Post by estes on Apr 4, 2010 15:24:54 GMT -5
Ok, I was doing a search on Easter in a Bible search engine that I like to use when I'm trying to find things quick. Upon searching the word "Easter" across several translations, it is use once and only once in the King James version of the Bible. In all the other translations except the American King James version, Passover is used instead of Easter. Why is this? Not to mention that the King James version adds some extra lines to the LORD's prayer (along with these versions: New American Standard Bible, American King James Version, Webster's Bible Translation, World English Bible, and Young's Literal Translation).
KJV: Acts 12:4 "And when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him; intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people."
KJV (and others translations mentioned) add this to the LORD's prayer: Matthew 6:13 "And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen"
Now I will say this, I do not understand Hebrew or any other language the original Bible may have been written in, so I don't know what it says ORIGINALLY, but I'm going to assume these things were added considering so many other versions do not have these lines printed in them anywhere.
Also, who's idea was it to pick and choose which books were translated from the Bible? (I heard it was the Council of Nicea) But I don't want want to go pointing the finger in error.
Also the origins of Easter are very PAGAN! I came across this post www.minuteswithmessiah.com/question/easter.html
I'm going to post it here for those of you who like the convenience of having it here in the same post.
What Does the Bible Say About..Easter?
Why do Christians celebrate Easter? The Easter bunny and colored eggs are all based on pagan rituals. Why has it gotten confused with the Resurrection of Jesus?
If Jesus was supposed to have died on Good Friday then Sunday is not 3 days.
So many pagan rituals have been introduced into the church and people believe that they are Christian. The Holy Spirit keeps impressing upon me that we must worship him in spirit and in truth.
Please explain about the Sunrise services a lot of churches have also.
Answer
You raise some very valid questions. We should worship "in spirit and in truth," and so we should examine our practices, all our practices, to see if they are done that way.
You ask why Christians celebrate Easter. You may be surprised to find that there are many who do not celebrate Easter as a particular, religious holiday. Many congregations of what are known as the churches of Christ and some other Christian groups object to celebrating Easter any differently than any other Sunday. It is their contention that they celebrate the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ every Sunday in the weekly observance of the Lord's Supper and do not need a special Sunday to celebrate those events. Some particularly object to Easter as it falls on the calendar because the Catholic Church specifically designated Easter so it would not fall during or near Passover in most years. (2002 is an exception.) The Orthodox Church celebrates Easter on an even different Sunday than do the Catholics and most Protestant groups that grew out of the Catholic tradition. So while some Christians choose one special day to remember the resurrection of Christ others do so every week.
The Easter bunny and Easter eggs may have their origin in pagan, or at least non-Christian, rituals. As you point out, so do many other things in modern Christian practice. This would include most Christmas customs including the date thereof, many wedding customs including the honeymoon, and even saying "bless you" when someone sneezes. The Easter bunny and Easter eggs have become a part of the celebration because they represent the rebirth of spring, a time in which Jesus was resurrected to a renewal of life. As I said in answer to another question (www.minuteswithmessiah.com/question/windchimes.html) most people don't even know of these origins, so the practice itself would only be objectionable if they knew, and insisted on doing it for its original religious reasons. If the customs are followed as customs and not as religious practices then the Bible says nothing to forbid them. In fact it specifically forbids people from judging others based on such customs. "Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days." (Col 2:16)
You say that "Good Friday" to Sunday is not three days. Some people say Jesus was crucified on Thursday rather than Friday. Even if it was on Friday, though, in the Jewish counting of time it would be three days. To the Jew any part of a day counted as a whole day. Thus the crucifixion counts as one day, the Saturday a second, and the part of Sunday (which started at sundown Saturday) in which Jesus was in the grave would be the third day. "From that time forth began Jesus to show unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day." (Matt 16:21) If he was to be raised "on" the third day that would be any time on Sunday.
Finally, you ask about sunrise services on Easter. I suspect that many churches began the practice because it was about sunrise that the women came to the tomb and found that Jesus' resurrection had occurred. "The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre." (Jn 20:1) "Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared." (Lk 24:1) "In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre." (Matt 28:1) Since they came and found the empty tomb at about sunrise, many churches find that an appropriate time to remember or reenact the scene that gives them hope of their own resurrection.
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I find this to be wrong for the simple fact that the Bible tells us that we should not take into practice the way the heathen serve their gods and do the same unto our GOD because it is an abomination. Deuteronomy 12:30-32 "and after they have been destroyed before you, be careful not to be ensnared by inquiring about their gods, saying, “How do these nations serve their gods? We will do the same.” You must not worship the Lord your God in their way, because in worshiping their gods, they do all kinds of detestable things the Lord hates. They even burn their sons and daughters in the fire as sacrifices to their gods. See that you do all I command you; do not add to it or take away from it."
