Questions You Have Asked About Easter
Matt. 15:7-14
Discuss text.
We want to be careful to never replace God’s word with man-made traditions.
Because of not wanting to disobey God, there are questions that arise this time of year concerning Easter.
Some of you have asked me directly, others may have had similar questions but have not asked, but I thought it would be profitable this evening to answer some of these questions.
It is hope that discussing these questions will educate and be profitable to all.
What is Easter?
A. Roman Catholics and most Protestants celebrate today as a holy day.
1. Its purpose is to celebrate the resurrection of Christ.
2. Jesus was crucified on the Friday of the Passover then raised the following Sunday (close to actual date as oppose to Christmas and the date of Christ’s birth).
B. The truth is, however, that the apostles gave no instructions regarding any annual holy day in recognition of the resurrection.
1. They taught instead that every first of every week is the occasion to remember the Lord’s death and resurrection.
2. Have you ever thought why we meet on Sunday (Rev. 1:10)?
C. It was not celebrated as a holy day in the early church.
1. Even during the early history of the United States, Easter was not widely celebrated except in heavily Catholic sections.
2. Its prominence among Protestants has grown as they have tended toward greater concern for ritual and tradition in the place of biblical authority.
Where does the word "Easter" come from?
D. The word itself came from the name of a pagan spring festival named for the Anglo-Saxon goddess Eastre.
E. It appears the name was used to help make the transition easier from the pagan celebration of the "resurrection" of spring to a celebration of the resurrection of our Lord.
F. The word has no biblical significance whatsoever although strangely the KJV mistranslates the word for Passover in Acts 12:4 to Easter.
1. This error is corrected in the NKJV and in all other standard translations.
2. Pascal – Passover (found 29 times).
3. Verse 3 – "The days of unleavened bread."
What are Palm Sunday and Good Friday?
G. Information is provided in the New Testament regarding what took place each day of the week of the crucifixion except Wednesday the fourth day.
1. It was on the Sunday before the cross that the people cut the branches of palm trees and put them in Jesus’ path as He triumphantly rode into Jerusalem. Thus named "Palm Sunday."
2. "Good Friday" is the name that has been given for the day of crucifixion.
3. There is also those who celebrate "Maundy Thursday" which recalls the day of the Last supper.
a. Catholics have elaborate rituals for this day.
b. Some protestant groups have their communion service or the Lord’s Supper this day.
H. The practice of the New Testament church was and still is to commemorate the death and resurrection of Jesus every Lord’s day (The celebration of "Holy Week" and the traditions that have evolved around them are not authorized in the word of God.).
What is lent?
I. The word actually comes from a word meaning springtime, but it is applied in the religious world to forty weekdays of fasting and prayer before the day of Easter.
1. During this time it is expected that one will give up something as a sign of penitence.
2. The forty days of Lent are supposed to be based on the forty days Jesus was in the wilderness (Mt. 4:1-11).
a. It is interesting that Jesus forty days in the wilderness took place immediately following His baptism and has no connection with His death or resurrection.
b. Fasting by Christians is appropriate but there is no New Testament command for it and there are certainly no commands for a Holy season or duration of fasting
J. It begins on "Ash Wednesday" which is the seventh Wednesday before Easter.
1. "Ash Wednesday" is so named because of the custom of putting some ash on the forehead as a symbol of death and sorrow for sin.
2. These ashes are supposed to come from the palm tree branches, which are blessed and then burned on Palm Sunday.
a. During the burning of the branches the priest wears a vestment of purple to symbolize mourning.
b. This is the reason behind the purple cloths that are sometime draped on crosses during Easter season.
What about color eggs, Easter bunnies, and lilies?
K. We hardly need to explain that these are folk customs that have no connection with Christianity.
1. Their origins are in ancient pagan celebrations.
2. In pagan culture eggs and rabbits were symbols of fertility.
3. A few churches have adopted the ridiculous practice of blessing or consecrating colored eggs but for the most part both the eggs and the bunnies are no more than harmless children’s games.
L. There are some fabricated myths to give colored eggs spiritual significance. (Shows how when the door to manmade traditions is open in religion others will follow.)
1. There are those who claim that Simon of Cyrene was an egg merchant who was on his way to sell his eggs, when the soldiers compelled him to carry the cross.
a. It is said he hid the eggs before carrying the cross. No one tells how he did this in the presence of th4 soldiers and the other bystanders while they were compelling him to carry the cross.
b. But the myth continues that when he came back and found the eggs he had hidden they were all different colors with each color representing an aspect of Christianity.
c. The Bible, of course, says nothing of Simon having eggs colored or plain.
2. Another popular myth is that the blossom of the dogwood tree has a symbol of the cross.
a. It is explained that this tree once had a large straight trunk and this was the wood used to make the cross.
b. Because its timber was used to crucify Jesus, the tree was cursed and is now a small twisted tree. Such stories are simply fairy tales and have no biblical basis.
3. Lilies are used as a symbol of Easter because it is said that their shape resembles a trumpet, which heralds the resurrection of Christ. Lilies are mentioned in the Bible, but never in this connection.
Is it wrong to celebrate Easter?
M. The creation of holy days not authorized in God’s word is a sin.
N. God has appointed the Lord’s Day, the first day of every week.
1. If other days were needed or were spiritually advantageous, He would have told us.
2. It is always wrong to add to God’s plan (Deut. 4:2; Gal. 3:15).
3. Matt. 15:6-9
4. Gal. 4:10
O. The coloring and hiding of eggs, decorations, special candies and Easter bunny fantasies are harmless if used for children’s entertainment and not given a religious connotation.
1. There is a difference between religious traditions and cultural customs.
2. As long as we make the proper distinctions, Easter eggs are as innocent as a necktie.
James David Pharr
Lenoir, NC