At Easter, you will often hear people at church saying, “he is risen,” and others saying, “he is risen indeed.” This interesting phrase has roots in the Bible and the Christian tradition, showing us an essential part of the Easter story.
Where Does 'He Is Risen Indeed' Come From?
The phrase is “He is risen indeed” is the second part of a traditional Easter greeting that goes back centuries. It begins with one Christian saying to another, “He is risen!” Then the recipient responds, “He is risen indeed!” A priest will say the first phrase in some Easter church services, and the congregation will respond with the second part.
The greeting “he is risen!” and the response “he is risen indeed” form the paschal greeting (sometimes called the paschal blessing). Pascha is a term for items used in the Passover, which Jesus celebrated on Maundy Thursday before he was crucified. The Bible refers to Jesus being the Passover lamb (or Paschal lamb), so Christian traditions often refer to Easter sermons, hymns, or blessings with the term paschal.
In traditional church services, congregants will often use a Greek or Latin version of the phrases, resulting in slightly different wording. For example, Eastern Orthodox Christians will say “Christos Anesti!” (“Christ is Risen!”) while others respond “Alithos Anesti!” (“Truly, He is risen!”). Roman Catholics may say the Latin “Christus resurrexit!” with the response “Vere resurrexit!”
Get your free Easter Prayer and Scripture Guide to reflect on the meaning and importance of Christ's Resurrection.
How Long Have Christians Been Saying 'He Is Risen Indeed'?
We’re not entirely sure when Christians first began saying the paschal greeting. One of the earliest records we have of Christians saying “he is risen” or “Christ is risen” appears in the Paschal Sermon (or Paschal Homily) of John Chrysostom. John Chrysostom was the archbishop of Constantinople from 397-405 AD, making him one of the Nicene Fathers (the early church leaders living when the Council of Nicaea took place). John Chrysostom wrote and preached extensively (a collection of the Nicene Fathers’ writings contains six volumes of his words, almost as many as Augustine’s).
Here is the full text of John Chrysostom’s Paschal Sermon, still spoke in many Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic churches at Easter:
If any man be devout and love God, let him enjoy this fair and radiant triumphal feast. If any man be a wise servant, let him rejoicing enter into the joy of his Lord. If any have labored long in fasting, let him now receive his recompense. If any have wrought from the first hour, let him today receive his just reward. If any have come at the third hour, let him with thankfulness keep the feast. If any have arrived at the sixth hour, let him have no misgivings; because he shall in nowise be deprived thereof. If any have delayed until the ninth hour, let him draw near, fearing nothing. If any have tarried even until the eleventh hour, let him, also, be not alarmed at his tardiness; for the Lord, who is jealous of his honor, will accept the last even as the first; He gives rest unto him who comes at the eleventh hour, even as unto him who has wrought from the first hour.
And He shows mercy upon the last, and cares for the first; and to the one He gives, and upon the other He bestows gifts. And He both accepts the deeds, and welcomes the intention, and honors the acts and praises the offering. Wherefore, enter you all into the joy of your Lord; and receive your reward, both the first, and likewise the second. You rich and poor together, hold high festival. You sober and you heedless, honor the day. Rejoice today, both you who have fasted and you who have disregarded the fast. The table is full-laden; feast ye all sumptuously. The calf is fatted; let no one go hungry away.
Enjoy ye all the feast of faith: Receive ye all the riches of loving-kindness. let no one bewail his poverty, for the universal kingdom has been revealed. Let no one weep for his iniquities, for pardon has shown forth from the grave. Let no one fear death, for the Savior’s death has set us free. He that was held prisoner of it has annihilated it. By descending into Hell, He made Hell captive. He embittered it when it tasted of His flesh. And Isaiah, foretelling this, did cry: Hell, said he, was embittered, when it encountered Thee in the lower regions. It was embittered, for it was abolished. It was embittered, for it was mocked. It was embittered, for it was slain. It was embittered, for it was overthrown. It was embittered, for it was fettered in chains. It took a body, and met God face to face. It took earth, and encountered Heaven. It took that which was seen, and fell upon the unseen.
O Death, where is your sting? O Hell, where is your victory? Christ is risen, and you are overthrown. Christ is risen, and the demons are fallen. Christ is risen, and the angels rejoice. Christ is risen, and life reigns. Christ is risen, and not one dead remains in the grave. For Christ, being risen from the dead, is become the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. To Him be glory and dominion unto ages of ages. Amen.
Is 'He Is Risen Indeed' in the Bible?
While Christians formed the paschal greeting sometime in the early church period, they took the phrases “he is risen” and “risen indeed” from the Gospels.
The words “he is not here, for he has risen” appear in three of the four Gospels, always attributed to angels who appeared at the tomb.
The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay.” (Matthew 28:5-6 NIV)
As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed. “Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him.” (Mark 16:5-6 NIV)
In their fright, the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: ‘The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’ ” Then they remembered his words. (Luke 24:5-8 NIV)
John’s Gospel describes Mary Magdalene seeing the angels but without them saying “he is risen,” and then she meets Jesus (John 20:11-18).
Meanwhile, the “He is risen indeed” comes from Jesus’ next public appearance to two of his followers on the Road to Emmaus. As Luke describes it, Jesus appeared to the men as they were walking, they did not recognize him and chatted with him about their master being killed in Jerusalem. Jesus explained from Old Testament sources how the Messiah had to die, and once the two men reached Emmaus, they invited him to join them for dinner.
And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them. And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight. And they said one to another, “Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?” And they rose up the same hour, and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, and them that were with them, saying, “The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon.” And they told what things were done in the way, and how he was known of them in breaking of bread. (Luke 24:30-35 KJV)
Why Do We Say 'He Is Risen Indeed' at Easter?
Beyond the obvious fact that saying “he is risen indeed” fits with tradition and is a Bible quote, saying these words affirms an essential point about Easter. By saying “he is risen indeed,” we remember that the disciples had confirmation that Jesus had risen from the dead. The claims about his resurrections weren’t just the words of a couple of people having individual hallucinations or someone’s bizarre prank. Jesus appeared to many people, ultimately over 500 people (1 Corinthians 15:6).
When Jesus rose from the dead, he became not just the substitutionary sacrifice for our sins who died in our place. He became Christus victor, the one who had descended into hell, defeated Satan and death, and returned to life.
In saying “he is risen indeed,” we affirm that we worship not just someone who came to earth as God’s son, not just someone who died for us, but a resurrected Savior still alive today.
Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/alessandrophoto
Learn more about the meaning and significance behind the Easter holiday and Holy Week celebrations:
What is Lent? and When Does Lent Start?
What is Ash Wednesday? and When is Ash Wednesday?
What is Palm Sunday?
What is Maundy Thursday?
What is Good Friday? and When is Good Friday?
What is Holy Saturday?
What is Easter? and When is Easter Sunday?
Easter Bible Verses
The Resurrection of Jesus
Easter Prayers
