Welcome Guest!
Christmas? Easter?
- Thread starter CrossCentered
- Start date
Responding to the Holiday issue, John 4:24 helps set the stage:
God is a Spirit, and those worshiping him must worship with spirit and truth.
Truth is the key word here…not what we think, or someone told us, or what we have always done but the truth from the bible.
Regarding celebrations, holidays, that is a sensitive subject with many…some find nothing wrong, others celebrate a few, but not others.
We may remember, that thousands of Israelite's were killed by God when Moses came down from Mt Sinai, after they made a “Golden Calf” and were having a “celebration for God”….proving not all celebrations are approved by God!
Easter is a religious holiday, said to be held to celebrate the raising from the Christ from the dead
But Jesus gave no command to celebrate his resurrection?
Also, a simple check of history, and references shows that Easter was not celebrated by early Christians and that it is based on ancient pagan practices.
The Encyclopœdia Britannica says:
“There is no indication of the observance of the Easter festival in the New Testament. The sanctity of special times was an idea absent from the minds of the first Christians.”
What of the simple celebrations that happen at Easter? Is god OK with them?
Dr. Alexander Hislop says of Easter customs:
The hot cross buns of Good Friday, and the dyed eggs of Pasch or Easter Sunday, figured in the Chaldean [Babylonian] rites just as they do now.”
The word “Easter” that appears once in the King James Bible at Acts 12:4and is noted to be a wrong translation for the word “Passover.”
“Easter” appears nowhere in the Catholic Douay Bible and Easter, really finds no support at all in the Bible.
Doing our own research, we would most likely come to the same conclusion that it is of pagan origin, and therefore displeasing to God.
And Christmas? By checking reference works, you will find that this “holiday” was also unknown among the earliest Christians and not celebrated.
Jesus instructed his followers to observe a memorial of his death, (1 Cor 11:24-26) not of his birth.
I find it interesting that nowhere in the bible is the day of Jesus birth recorded, but his death is.
Says The Catholic Encyclopedia: “Christmas was not among the earliest festivals of the church. The first evidence of the feast is from Egypt.”
December 25, celebrated by many as the birthday of Christ could not have been the date of Jesus’ birth.
The Bible shows that at the time shepherds were still in the fields at night.
As the Encyclopœdia Britannica acknowledges, they would not have been there in the cold, rainy season of winter.
As for the origin of the date, The World Book Encyclopedia says:
“In A.D. 354, Bishop Liberius of Rome ordered the people to celebrate on December 25. He probably chose this date because the people of Rome already observed it as the Feast of Saturn, celebrating the birthday of the sun.” Certainly not a Christian celebration.
Since the date of Christmas is of pagan origin, so are many of the customs of Christmas. Anyone can do their research on these items to find their origin.
Is celebrating these holidays OK? Going back to the first scripture “Worship god with Spirit and TRUTH,
Thus we can make our own decision about holidays, based on the evidence from the Bible and reference works…
Finally, we may want to give attention to the apostle Paul’s warning against mixing the true and the false.
He says at Galatians 5:9. that even “a little leaven ferments the whole lump.”
Everyone's choice.. just answering a question in this thread....
God is a Spirit, and those worshiping him must worship with spirit and truth.
Truth is the key word here…not what we think, or someone told us, or what we have always done but the truth from the bible.
Regarding celebrations, holidays, that is a sensitive subject with many…some find nothing wrong, others celebrate a few, but not others.
We may remember, that thousands of Israelite's were killed by God when Moses came down from Mt Sinai, after they made a “Golden Calf” and were having a “celebration for God”….proving not all celebrations are approved by God!
Easter is a religious holiday, said to be held to celebrate the raising from the Christ from the dead
But Jesus gave no command to celebrate his resurrection?
Also, a simple check of history, and references shows that Easter was not celebrated by early Christians and that it is based on ancient pagan practices.
The Encyclopœdia Britannica says:
“There is no indication of the observance of the Easter festival in the New Testament. The sanctity of special times was an idea absent from the minds of the first Christians.”
What of the simple celebrations that happen at Easter? Is god OK with them?
Dr. Alexander Hislop says of Easter customs:
The hot cross buns of Good Friday, and the dyed eggs of Pasch or Easter Sunday, figured in the Chaldean [Babylonian] rites just as they do now.”
The word “Easter” that appears once in the King James Bible at Acts 12:4and is noted to be a wrong translation for the word “Passover.”
“Easter” appears nowhere in the Catholic Douay Bible and Easter, really finds no support at all in the Bible.
Doing our own research, we would most likely come to the same conclusion that it is of pagan origin, and therefore displeasing to God.
And Christmas? By checking reference works, you will find that this “holiday” was also unknown among the earliest Christians and not celebrated.
Jesus instructed his followers to observe a memorial of his death, (1 Cor 11:24-26) not of his birth.
I find it interesting that nowhere in the bible is the day of Jesus birth recorded, but his death is.
