This is part 2 of the Celebration of Easter article.
Let us consider some examples where Easter approximates/overlaps the Mosaic Passover period. For example, in 2019 Easter Sunday is April 21 and the Mosaic Passover period is April 19-27. In 2020, Easter Sunday is April 12 and the Mosaic Passover period is April 8-16. In 2021, Easter Sunday is April 4 and the Mosaic Passover period is March 27-April 4.
Eastertime is sometimes used to refer to the multiplicity of celebratory days (e.g., Palm Sunday, Good Friday) surrounding Easter Sunday.
For some, this Eastertime period begins on the Sunday prior to Easter Sunday, forming a seven-day feast/celebration period similar to but not the same as the seven day feast of unleavened bread. One major difference is that the celebration ends on Easter Sunday instead of the celebration beginning on Passover Day.
Some like the Catholics extend the celebration for some weeks after Easter Sunday. A quote from the USA Conference of Catholic Bishops (USACCB) website follows:
“Easter is the celebration of the Lord’s resurrection from the dead, culminating in his Ascension to the Father and sending of the Holy Spirit upon the Church. There are 50 days of Easter from the first Sunday to Pentecost. It is characterized, above all, by the joy of glorified life and the victory over death, expressed most fully in the great resounding cry of the Christian: Alleluia! All faith flows from faith in the resurrection: “If Christ has not been raised, then empty is our preaching; empty, too, is your faith.” (I Corinthians 15:14)”
USCCB also says:
“The word “Easter” comes from Old English, meaning simply the “East.” The sun which rises in the East, bringing light, warmth and hope, is a symbol for the Christian of the rising Christ, who is the true Light of the world.”
Eastertime is the time frame in which the worldwide body of Christ celebrate in special ways the events surrounding the crucifixion, blood shedding, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. That Jesus Christ through whom crucifixion including shed blood we have forgiveness of sins, redemption, and salvation unto eternal life similar to way the lamb was slain and his blood was the key to the death angel passing over the Israelites (Exodus 12:1-14; I Corinthians 5:7-8; John 1:29).
Of course, there are some traditions that have arisen that commercialize and take away from the purpose of the celebration; some of which should be discarded. Yet, the existence of improper elements of the celebration does not invalidate proper celebration any more than someone showing up drunk and acting up at a family reunion invalidates the family reunion.
Some begin this celebration with Good Friday on the Friday prior to Easter Sunday to celebrate the death and burial of Jesus. Some even begin the celebration prior to Good Friday with such practices as Palm Sunday, Lent, etc. The idea of the Easter period is to celebrate the crucifixion death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus.
One might view the period Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday as the period defining Christ as the Christian Passover (I Corinthians 5:7-8) corresponding to the Mosaic Passover defined by the arrival of the lamb, its slaughter, blood application, and exit from Egypt to new life. In this sense Easter Sunday represents the Christians exit from Satan’s grip unto the eternal life in Christ Jesus.
The following describes the Catholic tradition regarding events surrounding Easter Sunday as Catholics seemingly have the extensive celebrations surrounding Easter Sunday. These events begin on Ash Wednesday and ends on Pentecost Sunday. These events span a period of time that approximates 100 days depending on the year. For example for 2020 Ash Wednesday begins on February 26 and Pentecost Sunday is on May 31 for a total of 95 days.
Key Events are outlined below:
Ash Wednesday (Approximately 40 Days Before Easter Sunday)
Lent (Ash Wednesday to Easter Sunday)
Palm Sunday (Sunday Before Easter Sunday)
Holy Week (Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday)
Holy/Maundy Thursday (Thursday Before Easter Sunday)
Good Friday (Friday Before Easter)
Easter Sunday
(All Weekdays from here until Pentecost are now called Easter Weekdays)
2nd – 6th Sunday of Easter (5 Sundays After Easter Sunday)
The Ascension of Christ
Pentecost Sunday (Approximately 50 Days after Easter Sunday)
Ash Wednesday – remembrance that all have sinned, need for contrition and repentance, and are dust to which we shall return.
Lent – a period of prayer, fasting from food and festivities, and other self denial to include giving of one’s time, talent, and treasures especially to the have-nots. It lasts approximately 40 days.
Palm Sunday – Celebrates Jesus entrance into Jerusalem right before his arrest and crucifixion.
Maundy Thursday – Celebrates Christ last meal, his washing of his disciples feet, and his command to his disciples to love one another.
Good Friday – Time of Christ crucifixion, death, and shedding of blood.
Easter Sunday
Protestants generally focus on Easter Sunday only with some including focus on Palm Sunday and Good Friday.
Indeed the Christian Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday period generally overlaps the Mosaic Passover period. For example consider years 2019-2021 as shown below:
2019: Passover: April 19-27; Palm Sunday: April 14; Easter: April 21
2020: Passover: April 8-16; Palm Sunday: April 5; Easter: April 12
2021: Passover: March 27 – April 4; Palm Sunday: March 28; Easter: April 4
It is appropriate though not binding to recognize and remember as part of the Easter celebration the Jews deliverance as memorialized in Exodus 12:13-14, 24.
The Bible does not give the exact date of Jesus death and resurrection in terms of our calendar. The exact date does not matter. When we celebrate does not matter so long as we come as close as possible to what the Bible says. What we call that celebration does not matter as long as we understand what the word Easter means to the Christian community.
For those who voice opposition to the Easter celebration, I generally pose the following questions to them and tailor my response to their answer.
1. Are you a Christian?
2. Do you consider yourself a biological Israelite or Gentile or claim neither due to uncertainty?
3. Is the word Easter, the event itself, the timing of the event, and/or some of the things some people do during the event problematic?
4. Do you recognize Christ as your Passover (the lamb, bread, and blood) superior to the Mosaic Passover?
5. Do you annually celebrate Christ as your Passover during the annual Mosaic Passover celebration?
6. If so, when do you so celebrate and do you as a matter of human preference use a name to distinguish Christ Passover (I Cor 5:7-8) from the Mosaic Passover?
See my article entitled The Words Easter and Passover for more information on the word Easter as translated in the KJV (Acts 12:4).
Reference:
To God Be the Glory!
