Question: "What is Easter Sunday?"
Answer:There is a lot of confusion regarding what Easter Sunday is all about. For some, Easter Sunday is about the Easter Bunny, colorfully decorated Easter eggs, and Easter egg hunts. Most people understand that Easter Sunday has something to do with the resurrection of Jesus, but are confused as to how the resurrection is related to the Easter eggs and the Easter bunny.
Biblically speaking, there is absolutely no connection between the resurrection of Jesus Christ and the common modern traditions related to Easter Sunday. As a background, please read our article on theorigins of Easter. Essentially, what occurred is that in order to make Christianity more attractive to non-Christians, the ancient Roman Catholic Church mixed the celebration of Jesus' resurrection with celebrations that involved spring fertility rituals. These spring fertility rituals are the source of the egg and bunny traditions.
The Bible makes it clear that Jesus was resurrected on the first day of the week, Sunday (Matthew 28:1;Mark 16:2,9;Luke 24:1;John 20:1,19). Jesus' resurrection is most worthy of being celebrated (see1 Corinthians 15). While it is appropriate for Jesus' resurrection to be celebrated on a Sunday, the day on which Jesus' resurrection is celebrated should not be referred to as Easter. Easter has nothing to do with Jesus' resurrection on a Sunday.
As a result, many Christians feel strongly that the day on which we celebrate Jesus' resurrection should not be referred to as "Easter Sunday." Rather, something like "Resurrection Sunday" would be far more appropriate and biblical. For the Christian, it is unthinkable that we would allow the silliness of Easter eggs and the Easter bunny to be the focus of the day instead of Jesus' resurrection.
By all means, celebrate Christ's resurrection on Easter Sunday. Christ's resurrection is something that should be celebrated every day, not just once a year. At the same time, if we choose to celebrate Easter Sunday, we should not allow the fun and games to distract our attention from what the day should truly be all about—the fact that Jesus was resurrected from the dead, and that His resurrection demonstrates that we can indeed be promised an eternal home in Heaven by receiving Jesus as our Savior.
What is the Real Meaning of Easter?
For the first three centuries, the Church celebrated the real meaning of Easter in connection with the Jewish Passover. The Passover began on the evening of the full moon in the Jewish month of Nisan, which coincided with the Spring Equinox.
As the crucifixion occurred on the first day of the feast, early Christians found a scriptural correlation between Jesus and the sacrificial lamb. The Apostle Paul refers to this in his first letter to the Corinthian Church where he states: "For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. Therefore let us keep the Festival, not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth." (1 Corinthians 5:7-8) The flexibility of Passover allowed the early Church to celebrate Christ's resurrection any day of the week on which the third day of the festival happened to fall.
As the Western Church began to emerge, its celebration of Easter coincided with the first Sunday after the first full moon of spring, which caused some contention with the Eastern Church. The matter came to the attention of the Emperor Constantine, who convened the Council of Nicaea in AD 325. The council ruled that all churches would celebrate Easter on the first Sunday after the first full moon of the Spring Equinox. This became the standard for the Church under the Julian calendar until 1582, when Pope Gregory XIII revised the calendar and the Easter tables by adding the leap-year rule.
What are Easter and the Resurrection?
The name "Easter" did not become associated with the resurrection of Christ until the second century. It most likely comes from the ancient Saxon spring festival called Ostern. Some Easter customs also originate from ancient spring festivals. The tradition of the Easter Bunny has its origins with the Saxons, who would adorn their villages with rabbits carved from wood. The giving of brightly colored eggs was a custom in the Middle East during the spring. In many cultures, the egg symbolized rebirth or renewal.
Easter is a time of rejoicing for Christians. The Roman Catholic, Anglican and Greek Orthodox Churches commemorate the resurrection of Christ with the Easter Mass, which includes special prayers, litanies, psalms and hymns. In some Churches throughout Spain, Easter customs include special processions to honor the Virgin Mary. Protestant Churches have Easter services that include Communion, special sermons and sometimes Easter plays. Many Evangelical Churches have sunrise services that include much singing and rejoicing.
The purest meaning of Easter is the celebration of the resurrection or rising of Christ to heaven, which is the foundation of Christianity. Easter Sunday reminds all Christians of their heavenly calling and of the open door for relationship with God through Jesus, His Son.
