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WMM
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Why do messianic Jews have a problem with Easter? Don’t you accept the Lord’s resurrection? *Ray A. Ray, we have no problem in accepting the bodily resurrection of Messiah, (that’s our very hope, 1 Cor. 15:12-20) but the name ‘Easter’ is a turn off. Here’s why. The name Easter has pagan origins. Easter/Ishtar (and other derivations of her name) is the name for the mother goddess of fertility, and her false religious cult following all across Europe. “Scholars, however, accepting the derivation proposed by the 8th-century English scholar St. Bede, believe it probably comes from Eastre, the Anglo-Saxon name of a Teutonic goddess of spring and fertility, to whom was dedicated a month corresponding to April. |
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| Her festival was celebrated on the day of the vernal equinox; traditions associated with the festival survive in the Easter rabbit, a symbol of fertility, and in colored Easter eggs, originally painted with bright colors to represent the sunlight of spring, and used in Easter-egg rolling contests or given as gifts.” (Encarta Encyclopedia, Easter). The introduction of ‘Easter’ to the Passover/Resurrection season, at best, distracts from the Lord, and only brings confusion to who Yeshua really is and why He came. |
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| So we’d rather call it Resurrection Day and not give any honor to a pagan goddess. Conversely, we see Messiah’s resurrection biblically as part of the Passover celebration. Yeshua died as the Passover Lamb, and on the day after the Sabbath, when the First Fruits of the Harvest were offered by the priest in the Temple (Lev. 23:10-11), Messiah was resurrected and offered up as the First Fruits of the Dead (1 Cor. 15:20-23). Even for traditional Jews who do not believe in Yeshua, the rabbinical writings tie the hope of resurrection to Messiah. This is the expectation that they will be “resurrected in the days of the Messiah to enjoy the years of the Messiah” (Genesis Rabbah 54:1, 96:5). Therefore a saying in Israel has come to be, “Until the dead revive and the Messiah, son of David, comes.” (Sotah 48b). For all believers in Yeshua this is the fulfillment of prophecy about Messiah. In Psalm 16:10 we read “For You will not abandon my soul to Sheol; Nor will You allow Your Holy One to undergo decay.” In Acts 2:27, 13:35 this is applied by the apostles in their preaching to Messiah Yeshua and His resurrection from the dead. We rejoice in Messiah’s resurrection for this is the anchor of our own hope of resurrection life, and eternal joy! Thanks for writing. Sam Y |
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