More Than Bunnies and Eggs: Untangling Easter

Which came first—the bunny and the egg, Passover, or the crucifixion? The confusion is real—and worth untangling.

Easter: chocolate bunnies, hard-boiled eggs painted in bright colors, tucked into baskets that come out just once a year. It’s cheerful and familiar—but also a little confusing.

Part of that confusion comes from the way two different stories overlap: the Jewish celebration of Passover and the Christian remembrance of Jesus’ death and resurrection. They happen at the same time of year. They share similar themes. And over the centuries, their timing and meaning have become woven together.

So how do we make sense of it?

Let’s set the word Easter aside for a moment and look at Passover—what it means for Jews and how it connects to Christians.

A season called Nisan

In the Jewish calendar, spring begins with a season called Nisan (nee-SAHN). During this time, Jews observe Passover, remembering a defining moment in their history—a moment that unfolded like this:

The moment everything changed

1. The Israelites have been enslaved in Egypt for centuries—about 400 years

2. God sends plagues to convince Pharaoh, the king of Egypt at the time, to let them go

3. The final plague was God’s way of forcing Pharaoh’s hand—the turning point that led to the Israelites’ release

4. God instructs His people to mark their doors with lamb’s blood so their children would be spared from death

5. That night, judgment passes over those homes

6. Pharaoh finally releases them

7. Freedom begins immediately after

That order matters. Passover is not just about leaving Egypt. It’s about the moment of rescue that made freedom possible. Homes marked by the blood of a lamb were spared, and everything that followed—the release, the journey, the freedom—came after that night.

The meal that connects the two

About 1,500 years later, during that same Passover season, Jesus shared a meal with His disciples—what we now call the Last Supper.

The meal Jesus shared with His disciples wasn’t random—it was a Passover meal, remembering the night God passed over homes marked with lamb’s blood and spared their children from certain death. Every part of that meal pointed back to that moment of rescue.

But on that night, with his disciples, Jesus did something unexpected. He took the bread and the cup and gave them new meaning. He pointed to His own body and His own blood—what was about to happen: His crucifixion. 1 Peter 1:18–19 describes His sacrifice as that of "a lamb without blemish or defect."

The connection to Easter

Now we can come back to Easter.

Over time, the word Easter—along with symbols like eggs and bunnies, both associated with new life and springtime—became the common way we describe this season. But what it represents is not the symbols. It’s the moment in history when Jesus died, was buried, and rose again—right in the middle of Passover.

And the parallel is hard to miss.

In the first Passover, lamb’s blood marked the doorposts so their children would be spared from death. In the Easter story, Jesus—the “Lamb of God”—gave His life so that others might be spared.

“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).

From slavery to hope

Passover remembers freedom from slavery. Easter points to freedom of a different kind. One looks back at deliverance from Egypt. The other promises deliverance from eternal separation from God. Both follow the same pattern: a sacrifice first, then freedom.

And what about the eggs and bunnies?

Those came later. Eggs have long symbolized new life, and rabbits—well, they’re known for multiplying quickly. Over time, those became part of the celebration. They may not explain Easter, but they do reflect its theme: life, renewal, and fresh beginnings.

At its heart, Easter is about renewal—something that begins with Passover and is fulfilled in the death and resurrection of Jesus.

 

 

I’m Lauren—a writer, educator, and novelty quilter with over 30 years of experience in service and sales. I’ve taught high school English, worked as a journalist, and now run Artisan Shop USA, a marketplace supporting handmade artistry and the sharing of faith, family, and country. I’m also a wife, mom, and lifelong lover of storytelling.