[Biblemat] A>Easter-An Important Religious Day (Kent Heaton)

[kerux]

Easter - An Important Religious Day

(Kent Heaton)

 

Easter is from the name of an old Teutonic goddess of Spring. Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary defines Easter as "an annual church celebration commemorating Christ's resurrection. Easter is the first Sunday after the first full moon that falls on or next after the vernal equinox." A church sign read, "Easter is about Christ and not a bunny." Plans are made for early morning services and sermons speaking of the resurrection of Christ created. Easter Sunday is an important religious day. With all the attention given to Easter and the celebration of the resurrection of Christ, one would be led to believe that there is a lot said in the Bible about the celebration of Easter. 

Easter is an important religious day with men but never a word is given in the Bible about its celebration. The King James Version of the Bible uses the word Easter in Acts 12:4 but scholars agree this is a misuse of the original Greek word. The word in Acts 12:4 is 'pascha' and used twenty-seven times in the New Testament; each time referring to the "passover." The New Testament disciples never celebrated Easter. They did celebrate the resurrection of Christ - every first day of the week.

Being a religious day does not suggest that it is approved of the Lord. The pattern of worship for the child of God must come from the only authority given to man - the Bible. Like its religious cousin, Christmas, Easter is a derivation of man's creation. Albert Barnes writes, "There never was a more absurd or unhappy translation . the original has no reference to that, nor is there the slightest evidence that any such festival was observed at the time when this book was written. The translation is not only unhappy, as it does not convey at all the meaning of the original, but because it may contribute to foster an opinion that such a festival was observed in the time of the apostles" (Commentary notes on Acts 12:4).

Why can men not see that it matters whether the Bible says anything about the type of worship they engage in? Many will rebuff criticism of Easter as prejudice or unholy but the defenders of Easter will never be able to establish the authority for such a practice from the Bible. Easter has never been a day given by God to celebrate anything about Christ. Again, like Christmas, those who celebrate Easter as a religious day celebrate an ordinance of the Roman Catholic Church.

The celebration of Christ's resurrection was practiced by the early Christians. "And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and brake it; and he gave to the disciples, and said, 'Take, eat; this is my body.' And he took a cup, and gave thanks, and gave to them, saying, 'Drink ye all of it; for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many unto remission of sins. But I say unto you, I shall not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom" (Matthew 26:26-29). Luke writes in Acts 20:7, "And upon the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread." The church at Corinth was given explicit directions by Paul to remember the death, burial and resurrection of Christ (1 Corinthians 11:20-34).

The Trenton Church of Christ will celebrate the resurrection of Christ each first day of the week as the church has done for nearly 2,000 years in accordance with a Biblical pattern. There is authority for this celebration. There is no authority for Easter.


Kent Heaton
207 NE Fourth Avenue
Trenton, Florida  32693
(Home) 352-463-6916
(Office) 352-463-3793
(Cell) 352-283-3889
kerux at bellsouth.net
www.trentonchurchofchrist.com
www.northfloridabiblecamp.com
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