Says The Catholic Encyclopedia: “Christmas was not among the earliest festivals of the church. The first evidence of the feast is from Egypt.”
December 25, celebrated by many as the birthday of Christ could not have been the date of Jesus’ birth.
The Bible shows that at the time shepherds were still in the fields at night.
As the Encyclopœdia Britannica acknowledges, they would not have been there in the cold, rainy season of winter.
As for the origin of the date, The World Book Encyclopedia says:
“In A.D. 354, Bishop Liberius of Rome ordered the people to celebrate on December 25. He probably chose this date because the people of Rome already observed it as the Feast of Saturn, celebrating the birthday of the sun.” Certainly not a Christian celebration.
Since the date of Christmas is of pagan origin, so are many of the customs of Christmas. Anyone can do their research on these items to find their origin.
Is celebrating these holidays OK? Going back to the first scripture “Worship god with Spirit and TRUTH,
Thus we can make our own decision about holidays, based on the evidence from the Bible and reference works…
Finally, we may want to give attention to the apostle Paul’s warning against mixing the true and the false.
He says at Galatians 5:9. that even “a little leaven ferments the whole lump.”
Everyone's choice.. just answering a question in this thread....
BANDERSNATCH
Senior Member
God told His people "not to worship Him in the ways that the pagans worshiped their gods". Christmas and Easter definitely have pagans origins so, as for me and my house, we will not be observing them. When they Assyria sent priests back to Samaria the bible says that they not only worshiped God, but also worshiped the gods of the Assyrians, too. God was not happy with that and dispersed them across the world, as He said He would do.
if you care, read II Kings 17:26-41 This is how God still feels about it still. He does not change
if you care, read II Kings 17:26-41 This is how God still feels about it still. He does not change
Last edited:
GunnSmokeer
Senior Member
Since it came up twice in this thread, let me ask about "3 days and nights" in the grave.
Jesus died Friday ( preparation day) in the afternoon.
At sundown, the next day began. That was Saturday, the Sabbath (seventh day).
Jesus was dead and entombed for no more than the last couple hours of preparation day.
He was entombed all of Saturday, from one sunset to the next day's sunset.
Sunday, The first day of the week and the day on which work could begin again, began at darkfall on Saturday evening.
Jesus was discovered to have left the grave early Sunday, at dawn. Perhaps he left sometime before then but let's just *assume* that he left minutes before the women entered his tomb and discovered he was missing.
That means that on Sunday he spent the pre-dawn darkness of Sunday in the grave but none of the daylight time on Sunday.
So... a few hours on Friday
+ 24 hours on Saturday
+ half of Sunday
= approximately 39 hours,
or 1.7 days.
Not 3 "full days and nights."
Right? Why not?
Jesus died Friday ( preparation day) in the afternoon.
At sundown, the next day began. That was Saturday, the Sabbath (seventh day).
Jesus was dead and entombed for no more than the last couple hours of preparation day.
He was entombed all of Saturday, from one sunset to the next day's sunset.
Sunday, The first day of the week and the day on which work could begin again, began at darkfall on Saturday evening.
Jesus was discovered to have left the grave early Sunday, at dawn. Perhaps he left sometime before then but let's just *assume* that he left minutes before the women entered his tomb and discovered he was missing.
That means that on Sunday he spent the pre-dawn darkness of Sunday in the grave but none of the daylight time on Sunday.
So... a few hours on Friday
+ 24 hours on Saturday
+ half of Sunday
= approximately 39 hours,
or 1.7 days.
Not 3 "full days and nights."
Right? Why not?
BANDERSNATCH
Senior Member
Absolutely correct, brother! Jesus said that the sign of Jonah was to be the only sign given. I know the answer, but I'm going to see if there are any of my Christian brothers who can explain how Jesus was absolutely 3 days and 3 nights in the grave! 
Good Friday is a lie. lol
Good Friday is a lie. lol
BANDERSNATCH
Senior Member
Can't stand it. lol Here's the info we should have been taught in church all our life, but since the church has done away with anything Jewish from the OT, we are left clueless. Anyway, here is the answer.
As you know, Jesus died during Passover and, of course, He is our Passover lamb, slain for us. What most Christians - and I was one of them - were never told was that Passover leads into the Feast of Unleavened Bread. The day after Passover (Passover being the 14th day of the month of Nissan) is the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the 15th. The first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread is declared by God to be a special SABBATH DAY.
It even says in at least one of the Gospels that the Sabbath they were preparing for was a HIGH SABBATH, which is a special sabbath associated with the Feasts of the Lord, NOT THE WEEKLY every-Saturday Sabbath. Another point is that if Jesus died on Friday evening, as we have been taught, then His mother, Mary, would not have had any time to go and buy spices to take to the tomb early Sunday, since the next day, Saturday, was a sabbath day with no buying or selling allowed.
