“Where do we find out about Easter in the Bible?” “What kind of Easter service are you having in your church this year?” Based on the truth of the Bible, one Sunday is no more special than any other throughout the year. Many have been led to believe that observing and celebrating one particular Sunday appointed by the authority of man is what is found in the Bible. They are surprised, and often in disagreement, when they learn that historically Easter was both unknown and unpracticed by those taught directly by the Lord Jesus Christ and guided into all the truth through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit (John 16:13; 2 Timothy 3:14-17). What this means is its origin is not from God; its authority is not from the Word of God – His revelation. Therefore, observance of Easter as a holy day, supposedly established by God, is incorrect. Setting aside a Sunday between March 21 and April 25 is without heaven’s approval (Galatians 4:10-11). To study God’s Word, trying to find such an idea commanded, is fruitless and vain. Setting aside this particular Sunday was first adopted by the Council of Nicaea in 325 AD. Where’s the authority of God in that? God’s revealed and inspired Truth is completely silent regarding Lent, Ash Wednesday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday or Easter. Theses observances were neither commanded by God nor practiced by early Christians. We must turn to another source other than the Bible to find these days, and that’s forbidden (Revelation 22:18-19).
How did the practice of Easter begin? It was the convergence of the Jewish Passover (celebrated in the spring of the year), the commemoration of the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ, and a pagan spring festival that fell on the vernal equinox on March 21. The merging of these became associated with the unauthorized festival of the resurrection which was celebrated at the time of the Passover. The term “Easter” was derived from the Anglo-Saxon eostre, the name of the goddess of spring. Sacrifices were offered in her honor at the time spring began. The Sunday to be used was not set until the 7th century. It was determined that the man-established observance would be the first Sunday after the first full moon following the first day of spring, which falls on March 21 each year. Easter Sunday may fall anywhere from March 21 to April 25, a period of 35 days. By the 8th century, the man-designated term came to be applied to the anniversary of the resurrection. It is a fact that the New Testament contains no reference (not even one) to a yearly celebration of the resurrection of Christ.
Someone may say, “You mean you don’t believe in and celebrate the resurrection of the Christ?” Yes, as a Bible-believing and practicing child of God, every Lord’s day (Sunday) I, along with fellow Christians, partake of the Lord’s Supper (Communion) (1 Corinthians 15:23-29; Acts 20:7), not celebrating our Lord’s resurrection but His sacrifice for us. We certainly DO believe in Jesus Christ, His virgin birth, life, death, burial and resurrection, but we will not change, skip over, neglect or compromise the legitimate scriptural teaching of precisely what God has given us to observe. No unauthorized and uninspired teaching or practice of men (Matthew 15:8-9) will be substituted in place of God’s truth. Our worship services will follow God’s commands – every week!
