Of course he looked like a rabbit. You know that, came the crisp reply. Well if you must know, I saw a big rabbit, yellow, with a fluffy white tail, my little friend responded sharply and then turned and disappeared in the crowd. At first I was a little let down that visions of Easter bunnies had filled this child s head during such a sacred, glorious morning of worship. But after the crowds exited and the music faded and there was silence once again in the building, I sat in my office and pondered this child s earnestness.
Imagination is a dangerous word in theological realms.
No doubt there were those at the resurrection and are those today who level the argument against Christianity that imagination played a big part in believing that Jesus of Nazareth was raised from the dead. Obviously I am an insider, but I do not believe that the resurrection was expected by Jesus followers. Though the gospels indicate Jesus mentioned his resurrection a time or two before the fact, the gospels are also clear that the disciples simply did not grasp such a reality. In fact, John s gospel adds a subtle, yet I believe profoundly true editorial comment that the disciples did not understand many things about Jesus until the cross and resurrection revealed them. I believe it would be a part of our being awakened by the Holy Spirit to see visions and dream dreams of an Easter scale.