ChristStory Bestiary

EGGS

CREATION & RE-CREATION

In many countries it was once believed that the universe began with a single primal or cosmic egg; either heaven and earth were two parts of a single egg or the first human sprang from one. In Peruvian mythology, three eggs were dropped to the earth by the Sun. The golden one gave birth to the nobility. The silver egg gave birth to women, and the copper egg gave birth to peasants. Chinese, Greek, and Roman heroes occasionally sprang from eggs which may have been spat out by dragons, swallowed by their mothers, or hatched by the sun or a bird. Because of these myths, eggs are a symbol of the universe, the creation of the world, beginnings, birth, and rebirth.

Each spring the egg reminds us of the rebirth of nature and the promise of new life in Christ. The egg is also the object of much hope and speculation. We almost always know what type of creature will spring from a particular egg and yet within those parameters there are endless possibilities and variations.

Because "hope which is seen is not hope" (Rom 8:24), Augustine equated the egg and its hidden chick with the virtue of Hope. He based this symbolism on the following passage from the gospel of Luke: "If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish? Or if he asks for an egg will he offer him a scorpion? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!" (Lk 11:11-13). Augustine believed these verses urged the Christian to seek the three theological virtues of Faith, Hope, and Charity (1 Cor 13:13). 'Faith' was represented by the fish and 'Charity' by the bread (Letters of Augustine, Letter 130).

Ancient Greeks, Egyptians, Chinese, Persians, and Romans exchanged gifts of eggs during their spring holidays as a symbol of nature's resurrection from the seeming death of winter and, in some instances, as a wish that the recipient would live a long life. Such gifts were also offered to fertility goddesses such as Astarte. Hebrews ate a special Paschal egg during their Passover feast.

Eggs were used to symbolize a hope common to many cultures - that of a rebirth into a new life after death. They were found in many pagan and Christian graves and tombs as a symbol of this hope and, in the case of pagans, as nourishment for the deceased on their final journey. In some religions, the egg was a symbol of reincarnation. Christians saw the chick emerging from its shell as a symbol of Christ exiting His tomb on Easter morning. Eggs were blessed, used in Easter ceremonies, hung on altars and tombs and even under the feet of Christ Crucified as emblems of the resurrection. Red eggs were used to remind believers that the new life sprang from the blood of Christ.

For a long time it was forbidden to eat eggs during Lent so Christians began decorating the spring surplus of eggs and giving them as gifts on Easter morning to celebrate the resurrection and the end of the Lenten fast. In Ireland it was customary to eat eggs for breakfast on Easter morning. The Ukrainians made special Easter eggs called pysanky by repeatedly drawing wax designs on raw eggs and then dipping them into a dye bath. It was believed that pysanka-writing was an important weapon against Satan and if pysanky were no longer made the world would be engulfed in evil or simply cease to exist.

In most countries the Easter Rabbit, Hare, or Chick brings baskets of eggs to the children. But in a few Roman Catholic countries, where church bells are not rung from Maundy Thursday until Easter Eve, children may be expecting the bells to come back from Rome bearing Easter eggs. The Easter Hare began delivering eggs when he was still a bird and the companion of the pagan spring goddess, Eostre, from whom we get the name Easter. Apparently he displeased her one day and was changed into a hare.

Egg races, egg rolling, and other egg games are popular at Easter, and in some areas children may go caroling for their eggs. Colorful Easter egg trees were made popular in some parts of America by the Pennsylvania Dutch who improved upon their German ancestors' custom of hanging undyed eggs outside on bushes and trees. The English used to write notes on their Easter eggs. In some countries, eggs are even given to the dead during the Easter season. In Yugoslavia some eggs are dyed black and left on family graves and the Ukranians throw eggshells in rivers in honor of their departed family members.

In Germany a green egg may be carried on Maundy Thursday to ensure good luck during the coming year. Most superstitions surrounding eggs concern those laid on Good Friday. These are believed to stay fresh forever, be an excellent fire extinguisher, and bring good luck or cure whatever ails you if eaten on Easter morning. In addition, decorated Easter eggs may be kept year round to bring good fortune to the home and protect it from evil. They may also be planted in vineyards to protect the vines from bad weather, especially hailstorms.

The eggs of owls, snakes, and toads were used by sorcerers in their wicked spells and it was believed that the only way witches could cross water was in boats made of eggshells. Isaiah compares the plots of the wicked to deadly vipers' eggs. Far from being nourishing, the eggs of the wicked bring death to their eaters (Isa 59:5). It was also thought that snakes could not cross a line made of eggshells.

Romans believed the "lustral egg" was so pure that it had the power of driving away evil spirits and used them in rites of purification. (Lustral means "things associated with ceremonial purification.") The purity of the egg is ascribed to its white (virginal) color and its perfect oval shape which has no entryway for any type of contamination. The ostrich's egg is believed to be the most perfect and lovely one of all and yet "she leaves her eggs on the ground, and warms them in the dust; she forgets that a foot may crush them, or that a wild beast may break them. She treats her young harshly, as though they were not hers...because God deprived her of wisdom, and did not endow her with understanding" (Job 39:14-17).

Gold eggs signify the sun while silver eggs represent the moon. Domestic eggs symbolize prosperity. The doctrine of the Trinity is taught with the use of an egg; yolk, white, and shell are still one egg just as the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are yet one God.

Mosaic law forbade Israelites who found a nest in the wild to eat or keep the mother bird along with her eggs. They could enjoy the eggs as they pleased but the mother was to remain free (Deu 22:6-7). The desolation and abandonment of a city was represented by the fact that wild animals now felt free to lay their eggs in it (Isa 34:15). Job felt it was meet that complaining accompany his afflictions just like salt accompanied egg whites (Job 6:6). The king of Assyria arrogantly boasted that his conquest of the nations was as simple as the gathering of eggs (Isa 10:12-14).

All scripture quotes are from the NKJV Bible.