The whole egg business

Originally posted on April 13, 2006 – by Andre Piet

Today I read a few contributions on a forum about the symbolism of various Easter customs. Orthodox Christians are quick to declare that the Easter bunny (and the like) is purely “pagan.” That may well be, but then those “pagans” must have had an astonishing amount of insight into typology!

Below are the remarks I read, which I pass on for whatever they may be worth.

It’s that time again – Easter! A perfect moment, just like any day, to reflect on the death and resurrection of our Lord and Savior.

The hare with its eggs is condemned as an idol by many (well-meaning) evangelicals.
But what does the hare have to do with Easter?
Easter = Pesach = to pass over (in our language: to pass, to give a pass in football = to skip something, to gain ground).

The hare, with its long hind legs, hops (Dutch: springt – Eng. spring = spring = new life) as it were from death into new life!

On its back, a sack of eggs that are hidden. The new life is there – you have to search for it, for it is hidden from the world. But we have the promise:
Whoever seeks will find – the Holy Grail, the Golden Fleece, the Philosopher’s Stone… in short, Eternal Life!

Happy Easter, everyone!

Just to supplement and confirm: the word Pesach does not so much mean “passing by” as it does literally “leaping over.” Pesach is jumping (Dutch: springen). It is connected to spring and new life.

And another thing: why yellow at Easter?

Yellow is a color that stands out – it contains the most light of all colors. Yellow is often associated with the sun, and the sun stands for light and life. The Sun of Righteousness gives the True Light and Eternal Life.

Yellow also reminds us of spring – most spring flowers are yellow, or think of the adorable yellow chicks that hatch from their eggs in spring. That’s why yellow is the Easter color par excellence.

(…) Yellow is the third color of the rainbow; after 3 – or on the third day – there is new life.

Delen: