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S. Michael Houdmann
Supporter
A traditional Easter greeting in the Western church is the exclamation "He is risen!" and the traditional response is "He is risen, indeed!" The words are sometimes accompanied by the exchange of ...
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Jeffrey Johnson
Supporter
Where does the saying 'He is risen; He is risen, indeed' come from?
A wonderful exclamation on the day that Jesus was raised from the dead, an angel spoke these exact words to Mary Magdalene at the empty tomb. Mary Magdalene, in turn, related the same words to the disciples in the upper room where they were in hiding, and then Peter himself ran to the tomb where Jesus had been laid and found it empty.
The saying "He is risen; He is risen indeed" comes directly from early Christian resurrection traditions, with its roots in Scripture and its development in ancient Easter liturgy.
Matthew 28:6 ("He is not here: for he is risen…") provided the declaration, while Luke 24:34 responded, forming the pattern of the greeting.
Early church fathers, including John Chrysostom, used resurrection proclamations in Easter sermons, helping solidify the greeting in Christian worship. It spread across the Christian world.
Different languages kept the same structure:
Greek (Orthodox): Christos Anesti! / Alithos Anesti!
Latin (Western Church): Christus resurrexit! / Vere resurrexit!
Slavic: Христос воскрес! / Воистину воскрес!
Why it endures:
It is short, triumphant, and communal. It turns the resurrection from a statement into a shared celebration. That's why you still hear it in churches across the world every Easter morning.
Conclusion:
Saying "He is risen" rather than "has risen" treats the word "risen" as an adjective (a description of his current state) rather than just a past action.
It proclaims that Jesus is alive and reigning today, not just that a historical event happened long ago.
In other words, He has risen:
Focuses on the action of Jesus standing up from the dead in the past.
Notice He is risen:
Using the present-tense verb "is" instead of "has" reminds believers that Jesus is alive right now and with them today.
The greeting is not just a custom—it is a proclamation of faith.
Christians affirm the central truth of Christianity: Christ has conquered death, and therefore, believers share in His resurrection.
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