As always, I don't like being wrong and I'm open to correction. Please help me out here.
Thanks in advance.
KJV: Acts 12:4 "And when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him; intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people."
KJV (and others translations mentioned) add this to the LORD's prayer: Matthew 6:13 "And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen"
Now I will say this, I do not understand Hebrew or any other language the original Bible may have been written in, so I don't know what it says ORIGINALLY, but I'm going to assume these things were added considering so many other versions do not have these lines printed in them anywhere.
Also, who's idea was it to pick and choose which books were translated from the Bible? (I heard it was the Council of Nicea) But I don't want want to go pointing the finger in error.
Also the origins of Easter are very PAGAN! I came across this post www.minuteswithmessiah.com/question/easter.html
I'm going to post it here for those of you who like the convenience of having it here in the same post.
What Does the Bible Say About..Easter?
Why do Christians celebrate Easter? The Easter bunny and colored eggs are all based on pagan rituals. Why has it gotten confused with the Resurrection of Jesus?
If Jesus was supposed to have died on Good Friday then Sunday is not 3 days.
So many pagan rituals have been introduced into the church and people believe that they are Christian. The Holy Spirit keeps impressing upon me that we must worship him in spirit and in truth.
Please explain about the Sunrise services a lot of churches have also.
Answer
You raise some very valid questions. We should worship "in spirit and in truth," and so we should examine our practices, all our practices, to see if they are done that way.
You ask why Christians celebrate Easter. You may be surprised to find that there are many who do not celebrate Easter as a particular, religious holiday. Many congregations of what are known as the churches of Christ and some other Christian groups object to celebrating Easter any differently than any other Sunday. It is their contention that they celebrate the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ every Sunday in the weekly observance of the Lord's Supper and do not need a special Sunday to celebrate those events. Some particularly object to Easter as it falls on the calendar because the Catholic Church specifically designated Easter so it would not fall during or near Passover in most years. (2002 is an exception.) The Orthodox Church celebrates Easter on an even different Sunday than do the Catholics and most Protestant groups that grew out of the Catholic tradition. So while some Christians choose one special day to remember the resurrection of Christ others do so every week.
The Easter bunny and Easter eggs may have their origin in pagan, or at least non-Christian, rituals. As you point out, so do many other things in modern Christian practice. This would include most Christmas customs including the date thereof, many wedding customs including the honeymoon, and even saying "bless you" when someone sneezes. The Easter bunny and Easter eggs have become a part of the celebration because they represent the rebirth of spring, a time in which Jesus was resurrected to a renewal of life. As I said in answer to another question (www.minuteswithmessiah.com/question/windchimes.html) most people don't even know of these origins, so the practice itself would only be objectionable if they knew, and insisted on doing it for its original religious reasons. If the customs are followed as customs and not as religious practices then the Bible says nothing to forbid them. In fact it specifically forbids people from judging others based on such customs. "Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days." (Col 2:16)
You say that "Good Friday" to Sunday is not three days. Some people say Jesus was crucified on Thursday rather than Friday. Even if it was on Friday, though, in the Jewish counting of time it would be three days. To the Jew any part of a day counted as a whole day. Thus the crucifixion counts as one day, the Saturday a second, and the part of Sunday (which started at sundown Saturday) in which Jesus was in the grave would be the third day. "From that time forth began Jesus to show unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day." (Matt 16:21) If he was to be raised "on" the third day that would be any time on Sunday.
Finally, you ask about sunrise services on Easter. I suspect that many churches began the practice because it was about sunrise that the women came to the tomb and found that Jesus' resurrection had occurred. "The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre." (Jn 20:1) "Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared." (Lk 24:1) "In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre." (Matt 28:1) Since they came and found the empty tomb at about sunrise, many churches find that an appropriate time to remember or reenact the scene that gives them hope of their own resurrection.
<-----------END----------->
I find this to be wrong for the simple fact that the Bible tells us that we should not take into practice the way the heathen serve their gods and do the same unto our GOD because it is an abomination. Deuteronomy 12:30-32 "and after they have been destroyed before you, be careful not to be ensnared by inquiring about their gods, saying, “How do these nations serve their gods? We will do the same.” You must not worship the Lord your God in their way, because in worshiping their gods, they do all kinds of detestable things the Lord hates. They even burn their sons and daughters in the fire as sacrifices to their gods. See that you do all I command you; do not add to it or take away from it."
As always, I don't like being wrong and I'm open to correction. Please help me out here.
Thanks in advance.