See list of scriptures to use at Easter List .
Starter Questions
Before diving in to what Easter is all about, first think about these questions:
- Where did the eggs and rabbits come from? Do rabbits even lay eggs? How does that even relate to the resurrection?
- How do you get 3 Days and 3 Nights from Friday Evening to Sunday Morning?
- In Acts 12, why is the word Pascha ( Passover ) replaced with the word Easter?
- Where does the word Easter originate? What is its etymology?
- Why is it tradition to eat ham for Easter when God calls swine an abomination? Does God change?
”Easter” in the Bible
Acts 12 contains the only reference of “Easter” in the KJV bible. In other translations, the word for “Easter” here is actually correctly written as “Passover”.
3 And because he saw it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also. (Then were the days of unleavened bread.)
4 And when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him; intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people.
Through the Strong’s Concordance, we can actually see that this word is supposed to be Passover.
Easter G3957
πάσχα páscha, pas’-khah; of Chaldee origin (compare H6453); the Passover (the meal, the day, the festival or the special sacrifices connected with it):—Easter, Passover.
Whatever holiday this is, it is supposed to come right before the feast of unleavened bread. The only option this could be is Passover. Let’s check some other translations to see what they correctly change this word of “Easter” to.
Acts 12:4 (NIV) After arresting him, he put him in prison, handing him over to be guarded by four squads of four soldiers each. Herod intended to bring him out for public trial after the Passover.
Acts 12:4 (NKJV) So when he had arrested him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four squads of soldiers to keep him, intending to bring him before the people after Passover.
Acts 12:4 (ESV) And when he had seized him, he put him in prison, delivering him over to four squads of soldiers to guard him, intending after the Passover to bring him out to the people.
Every other translation says “Passover,” but only the KJV says “Easter”. So, if “Easter” is never mentioned in the Bible, where did it really come from?
Pagan Origins
The easiest and simpliest way to determine the origins of Easter is a search on where the word originated from. This is from Online Etymology Dictionary:
Old English Easterdæg, from Eastre (Northumbrian Eostre), from Proto-Germanic austron-, “dawn,” also the name of a goddess of fertility and spring, perhaps originally of sunrise, whose feast was celebrated at the spring equinox, from aust- “east, toward the sunrise” (compare east), from PIE root *aus- (1) “to shine,” especially of the dawn.
Bede says Anglo-Saxon Christians adopted her name and many of the celebratory practices for their Mass of Christ’s resurrection. Almost all neighboring languages use a variant of Latin Pascha to name this holiday (see paschal).
If this name was adopted, that means it was adopted from pagans — the same pagans that worshipped the fertility goddess.
From History.com:
Eggs have long symbolized life, renewal and rebirth across many ancient cultures, appearing in creation myths—including the concept of the “cosmic egg” from which the universe emerges—and were established symbols of fertility and birth in pre-Christian pagan traditions. Egg decorating may have become part of the Easter celebration in a nod to the religious significance of Easter, i.e., Jesus’ resurrection or re-birth.
More on why Easter has eggs, from Britannica:
The egg was a widely used premodern and pre-Christian symbol of fertility and restoration. European “Pagans” (a term used to refer to people who practiced a variety of non-Christian traditions) viewed eggs as a symbol of the regeneration that comes with springtime. Early Christians borrowed this image and applied it not to the regeneration of the earth but rather to Jesus Christ. This was also extended to the new life of the faithful followers of Christ.
So, just like the pagan goddess, the eggs were used to represent fertilty.
Don’t Learn the Heathen Ways
30 Take heed to thyself that thou be not snared by following them, after that they be destroyed from before thee; and that thou enquire not after their gods, saying, How did these nations serve their gods? even so will I do likewise.
31 Thou shalt not do so unto the Lord thy God: for every abomination to the Lord, which he hateth, have they done unto their gods; for even their sons and their daughters they have burnt in the fire to their gods.
32 What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it.
Some may think that it’s okay to “Christianize” things, but we just read in Deuteronomy 12 that God is not okay with that. God doesn’t want you to even ask questions about how the heathen nations served their gods because Yehovah knows you will be tempted. Later, through Jeremiah, God prophesies about worship of heathen gods today — even through the Christmas tree.
1 Hear ye the word which the Lord speaketh unto you, O house of Israel:
2 Thus saith the Lord, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them.
3 For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe.
4 They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not.
5 They are upright as the palm tree, but speak not: they must needs be borne, because they cannot go. Be not afraid of them; for they cannot do evil, neither also is it in them to do good.
The result of doing these idols is that they make you become deaf, dumb, and blind.
Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy, and for thy truth’s sake.
2 Wherefore should the heathen say, Where is now their God?
3 But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased.
4 Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men’s hands.
5 They have mouths, but they speak not: eyes have they, but they see not:
6 They have ears, but they hear not: noses have they, but they smell not:
7 They have hands, but they handle not: feet have they, but they walk not: neither speak they through their throat.
8 They that make them are like unto them; so is every one that trusteth in them.
15 The idols of the heathen are silver and gold, the work of men’s hands.
16 They have mouths, but they speak not; eyes have they, but they see not;
17 They have ears, but they hear not; neither is there any breath in their mouths.
18 They that make them are like unto them: so is every one that trusteth in them.
This means that even if you didn’t physically make a cross, crucifix, christmas tree, etc., you are still held just as accountable as those that made them.
Matthew 28:1-6 (Mary was rebuked by the angel for coming on the 4th day, Sunday, since Yeshua rose on the Sabbath)
Jeremiah 7:18 (breaking sabbath to bake hot cross buns for Ishtar/Easter, the fertility goddess)
Jeremiah 44:17-25 (worshipping Ishtar and the people are blind of their idolatry)
Hosea 3:1 (flagons of wine = raisin cakes)
Acts 19:23-37 (the whole world was worshipping the Easter/Diana/Ishtar fertility goddess)
3 John 1:7 (take nothing of the gentiles)
Revelation 22:14-15 (practicing lies causes you to go to hell)
Mark 7, Matthew 15 (traditions of men that break God’s commandments)
John 4:23-24 (worship in truth)
Ezekiel 8:13-18 (sun worship and lent)