Easter...?

[StrictBaptist]

Is Easter a true christian holiday? My pastor says no. The KJV translates "pascha" once as Easter when Herod mentions he is going to hold an apostle, and kill him on "Easter". However if you follow the days and such, he says you can see that the Easter mentioned then was not the same Easter we celebrate, but was instead and always has been a pagan holiday..

Has anyone studied this? Can you point me out to any places to show otherwise?

Thanks this has been bothering me. My church celebrates passover and resurrection day insteas of easter...

Thanks

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[Zenas]

No. It is not a Christian holiday. It's syncretism.

 

[INsearch]

A man made "holiday" for the observance of the Resurrection of Christ. Pagan? nope, is it wrong? I wouldn't think so.

 

[StrictBaptist]

A man made "holiday" for the observance of the Resurrection of Christ. Pagan? nope, is it wrong? I wouldn't think so.

I guess u didn't read my op? I said it was a pagan holiday around during time of Christ,not a man made one to observe the resurrection..
That it has been around for a long time and was origionaqlly a pagan holiday celebrated by the greeks and people like King Herod.

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[torstar]

A man made "holiday" for the observance of the Resurrection of Christ. Pagan? nope, is it wrong? I wouldn't think so.

Yup.

So what do people do who hate Easter and Christmas during those times of the year?

 

[INsearch]

I guess u didn't read my op? I said it was a pagan holiday around during time of Christ,not a man made one to observe the resurrection..
That it has been around for a long time and was origionaqlly a pagan holiday celebrated by the greeks and people like King Herod.

who cares? do you worship the fertility god now or something? If you use the "holiday" as a day of rememberance and worship of our Lord, then there is nothing wrong, and to say there is, just because way back in the day, this day was used for pagan means...then...i don't know what to say..thats just silly.

 

[Backwoods Presbyterian]

A man made "holiday" for the observance of the Resurrection of Christ. Pagan? nope, is it wrong? I wouldn't think so.

Yup.

So what do people do who hate Easter and Christmas during those times of the year?

I don't "hate" Easter and Christmas, but what do we do during those times? The same thing we do any other time of the year. Follow the Lord's command to gather together and set aside one day in seven for the Worship of God relying on the Ordinary Means of Grace as fully sufficient for Worship.

 

[steadfast7]

A man made "holiday" for the observance of the Resurrection of Christ. Pagan? nope, is it wrong? I wouldn't think so.

Yup.

So what do people do who hate Easter and Christmas during those times of the year?

The same thing we do any other time of the year. Follow the Lord's command to gather together and set aside one day in seven for the Worship of God relying on the Ordinary Means of Grace as fully sufficient for Worship.

so no special mention of the historic resurrection event in sermon, greeting, or song?

 

[Backwoods Presbyterian]

Well I cannot speak for everyone but the historic resurrection gets a mention in pretty much every 52 Lord's Day services in sermon, prayer, greeting, and/or song.

 

[Jack K]

We should judge Easter by what it is now, not by something that might have been connected to it thousands of years ago.

For example, imagine if I told you I reject the Democratic Party because the first Democrat president, Jefferson, was a deist. You'd say that's a poor reason. There may indeed be many good reasons to reject the Democratic Party and maybe some lingering influence of Jefferson is among those reasons, but we should base that decision on what the party is today, not what it used to be.

 

[steadfast7]

Well I cannot speak for everyone but the historic resurrection gets a mention in pretty much every 52 Lord's Day services in sermon, prayer, greeting, and/or song.

no special mention of the historic resurrection, eg. "Brothers and Sisters, Christ is risen, this very day!" I don't see how I could resist the temptation, and if I were actually trying to suppress the gladness and celebration ...? I dunno if I could do that with good conscience. However, kudos to those who abide by other convictions.

 

[Herald]

so no special mention of the historic resurrection event in sermon, greeting, or song?

I don't believe it is a violation of the RPW to teach or sing about the resurrection of our Lord. Some suggest preachers should avoid the resurrection topic at this time of year as well as Christ's first advent around Christmas time because it may draw attention to the holiday and minimize the solemnity of the Lord's Day. That's pandering to fear In my humble opinion. Where I draw the line is when a church elevates the day as special; more special than the Lord's Day itself.

