We are seen seasonally in the church Easter Joy time, so I tell today from a personal experience in the field of Easter. It has happened at a place you first of all not with Easter, the feast of the resurrection and the life associated: namely, the furniture store. I stand at the counter in the queue. Before me, someone wants to buy a lamb, like this one sheep from ceramic, for the Easter decorations. The cashier called the price. Which the client appears too high, it holds, however: "But it was her name, Easter items at half price." - "Well, yes, it comes back," but that only applies to rabbits, chickens and eggs. "
would almost burst out myself. That sounds too funny: Only Rabbits, chickens and eggs. And then I realized how absurd it really is: Of all the lamb there, in the furniture store, not to the articles with reference to the Christian Easter celebration. This is in contrast to rabbits, chickens or eggs, one of the most important symbols in the Bible.
plays as sacrificial animal is already at the Jewish Passover a special role. The slaughter of the Passover goes back even further, to an ancient ritual, pastoral, even in vorbiblischer time. In Israel, this ritual was associated with an outstanding historical experience: the liberation from Egyptian bondage . The blood of the Passover lambs, so the 2nd Genesis, Chapter 12 reports, served as emblems on the houses of the Israelites, so that the deadly threat passed by their homes. IT IS the Passover lamb on from there for the saving grace of God, the redemption of Israel from bondage and slavery.
The early Christians have transferred the image of the lamb to Jesus Christ. Paul calls him the "Lamb of God." And of course he is alluding precisely to the lamb to the slaughter of the Jewish Passover and eaten. For Paul, Jesus is the true Passover lamb. "We also have a Passover lamb, which is Christ, who sacrificed," he wrote in the 1st Letter to the Corinthians (5:7). The Christ is in the truest sense of the word innocence the lamb: He takes the guilt of the people up and carries it to the cross. The remarkable thing is the reverse: It is not a lamb of God for man, but of God for us humans.
as the lamb as a sacrifice animals to death. So I think it's actually more space on have Good Friday. In fact, it is indeed in Passion songs often sung about, just think to the Agnus Dei, "Christ, Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world." But soon there was talk of the ruling in the heavens and increased lamb. Especially in the Revelation is the case, for example, Chapter 21, verses 22-23: "the Lord God Almighty, is [the] Temple [the new Jerusalem], and the Lamb. And the city had no need of the sun or moon, to shine for the glory of God did lighten it, and its lamp is the Lamb "
now remembers the symbol not only of the Lamb of death, but also to the victory. about death, resurrection. On Easter pictures Christ is often presented as lamb with a flag of victory.
is last but not least, because it was transferred to Jesus the image of the Good Shepherd the Lamb has also become the symbol of the faithful. Even which has its logic: Believing in the Lamb of God, overcame death, is also promised us this victory and we may hope that the banner of victory of Christ is also ours.
Also: From the lamb, whose blood in the exodus from Egypt to the door jamb death ward off, that Christ is the Lamb who died for our sins, to the Passover as a symbol of resurrection and victory over death - Easter, even as it gets. Not even with chickens, rabbits and eggs. But finally I have with the furniture store closed but still have my peace. Because I've thought about it: Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, which really should not be sold off at half price.
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Used literature:
- Herbert Vincon: The Celebrations of Christianity , 2 Edition, Gütersloh 1998
- Why do you roast a lamb in the church? , in: Evangelische Zeitung 12/2010, 25.03.2010
- Dictionary of Symbols
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Easter , Christ, Jesus , Easter bunny, eggs , Bible, Passover
