EASTER IN YOUR BIBLE

1. WHY DOES THIS MATTER?

a) It matters for Bible belief; many critics point to this as a big mistake in the KJV

b) It matters for your understanding of this passage and why it should be translated Easter.

c) It shows how shallow some of the arguments can be against the KJV.

d) Help us to understand the difference between a mistake Vs just a difference in translation.

e) Show how reading the context in English can help you understand the proper word to be translated without knowing Greek.

f) Does the Bible have a mistake? Should we observe Easter? What was Herod’s intent?

2. ACTS 12:4

a) This is the only passage that you will find the word Easter in YOUR Bible

b) (YOUR Bible) assuming you are using a KJV Bible

c) This is a translation issue; you need to believe every word – Deut 8:3, Prov 30:5, Psalm 12:6-7.

d) Greek word is Pascha and is found 28 times in your NT and every time except Acts 12:4 it is translated Passover. That’s why it is said to be an error

e) Pascha can mean Easter or Passover and the word Passover was not invented until the 1500’s by Tyndall, Easter was around since the 800’s and used in Bible prior to the 1500’s

f) Multiple words meaning the same thing even in Greek.

1) Here one Greek word (Pascha) two English words – Passover, Easter.

2) One English word (Love) two Greek words – Agape, Phileo – John 21:15-17, Eph 4:2 (agape), Eph 4:25 (agape) vs Tit 2:4 (Philandros). Tit 3:4 (Philanthropia) vs John 3:16 (agape)…..

3) Eros and Storge are also green words that mean love.

3. THE CONTEXT

a) Act 12:1-4 – Herod is vex (harassing, persecuting) the church (Jewish assembly).

b) He kills James the apostle (Matt 4:21) and decides to take Peter also.

c) Why? Because it pleased the Jews – Showing their fall and rejection of Christ and the kingdom.

d) Herod decides to keep Peter in prison until after Easter. Strange…. John 19:14.

e) The key is Vs 3 – days of unleavened bread

f) Passover is the holyday that remembers the day the angel of the Lord passed over – Exo 12:1-12

g) Always takes place in the fourteenth day of the month – Lev 23:5-6, Num 28:16, Num 33:3,

h) Easter is a holyday Christian’s celebrate to commemorate Christ resurrection – Jesus resurrected after the Passover – Luke 22:15

i) There was a pagan holiday of Eostra the spring goddess and the celebration of the spring equinox and new life/fertility- Herod was a pagan king….

j) Easter means dawn, rising of the sun. It is connected to the word “East” where the sun rises – Ezek 8:14-16

k) Pascha mentioned 3 times after Christ resurrection – 1Cor 5:7 (singular person Exo 12:21). Heb 11:28 (Moses keeping the Passover day) Acts 12:4 (Easter after the Passover day and the killing of the Passover lamb).

l) The context is that you have a pagan king, holyday keeping remnant, unbelieving Jews, days of unleavened bread (after the 14th day), after the resurrection of Christ. Which makes Easter a better translation here.

m) Some say passover can be used for the (days of unleavened bread) – Luke 22:1, Ezek 45:21 but whenever you see the Passover being spoken of it is referring the lamb or the specific day or the feast – Luke 22:7-8. Luke 22:1 also refers to the feast and not the days Matt 26:17.