EASTER
"Easter Sunday" is an annual
holiday celebrated by many. Millions of people commemorate the
resurrection of Jesus on this day. Many consider it as "the most
holy" of religious holidays. For some, it marks the only time they
attend church services, although Christmas runs a close second. The word
"Easter" is found only once in the KJV Bible (Acts 12:4). The
word in the Greek language is actually "Passover", and so translated
elsewhere in the KJV. "It is certain that the NT contains no
reference to a yearly celebration of the resurrection of Christ. The word
"Easter" actually comes from "EASTRE", the Anglo-Saxon name
of a Teutonic goddess of spring and fertility. To her was dedicated
a month corresponding to our April. Her festival was celebrated on the day of
vernal equinox. That many of the customs associated with Easter illustrate
this and other pagan connections?
"The rabbit was sacred to the Germanic goddess 'Eastre', the goddess of fertility and springtime...And if you stop to think about it, rabbits are an extremely appropriate symbol for springtime, because of what they are famous for--having more rabbits. It appears there was a custom among ancient Egyptians and Romans to give eggs as presents at this time of year. That was intended to insure that the recipient would have a very fertile or productive year." (William Helm, associate dean of the College of Arts and Letters at USF, Orlando Sentinel, 4/15/87)
Helm went on to say that hunting for Easter eggs might have begun as the search for gifts from the sacred animal, the rabbit, on the morning of the festival. It does not matter what other "churches" do to celebrate Easter, there never has been any authorization to celebrate this day as a religious holiday. It is, however, a national holiday and may be celebrated in a secular way [egg hunt, spring clothing, chocolate treats, etc]. Although many celebrate the day as an annual event, Jesus resurrection ought to be a weekly celebration, which is also part of our daily service for Him.
—Paul