 

[Romans922]

Well I cannot speak for everyone but the historic resurrection gets a mention in pretty much every 52 Lord's Day services in sermon, prayer, greeting, and/or song.

no special mention of the historic resurrection, eg. "Brothers and Sisters, Christ is risen, this very day!" I don't see how I could resist the temptation, and if I were actually trying to suppress the gladness and celebration ...? I dunno if I could do that with good conscience. However, kudos to those who abide by other convictions.

The resurrection is celebrated on the Lord's Day every Sunday (when Christ rose). That is why we don't celebrate the Sabbath on Saturday. Suppressing the resurrection may occur actually more with those who celebrate 'easter', they celebrate it once a year, God commands it 52 times a year (every Lord's Day). So tomorrow and every other Lord's Day, we can say Christ is risen, though this very day He did not rise, it was about 2000 years ago. Now He sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.

 

[Backwoods Presbyterian]

Well I cannot speak for everyone but the historic resurrection gets a mention in pretty much every 52 Lord's Day services in sermon, prayer, greeting, and/or song.

no special mention of the historic resurrection, eg. "Brothers and Sisters, Christ is risen, this very day!" I don't see how I could resist the temptation, and if I were actually trying to suppress the gladness and celebration ...? I dunno if I could do that with good conscience. However, kudos to those who abide by other convictions.

Well he is not risen "this very day!" He has arisen and reigns at the right hand of the Father.

 

[StrictBaptist]

A man made "holiday" for the observance of the Resurrection of Christ. Pagan? nope, is it wrong? I wouldn't think so.

Yup.

So what do people do who hate Easter and Christmas during those times of the year?

Honestly? My family does not celebrate xmass, because it first isn't Christ real birthdate, and second it is a holiday started by the RCC... it is a pagan day to worship the sun god. As for easter, my family celebrate passover and resurrection Sunday.


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[StrictBaptist]

Also I don't hate xmas or easter, but I do hate easter bunnies, santa clause and xmas trees, and all the paganity mixed by many many churches today during these Holidays.....
Honestly a church by me has santa in the church for pictures. Imagination or not. Santa is nothing differant then one of satans many lies told to our kids today... my kids know who Saint Nick was, but also know santa clause is a fake.
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[steadfast7]

I can understand and appreciate not celebrating "Easter" Sunday as a full-fledged Christian holiday on account one's adherence to the RPW, but in my opinion, there's something not quite right about refusing in one's own heart to acknowledge the specialness of the historic day that the Resurrection actually happened. It is special, and a cause for rejoicing, in the same way we celebrate birthdays. We don't wake up every morning saying, "Look everyone, I'm alive, therefore that's proof that I was once born!" No, rather, we have a particular birthday that is marked on a calendar and we consider it significant. It is a testimony to our birth, and does not in any way take away from the fact that we are alive today. It is fallacious to say that acknowledging an historic Resurrection sunday and being joyful therein takes away the joy of a regular Sunday. The opposite is true. it is the historic day that brings life and meaning to every other Lord's Day. It puzzles me why the historic Sunday is seen as an enemy to all other Sundays. Are we not an historic faith, founded upon historic events?

---------- Post added at 05:28 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:27 PM ----------

As for easter, my family celebrate passover and resurrection Sunday.

Ryan, this is interesting. How does your family celebrate Passover?

 

[Curt]

The significance of every Lord's Day needs to be emphasized. There is too much of a casual attitude, even among reformed Christians, regarding the beauty and wealth of this gift of God.

 

[StrictBaptist]

[/COLOR]

As for easter, my family celebrate passover and resurrection Sunday.

Ryan, this is interesting. How does your family celebrate Passover?[/QUOTE]

We celecrate is close to how the messianic jews do. I am almost to church so I will explain when I get home.

