Posted on 03/30/2002 7:53:37 PM PST by malakhi
Origins of Easter Many have asked the questions,
"The Bible says that Jesus Christ was crucified at Passover, according to the Bible calendar, so why do Christians observe it at Easter, which almost always occurs on another date?" "What do rabbits, lilies, and colored eggs have to do with Jesus Christ?" "Where did the term "Easter" come from?" "Is it true that people observed Easter sunrise services long before Jesus was even born?" "And what about the halo - why did the heads of the saints glow like that?" All very good questions! Let's have a look at the surprising answers that can be found quite easily in the history or reference section of any library:
The word Easter is not correctly found anywhere in The Bible. The King James Version of 1611 does use it once, in Acts 12:4, but Bible scholars all agree that it was an error in translation from the original Greek (the Old Testament was written in Hebrew, the New Testament in Greek) - all other translations correctly use the word Passover in that verse. Jesus Christ was crucified at the time of Passover, at the very same time that the Passover lamb was slain (Matthew 26:17).
The date of Passover, according to the Hebrew Calendar, is on the fifteenth day of the month of Nisan (see Bible Months). Because the Bible calendar is based on the lunar month, the first day of the month always occurs at the new moon, and the fifteenth always occurs at the full moon. Passover always occurs at the full moon, which may have had an intended practical benefit to the Israelites during the first nights of the Exodus. The date of Easter has been set and accepted by Western Christians (i.e. Roman Catholics and Protestants) to be observed on the first Sunday after the first full moon after the vernal equinox. Therefore, Easter can occur anytime between March 22 and April 25. The Eastern Orthodox Church uses a different dating system for Easter, which can occur up to 5 weeks after the Roman Catholic/Protestant Easter.
The name Easter originated from the two names, one Babylonian (see King Nebuchadnezzar), one Phoenician (see Tyre), of a pagan idol - Astarte (or Ashtaroth) and Ishtar - both of which were pronounced "Easter." Ishtar/Astarte, a female idol, was supposedly married to the male idol Baal (see also Jezebel). The pagan people who venerated them were also deeply influenced by sun worship.
As the person who asked the question pointed out, sunrise services were indeed practiced by people long before Jesus Christ was ever born. It was an integral part of pagan sun worship. An example can be found in Ezekiel 8:16 - "they were bowing down to the sun in the east" (the sun is only in the east when it's rising). And what did God think of it? "detestable" (Ezekiel 8:17)
The heads of Saints didn't really glow as is so often portrayed in religious art. The use of the halo, or nimbus, originated with the pagan Greeks and Romans to represent their sun god, Helios. Later, artists adopted it for use in Christian images. The halo is actually just the sun behind the person's head (it's easy to recognize once one realizes what it is) - a very devious way of mixing pagan sun worship with Christianity.
Rabbits, eggs, and lilies were all used as symbols of fertility by the pagans, who often included extremely immoral behavior in the "worship" of their idols. But how did these pagan and idolatrous practices enter Christianity?
Most often, they were practices that people brought with them upon their professed conversion. The church authorities of that long-ago time (who presumably knew better) allowed it, probably for political or economic reasons, to keep membership and income growing, without sufficient concern for whether the new converts were sincerely converted. Perhaps they believed that the pagans would abandon their cult practices and replace them with the correct manner of observance, but the exact opposite occurred. The Christian church abandoned the Passover and replaced it with many of the colorful pagan rituals, while many faithful early Christians were actually excommunicated, or even martyred, for holding to the truth.
But why are they observed by hundreds of millions of Christians today?
Easter rituals have been around for many centuries. Long-established traditions that many of us have known right from the time we were little children, often with so many fond memories, may seem so right to us, while actually being so wrong before God.
Many people are shocked when they discover the reality of the origins of Easter - I know that I was. But the facts are readily available in any relevant history text or general encyclopedia. Shocking though it may be to us, it is nevertheless reality.
There is absolutely no doubt that Jesus Christ was born just south of Jerusalem at Bethlehem, grew up in Nazareth in Galilee, conducted His ministry from Capernaum on the north shore of the beautiful Sea Of Galilee, was arrested That Fateful Night, was Crucified, and rose alive again from The Tomb as our Savior. But, many of the observances that became so popular to commemorate that Great Event did not originate with Jesus Christ, or in your Holy Bible.
Fact Finder: What did Almighty God say about using pagan rituals to worship Him? Deuteronomy 18:9
Keep swatting. :-)
Steven, you can't take this stuff seriously. It is laughable, and you are doing tremendous harm to yourself by believing this kind of nonsense.
We are to believe, according to your as yet uncredited source, that a bunch of Romans decided to use an Anglo-Saxon godess to worship in the year 155 AD? Do you have any sense of how preposterous this is?
It would be like the Americans deciding to follow some backwater god found in Guam or something. The Romans had fine gods of their own, thank you, and they didn't need to import them from some craggy imperial backwater.
According to the CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA, Easter was named after a pagan goddess of the Anglo-Saxons named Eostre, the goddess of the dawn.
Your sources, and your, use of this in this manner is to willingly mislead people. That's a violation of the commandments.
Is there among us any Non Catholic who will recognize this deceit for what it is?
SD
Its rather believable and consistant with, perpetual virginity, assumption, Papal bull, apostolic succession, and all your whitewashed tombs full of dead man bones religion. That's whats laughable. And your total defense of your churches lies is actually not so laughable.
Are you aware that there are pagan underpinings for everything you do? To go in search of purity is to abandon any sign or service at all.
Pagans worshipped their gods. So we must throw worship out. they had sacrificie, so we must throw sacrifice out. They talked about hwo good their gods were, so we must remain silent. they sang songs, so we must never sing.
