Easter or Passover?

Fri Apr 5, 2013

Editor: It is certainly a peculiar phenomenon to observe how nominal Christianity has substituted other “holy” days for those which are legislated in the Scriptures.{{more}}

Sometime during the centuries intervening between the Apostolic era and our contemporary age, it is obvious that the True Worship which was founded by the Messiah was changed. During this spring season, most of the citizens of our nation will be busily preparing for the observance of “Good Friday” and Easter as opposed to the scriptural Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread. If indeed we are Bible believers, we should be keeping Yahweh’s Passover instead if the ancient pagan spring festival of Easter. It is very clear from the Bible that the death of Yahshua the Messiah occurred in connection with the Passover. [Matthew 26:2]. Yahshua and His disciples observed the Passover. [Matthew 26: 19-20, Mark 14:16-17 and Luke 22: 13-16]

If we examine a concordance to locate the word “Easter” in the Bible we will learn that it is found only one time in Acts 12: 4. A close examination of the Greek text yields the fact that the word “Easter” is not found there! Neither is it found in the Aramaic New Testament. Both texts read “pascha,” which is derived from the Hebrew word “pesach”. It means Passover.

History reveals that every one of the primitive Apostolic sects kept the Passover rather than the spring holy days which are currently observed by nominal Christianity. It was only after corruption had set in that Good Friday and Easter were substituted for the observance of the Passover and Days of Unleavened Bread. [Please read Eusebius’ Ecclesiastical History, chapter XXIV, P 208]

By checking various scholarly material, you will learn that the word Easter did not originate in the True Worship, but from paganism. The Inspired Scriptures show that in the spring of the year is the Passover of Yahweh. [Deut 16: 1] When the people of the nations came into the Truth, they associated the resurrection of the Messiah in the spring at Passover time with the spring festival common to paganism. This spring festival was called “Easter,” which is derived from “Eastre” — the Anglo-Saxon “dawn goddess”!

So, at this time of the year, where shall we put our spiritual emphasis? Should it be “Lent”, “Easter Sunrise Service”, “Easter Parades”, “Easter Rabbits and Eggs”, “Hot Cross Buns”, or “Steamed Sweet Potatoes and Mackerel”? By all means NO! Our meditation should be on the broken body and shed blood (Passover Memorial Enblems) of Yahshua our great Messiah. In I Corinthians 5: 6-8, we will find these words: “Your glorying is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump?

Purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, even as you are unleavened. For our Passover also has been sacrificed, even the Messiah: therefore let us keep the Feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.” Let us always strive to rid ourselves of all that is leavened (spiritually — sin, hypocrisy and false-teaching) and let us free ourselves of all vestiges of paganism.

Ulrick Sutherland
Assemblies of Yahweh
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