Nothing is more expected than death. Of course, none of us wants to die. We are deeply grieved when a friend dies suddenly, a family member dies unexpectedly, or a child dies tragically. But we all know that every one of us is going to die. So, nothing is more expected than death.
Then nothing is more unexpected than a resurrection. Nobody expected Jesus to rise from the dead. Sure, God had prophesied it and Jesus had promised it. But nobody expected it. Jesus did rise, though. It is the surprise of Easter. Pilate, the Pharisees, the women, and the disciples were all surprised by Jesus’ third day resurrection.
That surprise of Christ’s resurrection carries into a surprise of what his resurrection means for his followers. Christ’s resurrection on the third day promises a resurrection for his followers on the Last Day. Martin Luther wonderfully illustrates what Christ’s resurrection means for us in his Easter hymn “Christ Jesus Lay in Death’s Strong Bands.”
This is an important and historic Easter text that unfortunately wasn’t sung very often in our previous hymnal. But Luther’s text has been set to a new tune in our new hymnal with the hope of reviving its use within the Church.
Verse one: “Christ Jesus lay in death’s strong bands for our offenses given; but now at God’s right hand he stands and brings us life from heaven. Therefore let us joyful be and sing to God right thankfully loud songs of alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!”
Luther’s first verse echoes Peter preaching at Pentecost: “He is the one God raised up by freeing him from the agony of death, because death was not able to hold him in its grip” (Acts 2:24). Our Lord willingly subjected himself to the dungeon of death. He did this as an offering for our offenses. He laid down. He got up again. This simple change in posture means everything for us and for our salvation. So let us be joyful and sing loud songs of alleluia.
Verse two: “No son of man could conquer death, such ruin sin had wrought us. No innocence was found on earth, and therefore death had brought us into bondage from of old and ever grew more strong and bold and held us as its captive. Alleluia! Alleluia!”
Luther describes the condemnation of the Law and the consequences of sin and death: “So then, just as sin entered the world through one man and death through sin, so also death spread to all people because all sinned” (Romans 5:12). When death took us captive, we would have been forever trapped in its dungeon.
Verse three: “Christ Jesus, God’s own Son, came down, his people to deliver; destroying sin, he took the crown from death’s pale brow forever. Stripped of pow’r, no more it reigns; an empty form alone remains; its sting is lost forever. Alleluia! Alleluia!”
Verse four: “It was a strange and dreadful strife when life and death contended. The victory remained with life; the reign of death was ended. Holy Scripture plainly says that death is swallowed up by death; its sting is lost forever. Alleluia! Alleluia!”
Death tried to trap Jesus, too. What a victim it could claim if it could hold the Lord of Life! But it couldn’t! Jesus is no victim. He’s the Victor! Jesus is no mere human being. He is also God’s own Son in human flesh. Death could not hold Jesus. Instead, Jesus dominated death! Death had reigned supreme for millennia since the time of Adam and Eve. But Jesus smashed death’s crown and stripped it of its power. As St. Paul taunted death, “Death is swallowed up in victory. Death, where is your sting? Grave, where is your victory” (1 Corinthians 15:54, 55)?
Verse five: “Here the true Paschal Lamb we see, whom God so freely gave us; he died on the accursed tree – so strong his love – to save us. See, his blood now marks our door; faith points to it; death passes o’er, and Satan cannot harm us. Alleluia! Alleluia!”
In this fifth verse, Luther treats the Passover Lamb. His altar was the cross. Now the angel of death passes over us because the Lamb’s blood is marking our doors. There is no longer a reason to fear death for Jesus has turned death into a sleep. There is no longer a reason to fear Satan for Christ has crushed the Ancient Serpent’s head, he has silenced the roaring lion, he has defeated the old evil foe.
Verse six: “So let us keep the festival to which the Lord invites us; Christ is himself the joy of all, the sun that warms and lights us. Now his grace to us imparts eternal sunshine to our hearts; the night of sin is ended. Alleluia! Alleluia!”
Verse seven: “Then let us feast this Easter Day on Christ, the bread of heaven; the Word of grace has purged away the old and evil leaven. Christ alone our souls will feed; he is our meat and drink indeed; faith lives upon no other! Alleluia! Alleluia!”
In these final verses, Luther invites the faithful eat the Passover Lamb in the Easter feast, where Christ is “our meat and drink indeed.”
What has Jesus done by breaking death’s strong bands? He has broken death’s bands for all his followers. Because he rose, all flesh will rise, too. Jesus promises, “Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and will come out” (John 5:28, 29). Now, our response is joyful living, singing alleluias, and partaking of the sacramental feast.
We expect death. But we no longer need to fear death. Death’s bands cannot hold us because it could not hold Jesus. Before Christ rose, we were like corpses whose mouths couldn’t sing praises to God. But now that Christ has risen, he has enlivened our mouths to sing: “Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise” (Psalm 51:15). This Easter let us fill our churches singing, “Alleluia! Alleluia!”