at the tomb is an agreement in principle with the equality of men and women in their roles as disciples to proclaim the resurrection. In establishing an intrinsic connection between the resurrection and the foundation of the Church, the appearances also verify the continued mission of the disciples throughout the world. Probably the most important role of these narratives is to highlight for Christians that the way to the risen Christ is through the Eucharist. Finally, they link the ascension to the death and resurrection of Jesus, and show the importance of the Spirit of Christ in guiding the first disciples. [9]
All of these insights gained from the appearance narratives are based on the experiences of the early disciples with a new personal presence of Jesus. [10] There are a number of accounts that indicate that Jesus did not appear in his previous human form, yet retained sufficient familiarity to be recognized by his disciples. He walked, ate, cooked and broke bread, all human activities yet, he appeared in locked rooms, was not immediately recognized (did he change?) and could not be touched by some, all not usual behaviour for humans. There are also the accounts of the empty tomb, which raised the question of whether or not a physical body was raised up, as it had been a physical body that had died. This power of the new presence highlights Jesus’ victory over death and connects the resurrection to the Jewish hope for salvation and general resurrection at the eschaton. [11] Through the various interpretations of these experiences we are presented with Jesus portrayed by the disciples as risen Christ, exalted Lord and living Spirit. [12]
These experiences of the early disciples form the basis for our beliefs. They lived and worked with Jesus and experienced his death on the cross while still maintaining their hope in resurrection at the end of time. This enabled them to interpret this new resurrected Jesus and accept the workings of the Spirit in their lives to continue the work Jesus had begun. We use their witness and testimony to guide us in continuing the experience of the Spirit of Jesus in the world today. [13]
In the Church today we experience this new resurrected presence of Jesus through the sacraments and our praxis that reflects the Spirit at work.
Both these aspects of Christian faith were also part of the appearance narratives, again maintaining continuity and emphasising the importance of the death and resurrection to Christians of all times. The risen Christ is so important to the sacrament of Eucharist in the Church, but this Eucharist is not restricted to the celebration of the Mass. Just as the disciples continued the work Jesus had begun through his preaching and example of living, so Christians continue to give Eucharist, to those in need physically through poverty, lack of justice or sickness, and through love and respect for all human beings. [14]
To fully take on the death and resurrection of Christ as part of one’s own life and death requires a response of faith, love and hope. As Christians we enter the Paschal Mystery in three ways, the sacramental, the moral and the eschatological in order to meet these requirements. We begin this journey with participation in the sacraments of initiation where we have personal contact with the crucified and risen Christ. This calls for a trusting faith in the creator God and the Spirit of the resurrected Christ. The moral involvement concerns our relationships with others. In relationships we die to our own self in order to truly love others. In this we reflect the love of God who loves us unconditionally. Our innate hope for fulfilment in the future underpins our eschatological involvement in the Paschal Mystery. Being open to our individual potential means a degree of trust in what the future holds, and the death and resurrection of Christ models for us the self surrender we need in order to achieve this potential and the promise of the resurrection. This promise of the resurrection is the hope of all. [15]
In conclusion then I have shown that in answer to the question of what is the significance of the death and resurrection to Christians, I can say it is everything. The life of Jesus of Nazareth would have made an interesting story of a prophet or zealot who was put to death for speaking out. The resurrection, however gave a new meaning to Jesus’ death and in fact to his whole message. The two events are intrinsically linked, and made the life of Jesus worthwhile and meaningful. Christians follow in the footsteps of Jesus Christ, so his death on the cross and his resurrection from the dead are what set him apart from any other prophet or spiritual leader. Jesus’ special relationship with God as Father empowered him challenge his disciples to build on their own relationships with God. Their response to the challenge was to spread the good news and continue a way of life exemplified by Jesus. Christians continue this today.
Roslyn Kendrick states: Either the Christianity based on the life, death and resurrection of Jesus is the most outrageous and evil mass hoax; or the whole edifice is the product of ridiculously stupid and gullible people suffering from mass delusion and hysteria; or there just could be something in it. [16] There is something in it!
BIBLIOGAPHY:
Auden, W.H. et al. ‘If Christ be not Risen…’: essays in Resurrection and Survival. London: St Mary’s Bourne Street. 1986
Badham, Paul. Christian Beliefs about Life after Death. London: the MacMillan Press Ltd. 1976
Durrwell, F.X. The Resurrection: A Biblical Study. New York: Sheed and Ward Ltd. 1960
Fitzmeyer, Joseph A. A Christological Catechism: New Testament Answers. New York: Paulist Press. 1982
Hellwig, Monika K. What are they saying about death and Christian hope? New York: Paulist Press. 1978
Hendrickx, Herman. Resurrection Narratives of the Synoptic Gospels. Manila: East Asian Pastoral Institute. 1978
Kendrick, Roslyn A. Setting the Foundations. Amersham: Hulton Educational Publications Ltd. 1983
Lane, Dermot A. Christ at the Centre: Selected Issues in Christology. New York: Paulist Press. 1991
O’Collins, Gerald. Jesus Risen: The Resurrection – what actually happened and what does it mean? London: Darton, Longman & Todd Ltd. 1987.
Richardson A. & Bowden J. (Ed.) A New Dictionary of Christian Theology. London: SCM Press Ltd. 1983
Sloyan, Gerard S. Jesus: Redeemer and Divine Word. Delaware; Michael Glazier Inc. 1989
FOOTNOTES:[1] Dermot A. Lane, Christ at the Centre: Selected Issues in Christology. (New York: Paulist Press, 1990) 105
[2] Lane, Christ at the Centre, 54
[3] Monika K. Hellwig, What are they saying about death and Christian hope? (New York: Paulist Press, 1978) 41
[4] Lane, Christ at the Centre, 62
[5] Hellwig, What are they saying about death and Christian hope?, 46-47
[6] Lane, Christ at the Centre, 106
[7] Ibid, 88
[8] Roslyn A. Kendrick, Setting the Foundations, (Amersham: Hulton Educational Publications, 1983) 235
[9] Lane, Christ at the Centre, 89
[10] Ibid, 91
[11] Kendrick, Setting the Foundations, 237
[12] Lane, Christ at the Centre, 92
[13] Lane, Christ at the Centre, 93
[14] Ibid, 93-94
[15] Ibid, 112-115
[16] Kendrick, Setting the Foundations, 243
Judith Walsh is completing her Graduate Diploma in Religious Education (OnLine) at McAuley Campus.
