ARGUMENTATION FROM EASTER 001

We all know the period from Good Friday to Easter Monday is something special celebrated every year, but the word “Easter” has started to become a non-offensive way of covering what is really a Christian holiday.  It used to be clear that you were celebrating the central point of humankind – when Christ died for the wrongdoings of all and rose again to prove He really was God incarnate; now it isn’t so clear.  The mythical Easter Bunny in the west is supplanting the historical Jesus Christ.

Saying "Happy Easter" is not promoting a mostly-forgotten Mesopotamian goddess. The word "Easter" has Biblical origins, not pagan.  It’s an Anglo-Saxon word, sometimes known as Ester, not Babylonian as has been claimed. The genuine origin is from German.  The word Oster or Ostern was used for both Passover and the Christian remembrance of the resurrection. The word came into English from the first translation of the Bible into German (1545) where German words were used such as Osterfest (Passover/Easter), Osterlamm (Passover lamb).

People in other lands understand the meaning of Easter. In China the word "Easter" is fuhuojie, which literally means "again alive holiday" (or "the holiday of the resurrection") — even the name of the holiday retains the original meaning. In Brazil, Greece and Mexico, sometimes effigies of Judas Iscariot are burned to remember how he betrayed Christ.  In Poland, Easter Monday is called Wet Monday which is a concept that came from Christian baptism. 

Easter eggs too came from Christians.  While the idea of painting eggs has been around since painting began, the custom of the eggs during Easter came from Early Christians in Mesopotamia who reportedly stained eggs red in memory of the blood of Christ.  But sadly in Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the United States it’s become about chocolate instead of being about the true spirit of Easter, which is sacrifice this act is slowly gaining track in urban areas in Africa like Nairobi-Kenya although its deemed a western culture. 

The classic period of Lent brought about by Catholicism focuses more on the sacrifice aspect than the gorging oneself aspect of the holiday.  But people tend to forget that when they’re giving up meat, junk food or anything else for Lent, what they're doing is a mere shadow of the ULTIMATE sacrifice given to us by God.

When God gave Jesus – His Son and a very part of Himself — it was the greatest sacrifice of all time.  What could be the greatest sacrifice in human terms?  Would it be giving your own life?  Your child’s life? (Definitely not the trite affair of giving up meat products!)  When God let Jesus suffer our punishment it was a greater sacrifice than anything we can offer because Jesus was not any mere man.  He was faultless.  He is God Himself.

The bodily resurrection of Jesus from the dead is one of the best-attested facts of history. People have celebrated Easter in various forms for a very long time, and are celebrating this fact. Most of our great holidays are based on historical events, not myths.  Easter is historical.  Many scholars believe that Paul was citing a creed that predated his own conversion to Christ. This is contained in 1 Corinthians 15. 

There are ancient extra-biblical historical writings about the Christians believing Christ rose again. Some people disputed the authorship and the time that the Gospels were written. However, it is now known that the Gospels were written within a few years of the events that they recount. If there were false claims, people could have said, "We were there, and that did not happen". Jesus rose from the dead and appeared to many people, even five hundred at one time as documented in the creed.  As Dr Gary Habermas explained:  “Now, stop and think about it: you would never include this phrase unless you were absolutely confident that these folks would confirm that they really did see Jesus alive. I mean, Paul was virtually inviting people to check it out for themselves!”

Easter does not have pagan origins. Millions of Christians around the world and throughout Christian history celebrate it and have a joyous remembrance that "...Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. After that He appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom remain until now, but some have fallen asleep; then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles...” (1 Cor 15:3-7, NASB). 

He has risen indeed!