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[Rufus]

Also I don't hate xmas or easter, but I do hate easter bunnies, santa clause and xmas trees, and all the paganity mixed by many many churches today during these Holidays.....
Honestly a church by me has santa in the church for pictures. Imagination or not. Santa is nothing differant then one of satans many lies told to our kids today... my kids know who Saint Nick was, but also know santa clause is a fake.
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When I have children I'm going to tell them the same thing about santa clause. I do like chocolate bunnies though.

 

[TimV]

You're letting a sloppy KJV translation influence your theology. Easter is just the English word for Passover, period. Thursday is just the word for 5th day of the week, period. It has no connection to the Norse god Thor. Spanish, French, Dutch, Greek, Russian etc... people don't have that problem since their word for Passover sounds like Passover and ours simply doesn't.

For Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus, so that he would not have to spend time in Asia; for he was hurrying to be at Jerusalem, if possible, on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 20:16).

After Christ's rising from the dead, Paul thought it good to keep other than the weekly Sabbaths.

 

[ac7k]

I think that preaching the resurrection on Easter Sunday is a good thing, especially when the "un-churched" usually attend. It is an opportunity to preach to the lost. It is a tool of evangelism.

And eating chocolate is good for me any time of the year.

He is risen!

 

[StrictBaptist]

You're letting a sloppy KJV translation influence your theology. Easter is just the English word for Passover, period. Thursday is just the word for 5th day of the week, period. It has no connection to the Norse god Thor. Spanish, French, Dutch, Greek, Russian etc... people don't have that problem since their word for Passover sounds like Passover and ours simply doesn't.

For Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus, so that he would not have to spend time in Asia; for he was hurrying to be at Jerusalem, if possible, on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 20:16).

After Christ's rising from the dead, Paul thought it good to keep other than the weekly Sabbaths.

Yep the same word, however if you look at the verse, you will see that the "pascha" mentioned there is a differant day then resurrection day. It was a pagan Holiday celbrated by Herod and his pagan worshipping people.
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[TimV]

It was a pagan Holiday celbrated by Herod and his pagan worshipping people.

Claiming that doesn't make it so.

 

[Peairtach]

It's strange how there's this hangover of these two days - Christmas and Easter - from pre-Reformation times in the evangelical and Reformed churches.

It seems to be mainly sentiment and pragmatism that means that even very Reformed men - men of great quality - are so attatched to them.

I suppose such men look upon it as a cultural matter of no great spiritual significance that such days are celebrated in one way or another but have no biblical warrant.

I suppose we should be glad that there's only debate about two "holy days" in the year in the Reformed Church.

 

[StrictBaptist]

It was a pagan Holiday celbrated by Herod and his pagan worshipping people.

Claiming that doesn't make it so.

According to my bible "Easter" as it is shown in the KJV, and "passover" in others, is not the same day of the resurrection, follow the days and you will see. Easter in the KJV is too many days after passover to be the resurection day...


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[Backwoods Presbyterian]

The #1 argument I usually hear is "it is a good teaching tool".

 

[Herald]

in my opinion, there's something not quite right about refusing in one's own heart to acknowledge the specialness of the historic day that the Resurrection actually happened.

Since that day always falls on a Sunday, is that Sunday (the Lord's Day) more special than the other fifty one throughout the year? That's really the question.

 

[NB3K]

Easter & Christmas were outlawed by the New England Puritans for a long time! I think it was in the mid-1800's when it was legally allowed by law! I think these two "holidays" are nothing short of Idol worship. Besides the birth & the death of our Lord's human life is something we are to celebrate EVERYDAY! Just like the Sabbath! It's not just one day that belongs to God, but EVERYDAY is HIS.

 

[INsearch]

nothing short of Idol worship.

Interesting...Idol worship of Christs birth and resurrection.......what?

Personally our resurrection sunday service was very good. I think it kinda bothers me that so many just want to downplay Easter. Yes, EVERY Lords day should be used to celebrate Christs resurrection ect, but not every Sunday is specifically focused on that is it? I'm not sure how all your churches do it, but every sunday is a different sermon, not every sermon deals specifically with the resurrection. Easter is simply an especially focused day on the resurrection, and I don't see anything wrong with that.