Anyway, here is how it works out. Jesus is killed Wednesday evening (Passover) right before sundown, at the same time that the Passover lamb was being offered (amazing coincidence, huh?) He is hurriedly placed in a nearby tomb because the High Sabbath of the Feast of Unleavened Bread was about to start. (Jewish days begin at sundown) Jesus is in the grave starting Wed evening, then there is a High Sabbath on Thursday. Friday is the preparation day (which would have been extensive since Mary had a large family) for the weekly Saturday sabbath, so Mary prepares for the Saturday sabbath, and also buys the spices to take to the tomb early Sunday. Saturday is a sabbath. Jesus raises from the dead late Saturday as it was turning dark, and is "discovered' missing (no one saw him rise Sunday) early Sunday morning before it was light. He was already gone.
Good Friday never works. Jesus Himself said that He would be in the earth, like Jonah was in the fish, 3 days AND 3 nights. The New Testament translators, being ignorant of the Jewish Feast days, only understood Jesus dying "before the sabbath" as dying on Friday. There was a special sabbath that week, though. A 'High Sabbath' associated with the Feast of Unleavened Bread".
God is awesome. Who else could have worked out those details like that?
As you know, Jesus died during Passover and, of course, He is our Passover lamb, slain for us. What most Christians - and I was one of them - were never told was that Passover leads into the Feast of Unleavened Bread. The day after Passover (Passover being the 14th day of the month of Nissan) is the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the 15th. The first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread is declared by God to be a special SABBATH DAY.
It even says in at least one of the Gospels that the Sabbath they were preparing for was a HIGH SABBATH, which is a special sabbath associated with the Feasts of the Lord, NOT THE WEEKLY every-Saturday Sabbath. Another point is that if Jesus died on Friday evening, as we have been taught, then His mother, Mary, would not have had any time to go and buy spices to take to the tomb early Sunday, since the next day, Saturday, was a sabbath day with no buying or selling allowed. Anyway, here is how it works out. Jesus is killed Wednesday evening (Passover) right before sundown, at the same time that the Passover lamb was being offered (amazing coincidence, huh?) He is hurriedly placed in a nearby tomb because the High Sabbath of the Feast of Unleavened Bread was about to start. (Jewish days begin at sundown) Jesus is in the grave starting Wed evening, then there is a High Sabbath on Thursday. Friday is the preparation day (which would have been extensive since Mary had a large family) for the weekly Saturday sabbath, so Mary prepares for the Saturday sabbath, and also buys the spices to take to the tomb early Sunday. Saturday is a sabbath. Jesus raises from the dead late Saturday as it was turning dark, and is "discovered' missing (no one saw him rise Sunday) early Sunday morning before it was light. He was already gone.
Good Friday never works. Jesus Himself said that He would be in the earth, like Jonah was in the fish, 3 days AND 3 nights. The New Testament translators, being ignorant of the Jewish Feast days, only understood Jesus dying "before the sabbath" as dying on Friday. There was a special sabbath that week, though. A 'High Sabbath' associated with the Feast of Unleavened Bread".
God is awesome. Who else could have worked out those details like that?
Artfuldodger
Senior Member
Can't stand it. lol Here's the info we should have been taught in church all our life, but since the church has done away with anything Jewish from the OT, we are left clueless. Anyway, here is the answer.
As you know, Jesus died during Passover and, of course, He is our Passover lamb, slain for us. What most Christians - and I was one of them - were never told was that Passover leads into the Feast of Unleavened Bread. The day after Passover (Passover being the 14th day of the month of Nissan) is the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the 15th. The first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread is declared by God to be a special SABBATH DAY.
Anyway, here is how it works out. Jesus is killed Wednesday evening (Passover) right before sundown, at the same time that the Passover lamb was being offered (amazing coincidence, huh?) He is hurriedly placed in a nearby tomb because the High Sabbath of the Feast of Unleavened Bread was about to start. (Jewish days begin at sundown) Jesus is in the grave starting Wed evening, then there is a High Sabbath on Thursday. Friday is the preparation day (which would have been extensive since Mary had a large family) for the weekly Saturday sabbath, so Mary prepares for the Saturday sabbath, and also buys the spices to take to the tomb early Sunday. Saturday is a sabbath. Jesus raises from the dead late Saturday as it was turning dark, and is "discovered' missing (no one saw him rise Sunday) early Sunday morning before it was light. He was already gone.
Good Friday never works. Jesus Himself said that He would be in the earth, like Jonah was in the fish, 3 days AND 3 nights. The New Testament translators, being ignorant of the Jewish Feast days, only understood Jesus dying "before the sabbath" as dying on Friday. There was a special sabbath that week, though. A 'High Sabbath' associated with the Feast of Unleavened Bread".
God is awesome. Who else could have worked out those details like that?
Thanks for not waiting, that was quite interesting.
Madman
Senior Member
if you need Biblical evidence, let's begin here.
Luke 2:8-14
Similar threads