The bottom line is that the fact that pagans, ungifted with Revelation, came to realize the working of God in the seasons and in nature is not a bad thing. It was God moving to prepare these peoples for the Christian conversion. That Spring is a time of re-birth or that light in the Winter is a sign of hope are not ideas that God recoils from. He made the world the way it is, and gave His People both a spring festival of new life, and a winter festival of lights.
Deal with that.
SD
Here's some deceit for all to witness. Since the greek word for Easter is Pesach why don't you celebrate passover? Why change the day? Its always been 14 Nissan. Why change it so its on the exact same day that pagans celebrate? Friggin' hypocrite.
Let it go. You've made your choice. You'll be judged on it. There's no need to add insult to injury.
SD
They, obviously, did not inherit the foundational ministry of the Apostles, since JESUS and the Apostles completed that particular ministry and all other valid ministry is built upon that already established foundation.
You keep saying this. And to some extent I agree. But why do you think no authority is required?
I didn't say that no authority is required.
JESUS said that authority in the Church would not be like the examples that we see of authority in the world.
JESUS said that the Church's authority would be a serving authority, ... even as He came into the world not to be served, ... but to serve ... and to give His life a ransom for many.
I see the Church's serving authority as that of being commissioned to present the truth of God to the world. Each person receiving that message is responsible (to God) for his/her response to the message of God.
(Didn't these very bishops hundreds of years later establish the canon?)
Yes ... as directed by God, bishops established the collection of pre-existing Apostolic writings.
Duh. Of course the writings were pre-existing.
You dismiss as "directed by God" the fact that these bishops, whose authority you defy, are the very ones whom God used to give you the Bible you use as a substitute.
No. I believe that God granted these men the authority to serve as they were called to do. Even as the Apostles were granted the authority to serve as they were called to do. Even as you and I are granted the authority by God to serve as we do.
My point is that we (all Christians) serve as God directs and that He grants, to each, the necessary authority for that particular called service.Romans 12:5 thus we, [being] many, are one body in Christ, and each one members one of the other.Didn't the Apostles act as "directed by God"? Why do you say that about the later bishops as if it is a proof against their authority to do what they did? It's nonsensical.
6 But having different gifts, according to the grace which has been given to us, whether [it be] prophecy, [let us prophesy] according to the proportion of faith;
7 or service, [let us occupy ourselves] in service; or he that teaches, in teaching;
8 or he that exhorts, in exhortation; he that gives, in simplicity; he that leads, with diligence; he that shews mercy, with cheerfulness.
Of course the apostles acted as they were led by God.
So did Moses, ... as well as Moses' successor Joshua.
But Joshua's direction (and authority) by God (as a warrior general to conquer the lands of Canaan) ... was different than that of Moses' (to represent God before Pharoah and lead the Hebrews across the wilderness to the Promised Land).
Duh. We celebrate the New Passover, the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. He died on the old Passover, but was brought to life on the New Passover. On Sunday.
There are no pagans. Only freaky "believe anything" Christians like you think the pagan gods are behind every corner, waiting to get you if you dye an egg. The pagans had spring feasts as well. So what? They are gone now, their temples and names but a memory. Except for those like you who keep them alive as a boogieman to validate their own insecurities.
SD
For the same reason you didn't cite you Pesach for Easter revelation which came directly out of the Catholic Encyclopedia.
Are you aware that there are pagan underpinings for everything you do? To go in search of purity is to abandon any sign or service at all.
Yes, I'm aware.
Pagans worshipped their gods. So we must throw worship out. they had sacrificie, so we must throw sacrifice out. They talked about hwo good their gods were, so we must remain silent. they sang songs, so we must never sing.
They were just poluting what God had already laid down for his people. Just like the Catholic church is doing.
The bottom line is that the fact that pagans, ungifted with Revelation, came to realize the working of God in the seasons and in nature is not a bad thing. It was God moving to prepare these peoples for the Christian conversion. That Spring is a time of re-birth or that light in the Winter is a sign of hope are not ideas that God recoils from. He made the world the way it is, and gave His People both a spring festival of new life, and a winter festival of lights.
You've got it all backwards. God's instruction for worship preceeding the pagans polution and the Catholic Church's continuation of it. Deal with that.
Yes, and ultimately that is the job of every bishop, to presevre and present this truth. You couldn't have said it any better.
I believe that God granted these men the authority to serve as they were called to do. Even as the Apostles were granted the authority to serve as they were called to do. Even as you and I are granted the authority by God to serve as we do.
Then you don't believe in this "authority" at all. You believe it is somethign common that all share. We know where that leads, when there is no one to speak the Truth. To somewhere between 30 and 30,000 different interpretations of the same events.
SD
For the same reason you didn't cite you Pesach for Easter revelation which came directly out of the Catholic Encyclopedia.
There's a link in my post of the fuller excerpt. Deal with that.
SD
Well good. You'll agree with then since Easter means the peshach season that nowhere in the NT is Easter (ressurection day) commanded to be celebrated. Especially on the same day pagans celebrate their solstace. Yuk.
There are no pagans. Only freaky "believe anything" Christians like you think the pagan gods are behind every corner, waiting to get you if you dye an egg. The pagans had spring feasts as well. So what? They are gone now, their temples and names but a memory. Except for those like you who keep them alive as a boogieman to validate their own insecurities.
Gone now? Lol. Only disguised now.
Weren't the Jews commanded to celebrate the Passover Seder until the Messiah came? When he did come, didn't he celebrate the Last Seder? Isn't it finished?
v.
I just don't beleive the Catholic Church's lies any longer. Deal with that hypocrite.
No link here 48,964 liar. Deal with that.
What? Are you taking Dave stupid pills? Show me where this is at anywhere in the Bible.
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