The Truth About Easter

As members of the church of Christ, WE DO NOT CELEBRATE EASTER as a religious holiday BECAUSE IT IS NOT AUTHORIZED BY GOD.

1. The word “Easter” does appear in the King James Version of the New Testament. (Acts 12:1-4)
   1. This is the only place in the English translation of the Bible that the word “Easter” appears.
   2. This same Greek word is used in Matthew 26:2; Mark 14:1 and many others passages and in every instance it is translated, “Passover.”
   3. The New English versions (NASV, NKJV) have the word “Passover” in Acts 12:4.
   4. The context shows that what was being done could not correspond to our modern-day Easter. Herod was not celebrating the resurrection of Christ, but was trying to please the Jews by persecuting Christians.

   The Britannica Encyclopedia (Fourteenth Edition, Vol. II, p. 859) says, “There is no indication of the observance of the Easter festival in the New Testament or in the writings of the apostolic fathers. The sanctity of the special time was an idea absent from the minds of the first Christians.”

2. If Easter did not come from the apostles and prophets, where did it come from?
   1. The American People’s Encyclopedia, Vol. 7, p. 486 says “Easter” is “derived from Eastra, a teutonic goddess of spring,” and “many of the popular observances of Easter are pagan in origin. Some may be traced to the feast of the goddess of Spring, Eastra. The Catholic church (Catholic, D.R.) endeavored to give Christian significance to such pagan rites as could not be rooted out…
   2. Externals of the Catholic Church, p. 205 says, “Instead of attempting to repress totally a practice which was misguided indeed, but which showed an instinctive reliance on higher powers, the Catholic Church in many instances took the religious customs with which the people were familiar and made these Christian customs.”
3. Many other similar quotes could be given. “Easter” came in the time of the dark ages when the Catholic Church adopted a pagan ritual and gave it a religious significance.
   1. Thus, the only authority one has for “Easter” is the Roman Catholic Church, just like Christmas, instrumental music in worship, baptizing infants, and many other things.
   2. The denominations have simply adopted Easter from the Roman Catholic Church.
   3. The church of Christ is NOT a denomination (which means divided). The ONE body of Christ (Eph. 4:4-5; Col. 1:18; Eph. 1:22-23) is not a division of any OTHER religious body.

WE ASK, “WHAT ABOUT THE SECULAR ASPECT OF EASTER?”

1. As in the case with Christmas, there are two aspects regarding the Easter holiday – the secular and the religious.
2. In many cases, the Christian must observe its secular aspects (no work on Good Friday, store closings, school closings, and the like)
3. As long as Christians place no religious significance on Easter, they may:
   1. Dye, hide, and look for eggs.
   2. Give gifts: chocolate bunnies, baskets of goodies, flowers, and the like.
   3. Visit with family and friends.
   4. Wear new clothes. There is nothing wrong with wearing new clothes to the assembly on “Easter” or any other Sunday. It becomes wrong when the assembly becomes a fashion show rather than a period of worship. When we begin to concentrate on how we and others look, it distracts us from proper worship.
   5. Remember, in any of these things, if we are doing them because it is Easter, because we want to celebrate the resurrection of Christ, it becomes wrong.
      1. Paul showed that eating meats which had been offered to an idol offered no problem. 1 Cor. 10:25-27
      2. However, when one ate the meat “as a thing offered to an idol,” it became sin. 1 Cor. 8:7

Final Points

1. Easter is a man-made holiday, both in the secular and religious aspects.
   1. The secular we can take or leave (eggs, chocolate, bunnies, etc.)
   2. However, the religious we must avoid because our soul’s salvation is dependent on doing exactly as the Lord directs.
      1. Remember Nadab and Abihu who did something which was not commanded.
      2. Remember the Scribes and Pharisees who added their own traditions.
2. Let us continue to celebrate and rejoice in the resurrection as we partake of the Lord’s Supper on every first day of the week as the Lord ordained.
   1. Let us continue to live in preparation for His coming, which His resurrection assures.
   2. May God be with us in our efforts to serve Him in truth and sincerity.