Answer:There is a lot of confusion regarding what Easter Sunday is all about. For some, Easter Sunday is about the Easter Bunny, colorfully decorated Easter eggs, and Easter egg hunts. Most people understand that Easter Sunday has something to do with the resurrection of Jesus, but are confused as to how the resurrection is related to the Easter eggs and the Easter bunny.
Biblically speaking, there is absolutely no connection between the resurrection of Jesus Christ and the common modern traditions related to Easter Sunday. As a background, please read our article on theorigins of Easter. Essentially, what occurred is that in order to make Christianity more attractive to non-Christians, the ancient Roman Catholic Church mixed the celebration of Jesus' resurrection with celebrations that involved spring fertility rituals. These spring fertility rituals are the source of the egg and bunny traditions.
The Bible makes it clear that Jesus was resurrected on the first day of the week, Sunday (Matthew 28:1;Mark 16:2,9;Luke 24:1;John 20:1,19). Jesus' resurrection is most worthy of being celebrated (see1 Corinthians 15). While it is appropriate for Jesus' resurrection to be celebrated on a Sunday, the day on which Jesus' resurrection is celebrated should not be referred to as Easter. Easter has nothing to do with Jesus' resurrection on a Sunday.
As a result, many Christians feel strongly that the day on which we celebrate Jesus' resurrection should not be referred to as "Easter Sunday." Rather, something like "Resurrection Sunday" would be far more appropriate and biblical. For the Christian, it is unthinkable that we would allow the silliness of Easter eggs and the Easter bunny to be the focus of the day instead of Jesus' resurrection.
By all means, celebrate Christ's resurrection on Easter Sunday. Christ's resurrection is something that should be celebrated every day, not just once a year. At the same time, if we choose to celebrate Easter Sunday, we should not allow the fun and games to distract our attention from what the day should truly be all about—the fact that Jesus was resurrected from the dead, and that His resurrection demonstrates that we can indeed be promised an eternal home in Heaven by receiving Jesus as our Savior.
What is the Real Meaning of Easter?
For the first three centuries, the Church celebrated the real meaning of Easter in connection with the Jewish Passover. The Passover began on the evening of the full moon in the Jewish month of Nisan, which coincided with the Spring Equinox.
As the crucifixion occurred on the first day of the feast, early Christians found a scriptural correlation between Jesus and the sacrificial lamb. The Apostle Paul refers to this in his first letter to the Corinthian Church where he states: "For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. Therefore let us keep the Festival, not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth." (1 Corinthians 5:7-8) The flexibility of Passover allowed the early Church to celebrate Christ's resurrection any day of the week on which the third day of the festival happened to fall.
As the Western Church began to emerge, its celebration of Easter coincided with the first Sunday after the first full moon of spring, which caused some contention with the Eastern Church. The matter came to the attention of the Emperor Constantine, who convened the Council of Nicaea in AD 325. The council ruled that all churches would celebrate Easter on the first Sunday after the first full moon of the Spring Equinox. This became the standard for the Church under the Julian calendar until 1582, when Pope Gregory XIII revised the calendar and the Easter tables by adding the leap-year rule.
What are Easter and the Resurrection?
The name "Easter" did not become associated with the resurrection of Christ until the second century. It most likely comes from the ancient Saxon spring festival called Ostern. Some Easter customs also originate from ancient spring festivals. The tradition of the Easter Bunny has its origins with the Saxons, who would adorn their villages with rabbits carved from wood. The giving of brightly colored eggs was a custom in the Middle East during the spring. In many cultures, the egg symbolized rebirth or renewal.
Easter is a time of rejoicing for Christians. The Roman Catholic, Anglican and Greek Orthodox Churches commemorate the resurrection of Christ with the Easter Mass, which includes special prayers, litanies, psalms and hymns. In some Churches throughout Spain, Easter customs include special processions to honor the Virgin Mary. Protestant Churches have Easter services that include Communion, special sermons and sometimes Easter plays. Many Evangelical Churches have sunrise services that include much singing and rejoicing.
The purest meaning of Easter is the celebration of the resurrection or rising of Christ to heaven, which is the foundation of Christianity. Easter Sunday reminds all Christians of their heavenly calling and of the open door for relationship with God through Jesus, His Son.
Easter Sunday
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