EASTER VS. PASSOVER

Easter vs. Passover

The word Easter is used one time in the King James Bible. It is in Acts 12:4. It reads:
“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.”

The word used here, in the original Hebrew text, was pavsca which is translated Pascha or Passover. The definition reads from the Strong’s Concordance:
1) the paschal sacrifice (which was accustomed to be offered for the people's deliverance of old from Egypt) (2) the paschal lamb, i.e. the lamb the Israelites were accustomed to slay and eat on the fourteenth day of the month of Nisan (the first month of their year) in memory of the day on which their fathers, preparing to depart from Egypt, were bidden by God to slay and eat a lamb, and to sprinkle their door posts with its blood, that the destroying angel, seeing the blood, might pass over their dwellings; Christ crucified is likened to the slain paschal lamb(3) the paschal supper (4) the paschal feast, the feast of the Passover, extending from the 14th to the 20th day of the month Nisan.

This exact same word is used 28 other times in the New Testament and is translated Passover.

The Bible does not mention Easter at all except in that one verse. If we think about it neither Jesus nor the apostles ever indicated or directed that it should be observed. The word has been corrected in some modern translations of the New Testament.

I believe that we Christians are not celebrating Easter but, that we are celebrating Passover. How that one scripture was used to change our celebration to Easter, who knows, but this is an insult to Christ. He died for us and became our Passover lamb and somehow throughout history that has been disregarded. It is obvious that it was Our Fathers intent that the lamb’s blood on the doorpost so the death angel would pass over was to be used as an example of Jesus’ blood causing us to be passed over by the death angel. Besides being an insult to Jesus, it has also stolen a blessing from us who are Christian.

If this is new to you and you are in doubt, read over these scriptures concerning Jesus and the Passover and perhaps see them with new eyes. It was clear that Jesus was killed on Passover. How could that possibly be a coincidence?

“And he (Jesus) said, Go into the city to such a man, and say unto him, The Master saith, My time is at hand; I will keep the passover at thy house with my disciples.” (Matthew 26:18)

“Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end.” (John 13:1)

“Then led they Jesus from Caiaphas unto the hall of judgment: and it was early; and they themselves went not into the judgment hall, lest they should be defiled; but that they might eat the passover.” (John 18:28)

“But ye have a custom, that I should release unto you one at the passover: will ye therefore that I release unto you the King of the Jews?” (John 18:39)

“And it was the preparation of the passover, and about the sixth hour: and he saith unto the Jews, Behold your King!” (John 19:14)

Note also these words of John the Baptist: “The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.” (John 1:29) It is clear that Jesus was and is our Passover lamb.

Or, read this story of Phillip and the eunuch in Acts chapter eight: “Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot. And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest?
And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him. The place of the scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth: In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken from the earth. And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man? Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.”

Listen carefully to what Paul says. He makes it clear. “Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:” (1st Corinthians 5:7) Again, Jesus became our Passover.

We also have these precious words of Peter. “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: (1st Peter 1:18-19) Why would Jesus be called the lamb in the previous verses as well as in these verses in the book of Revelation? (There are several. I only listed three.)
“Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.” (Revelation 5:12)
“After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;” (Revelation 7:9)
“For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.” (Revelation 7:17)

We are stuck in this tradition that will probably not in this life be changed, but at least in our hearts when we attend the Easter services we can now know the truth. I have to think about what Paul writes: “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.” (Colossians 2:8) Or what Jesus said in Mark 7:13 concerning tradition: “Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.”


Adding to the insult, the word Easter did not originate with the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Encyclopedias and dictionaries trace the term Easter to Ishtar, the ancient spring goddess of Near Eastern countries, also known as Astarte or, in the Bible, the worship of Ashtoreth, which is a pagan holiday to worship spring, new beginnings, rejuvenation, reproduction and fertility; the life-enriching qualities of the sun. We can read in the Bible of idolatry and sun worship connected with Ishtar and Tammuz which became so widespread and influential that they were practiced even by people who had once known the true God. See: (Ezekiel 8:12-18; Jeremiah 7:18; 44:17-23). Consider the egg and the bunny. Most have heard of the swift reproduction expression, “fast like a bunny.” The egg and bunny have to do with fertility, and the goddess of fertility, not Christ’s resurrection. These practices have all been intertwined with Passover and here we are.

We could also go into a discussion here concerning the three days, but at this time we will just discuss Passover. We could also go into another discussion as to why the dates for Easter and Passover differ in the religions of the world, but the only fact we will concentrate on at this time is that we who believe Jesus Christ was and is our Passover can know the exact day to thank him and remember the Passover. It is given to us form the word of God. We are told in the book of Leviticus: “In the fourteenth day of the first month at even is the LORD's passover.” (Leviticus 23:5) And also in the book of Numbers: “And they kept the passover on the fourteenth day of the first month at even in the wilderness of Sinai: according to all that the LORD commanded Moses, so did the children of Israel.” (Numbers 9:5) Each year this would be 14 days after the spring equinox at sundown. I mention the spring equinox because that was when the Hebrew year began and at sundown because that is when they began the next day.

We should not use this information to insult those who do not know, by going to a family or even a church function where they are gathering Easter eggs and make a big spectacle. It is not going to change the tradition. It will only hurt others. What we can gently do is teach our children and grandchildren the truth. It is also my opinion that most Christians attending Easter services are celebrating Christ’s death and resurrection, but to know the truth concerning the Passover is an additional blessing.

To all those who wish to celebrate Passover in their hearts and minds, have a blessed Passover.