The word "Easter" derives from the same root as our word "east", referring to the shining of the dawn. The pagans had a festival at Springtime. They invented a deity and named it after the same root word, because Spring was a time of shooting forth or shining forth. Eventually the month itself began to be named something similar to the name of their invented deity.
When the pagans became Christians, they began celebrating Christ's death instead - and seeing Christ's death - and the ancient Jewish Passover - happened at approximately the same time of the year (in Spring, approximately April), the name "Easter" came to refer to the time of Christ's death - or to the time of the ancient Passover.
I guess that's why the translators of King James' Version rendered the Greek word in Acts 12:4 as "Easter" rather than "the Passover" - because by 1611 the terms had come to represent a synonymous time of the year in English.
Easter and the Passover don't always coincide. Some say we should reject the word "Easter" and should remember Christ's death during the Passover.
But if we insist on rejecting the word "Easter", shouldn't we reject the word "east" as well? Both words derive from the same root.
The Apostles did not require the Gentiles to celebrate during the time of the Passover. Instead they celebrated the Lord's Table weekly.
They quoted Jesus' words at the Last Passover, in order to give instruction regarding the Lord's Table. Therefore we know the Apostles understood Jesus' words at the last Passover to mean that He was morphing the Passover into something new - a New Covenant - the Lord's Table - to be celebrated "as oft as ye drink it".
Jesus wasn't merely giving new significance to the Passover. He was morphing it into something called the Lord's Table, it was never called the Passover, and it was celebrated weekly, or as often as they drank it.
So we are not obligated to celebrate Christ's death at the time of the ancient Passover, nor at Easter.
We can if we wish to. But we're not obligated to.
That's our Gospel freedom!
When the pagans became Christians, they began celebrating Christ's death instead - and seeing Christ's death - and the ancient Jewish Passover - happened at approximately the same time of the year (in Spring, approximately April), the name "Easter" came to refer to the time of Christ's death - or to the time of the ancient Passover.
I guess that's why the translators of King James' Version rendered the Greek word in Acts 12:4 as "Easter" rather than "the Passover" - because by 1611 the terms had come to represent a synonymous time of the year in English.
Easter and the Passover don't always coincide. Some say we should reject the word "Easter" and should remember Christ's death during the Passover.
But if we insist on rejecting the word "Easter", shouldn't we reject the word "east" as well? Both words derive from the same root.
The Apostles did not require the Gentiles to celebrate during the time of the Passover. Instead they celebrated the Lord's Table weekly.
They quoted Jesus' words at the Last Passover, in order to give instruction regarding the Lord's Table. Therefore we know the Apostles understood Jesus' words at the last Passover to mean that He was morphing the Passover into something new - a New Covenant - the Lord's Table - to be celebrated "as oft as ye drink it".
Jesus wasn't merely giving new significance to the Passover. He was morphing it into something called the Lord's Table, it was never called the Passover, and it was celebrated weekly, or as often as they drank it.
So we are not obligated to celebrate Christ's death at the time of the ancient Passover, nor at Easter.
We can if we wish to. But we're not obligated to.
That's our Gospel freedom!
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