Easter Vs. Passover: Did Jesus' Disciples Celebrate Easter?

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Easter… It’s the holiest day of the year for hundreds of millions of people. In the northern Hemisphere, traditions focus on the coming of Spring. Winter is over. Fields and farms are alive with color. Trees and flowers burst with new life. And Easter traditions are observed around the world. The “Woman’s Day” website brings out some of the more unusual examples, like young boys dousing young girls with water, in Poland and Hungary. According to the website, this playful tradition has roots in ancient fertility rites. Other Easter traditions are also linked to Spring-time fertility rituals, meant to ensure good crops. In Florence, Italy, for example, they blow up carts with explosives. And in the Greek island of Corfu, they drop clay pots out of second story windows.
If that sounds strange though, how about American traditions, like an Easter bunny that lays eggs?
And what does this all have to do with Jesus’ resurrection?
You see, many well-meaning people practice these rather odd traditions, but also view Easter as a time to honor Jesus Christ. After all, the Bible DOES say Jesus died in the Spring. And after dying and being laid in a grave, He miraculously revived. He was resurrected!
But did His disciples celebrate EASTER to honor His resurrection? That’s an important question to ask. And that’s what we’ll attempt to answer on today’s program.
So join me on Tomorrow's World, as we ask, and answer, the question: “Did Jesus’ disciples celebrate Easter?”

Easter traditions are kept all over the world. In the Northern Hemisphere, most of them center around the new life of Spring. Winter’s over, and trees and flowers burst with blossoms. But even down-under, when March and April bring autumn, Easter is observed, but with a little twist. Instead of eating chocolate rabbits, Australian children eat chocolates formed in a shape of a mouse-like creature called a “bilby.” When it comes to Easter, it seems there’s something for everyone.
For many who attend church, Easter is the holiest day of the year. And what could be more important than celebrating Jesus’ resurrection?
Many sincere, well-meaning people seek to do just that. But is Easter biblical? Is the word “Easter” even found in the Bible? The answer is, the word “Easter” IS found in one place in the King James Bible. If you have a King James Bible, take a look at Acts 12:4. It tells the story of James being imprisoned and then executed by King Herod. Then, Herod arrested Peter as well. And notice what it says next:
“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.” (Acts 12:4) (KJV)
But look under the surface. The word “Easter” isn’t intended there at all. Theologian Adam Clarke explains this in his commentary on the verse. He says:
“Perhaps there never was a more unhappy, not to say absurd, translation than that in our text [KJV]…. The term Easter, inserted here by our translators, they borrowed from the ancient Anglo-Saxon service-books….” (Adam Clarke’s Commentary, Vol. 5, p. 774).
He then explains that the goddess Easter, or Ishtar:
“…was celebrated by our pagan forefathers on the month of April…. Every view we can take of this subject shows the gross impropriety of retaining a name every way exceptionable, and palpably absurd.” (Adam Clarke’s Commentary, Vol. 5, p. 775).
So, the one place where the word “Easter” is found in the Bible, is a mistranslation. Does that surprise you? The Greek word translated “Easter” in Acts 12:4 was actually the word “pascha,” or what we say in English, “Passover.” So, Acts 12:4 should have read: “...Intending after Passover to bring him out to the people….”

What was Passover? Passover was a festival being kept by the Jews. It involved eating a meal of a sacrificial lamb, slain just for that purpose. It was in the Springtime. Many Jews still keep Passover today, in one form or another.
So, the word Easter is not found in the Bible. And the one place it seems to be, is a mistranslation. If this is so, why do so many observe it?
As stated already, many people sincerely believe they honor the resurrection of Jesus by observing Easter. And yes, the resurrection IS found in the Bible. All four Gospel writers testified to it. And we in this Work have a profound feeling and AWE for what Jesus did in dying for our sins. We believe that through His shed blood, through faith IN Him, we can ALSO attain to the resurrection. That’s the wonderful hope of every Christian.
But back to the original question: Did the disciples of Jesus celebrate Easter? IF they did, we should follow their example. If they did not, we must ask the question, “Why not?”