While there are many songs that we sing each year around Christmastime – and only around Christmastime – this does not seem to be the case when it comes to Easter. We have Christmas carols, but I have never really heard of “Easter carols.” There are songs that focus on the cross and many that will mention and reference the empty tomb, but we seem to sing these year-round. Part of the reason we do, I think, is that every Sunday is essentially a celebration of the resurrection and reminds us of Jesus’s death that precedes it. In addition, we likely think of the cross in a special way whenever we take communion.
An exception to this rule of “Easter carols” is the song “Christ the Lord is Risen Today!” as it is a song that many churches sing only on Easter – in large part because it uses the word “Today” in it. In fact, the original name for this song was “Hymn for Easter Day.” As we approach the celebration of Easter this year, I wanted to share more about this song, introducing it to those who might not be familiar with it and enhancing its appreciation for those who have been singing it for many years.
The Writer
This hymn was written by one of the most prolific songwriters in Christian history, Charles Wesley. Charles was the brother of John Wesley (the founder of the Methodist Church) and composed more than 6,000 hymns – including the Christmas classic “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing.” In fact, that Christmas song and this Easter song were first published in the same year (1739) in a collection of songs called Hymns and Sacred Poems and paired to the same tune. Something else to note about the year of its publication is that it stands one year after the date that Charles and John said they were truly converted to the Christian faith; they had grown up in a pastor’s home and gone to school to be ministers and even served as missionaries, but it was not until 1738 that they really felt like their hearts were awakened to the Christian faith. They were not just awakened but lit on fire, bringing revival to the Church of England that would eventually lead to the formation of the Methodist Church in America.
A 14th century Latin hymn that was translated and published in English in 1708 served as an inspiration for this song; the English name of that Latin song is “Jesus Christ Is Risen Today.” In fact, it seems that Wesley himself added a fourth verse to the original three verses of this song shortly after writing “Christ the Lord is Risen Today.” The new song by Wesley seems to expand both the content of the older song but also the emotions of it. The similar names and themes of these two songs means that they have at times been confused with each other and have competed with each other, with some churches favoring one song while others the other. I’ve seen hymnals that have featured both, though.
Not only did this older song potentially help inspire this hymn, but it may have also influenced the way that Wesley’s hymn developed over the years as the older song featured the word “Alleuluia” after each line while Wesley’s hymn did not. The original hymn from Wesley had eleven verses, but it had been shortened by three verses by the time of its publication in a 1769 hymnal; over the years it would be shortened even more to six verses and some hymnals would only include four or five of the verses. Early in the 19th century the cry “Alleluia” would be added to each of the four lines of each stanza. Part of the reason for that addition may be that the song came to be paired with the music used for “Jesus Christ is Risen Today” that featured the alleluias after each line. That recurring acclamation also reflects the fact that some churches will not say “Alleulia” in the Lenten season, but then proclaim on Easter morning “Alleluia! He is risen. He is risen indeed” on Easter morning.
While originating in the Methodist Church, this song is one that has grown popular across denominational lines, as I have sung it in the Baptist and Presbyterian churches I have been a part of in the past. It can be found in modern hymns, though it is interesting to note that John Wesley did not include his brother’s hymn in his church’s hymnal – but that was because he did not include any seasonal hymns, ruling out the “Hymn for Easter Day.”
The Words
I didn’t go through and will not include the words of all 11 verses of this song but rather the ones that are commonly sung today. That said, there is some variation in the hymnals I looked at in terms of which verses are selected as the 4 or 5 to be sung and the order of them. I’ll focus on the 4 that we see each year at Faith Church Beecher.
Christ the Lord is risen today, Alleluia!
Sons of men and angels say, Alleluia!
Raise your joys and triumphs high, Alleluia!
Sing, ye heavens, and earth reply, Alleluia!
Love’s redeeming work is done, Alleluia!
Fought the fight, the battle won, Alleluia!
Death in vain forbids him rise, Alleluia!
Christ has opened paradise, Alleluia!
Lives again our glorious King, Alleluia!
Where, O death, is now thy sting? Alleluia!
Once he died our souls to save, Alleluia!
Where’s thy victory, boasting grave? Alleluia!
Soar we now where Christ has led, Alleluia!
Following our exalted Head, Alleluia!
Made like him, like him we rise, Alleluia!
Ours the cross, the grave, the skies, Alleluia!
The presence of “Alleluia” at the end of each line makes this song one of great celebration, pausing after each phrase to say “God be praised.” The song does not necessarily walk through the account of the empty tomb but rather keys in what it means. The first verse points to the fact that there should be great rejoicing, not just among people on the earth but in the heavens and angelic realms; Jesus’s resurrection points not just to our resurrection but also the redemption of the world and fulfillment of God’s amazing plan.
The second verse reminds us that the death and resurrection of Jesus comes about because of God’s love and serves to show the completion of God’s loving work of redemption. We are called to fight the good fight of the faith, and we do so knowing that Jesus has “fought the fight” and that “the battle” is won; death has been defeated and Jesus has paved the way for us to be in paradise!
The third verse notes that Jesus is our living king and also that death now has no sting, quoting truths found in 1 Corinthians 15. Jesus died to save our soul and thus defeat the power of death; while death seems to be victorious in this world, the grave can no longer boast because Jesus rose. The fourth verse then points to the fact that because Jesus rose, we will rise too; we are following him, and we will be made like him. The final words, though, remind us that this starts with the cross and leads to the grave, but that the skies of heaven is also what awaits.
Wesley’s words are so wonderful and powerful it would be hard to add to them. However, just as the “Alleluia’s” that were added later allow for further reflection on the truths found in Welsey’s words, so some modern musicians have also sought to enhance the power of this song in celebration of Jesus’s resurrection. Here are the words of an additional chorus for this song published in 2014 (Integrity’s Praise! Music) that we sing along with Wesley’s words each year at Faith Church Beecher.
He is not dead
He is alive
We have this hope
In Jesus Christ
The resurrection of Christ is something we should celebrate not just on Easter but every Sunday and every day. May the words of this Easter hymn remind us of the joy that fills our hearts because of Jesus’s resurrection and the hope that we have in life and in death because of it.
Questions about the Bible or theology? Email them to Pastor Brian at Theology@WeAreFaith.org. You can also email to be added to the list that receives weekly emails with our blog posts.
