Connecting the Dots 1: Easter Eggs

Today's readings: Psalm 37:1-18, Joshua 3:14-4:7, Romans 12:1-8, Matthew 26:1-16


The Bible is full of Easter eggs. Not the hidden-by-bunnies-in-nests-of-plastic-grass-caught-in-the-carpet-for-months type of Easter eggs. More of the type one might find hidden in video games, DVDs or works of art. These Easter eggs are surprises or references that remain hidden unless we are somehow in the know – or at least paying attention.

As any modern author might, the writers of the Bible made cultural assumptions about their audiences. One of the biggest assumptions was a familiarity with Jewish traditions and scripture. Through careful use of a distinctive word, phrase or image from an earlier scripture, a writer could trigger a literary reflex to summon a wealth of associated emotion and information. A modern example might be to refer to something as “unsinkable” – such a reference for many people brings to mind the Titanic and the ironic stories and emotions related to it. While these references were immediately accessible to the Jewish people, as students of the Bible today we need to pay careful attention and frequently rely on commentaries (personal thanks to The New Interpreter’s Study Bible!) to discover these hidden gems.

We’ll start our Easter egg hunt with what is probably a “gimme” – this being only the first day of our series. When the author of today’s text told the story of Joshua parting the waters of the Jordan River, he knew this image would bring to mind the similar action of Moses parting the Red Sea. While we can appreciate it as a literary device, to the writer’s audience it would have conveyed a continuity of authority from Moses to Joshua and – by extension – to subsequent leaders of Israel. The writer includes several other incidents in the exploits of Joshua that parallel the life of Moses, further cementing this continuity in the minds of his audience. At no point does he need to make a direct comparison between the two, because the message is contained in the connotations.

Over the next couple days we will explore some less obvious Easter eggs. This exercise is not in the spirit of DaVinci Code style puzzle solving. Rather, it is to help us understand the importance of being as biblically literate as we can, so a richer scriptural understanding is open to us.

Comfort: God’s Easter eggs are meant for all to find!

Challenge: When studying scripture, commit to reading any footnotes or commentary offered.

Prayer: God of the Known and the Unknown, may my studies bring me closer to you.

Evening reading: Psalm 37:19-42