The best way to understand the real meaning of Easter would be from Jesus. As is recorded in the 12th chapter of John, Jesus was welcomed to Jerusalem by a large crowd singing praises to Him, carrying palm branches and hailing Him as the King of Israel - the Messiah. They were gathering to celebrate Passover and such an outpouring of adoration made the Pharisees seeth with anger and disgust. They did not believe Jesus was their long-awaited King.
Jesus replied, "Now the time has come for the Son of Man to enter into his glory. I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat is planted in the soil and dies, it remains alone. But its death will produce many new kernels�a plentiful harvest of new lives. Those who love their life in this world will lose it. Those who care nothing for their life in this world will keep it for eternity. Anyone who wants to be my disciple must follow me, because my servants must be where I am. And the Father will honor anyone who serves me."John 12:23-26
Probably a puzzling speech at the time. Jesus had to die and be "planted" in a tomb to rise up and produce a harvest of life everlasting to those who believed in Him. (After His resurrection, the parable of the kernel of wheat could be fully understood.)
The New Covenant
Jesus knew that He was going to be killed and how He was going to be killed; and He knew the time was approaching. He told his disciples how he'd like his death on the cross to be remembered. His request is found in Luke 22:
When the time came, Jesus and the apostles sat down together at the table. Jesus said, "I have been very eager to eat this Passover meal with you before my suffering begins. For I tell you now that I won't eat this meal again until its meaning is fulfilled in the Kingdom of God." Then he took a cup of wine and gave thanks to God for it. Then he said, "Take this and share it among yourselves. For I will not drink wine again until the Kingdom of God has come." He took some bread and gave thanks to God for it. Then he broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, "This is my body, which is given for you. Do this to remember me." After supper he took another cup of wine and said, "This cup is the new covenant between God and his people�an agreement confirmed with my blood, which is poured out as a sacrifice for you. Luke 22:14-20
Without a doubt, Jesus wants us to remember his great love and sacrifice for us through communion. He was getting ready to be betrayed by one of the disciples, publicly humiliated and mocked, beaten beyond recognition, and hung on a cross to die, when he made his special request for us to remember that He gave his body for us and poured out his blood as a sacrifice for us. The heart of Easter lies in his words, "the new covenant between God and his people."
What is the real meaning of Easter? Because of Christ's death and resurrection, we have been given victory over death and eternal separation from God, a covenant promise of forgiveness and grace:
�Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures� 1 Corinthians 15:3
�If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.� Romans 10:9
When we eat the bread and drink the wine of communion, we need to search our hearts. Are we remembering the suffering that Jesus� body went through for us? Are we remembering how His blood was shed so our souls could be spared? Let�s thank Jesus this Easter for giving us life and for giving us the Holy Spirit as our comforter and guide.
Easter is about the Rizen Christ ~ Yahshua...aka Jesus...it's ALWAYS been about HIM....to you it means what ever you want it to...You can disrespect me all you want George...However your Dis-Respect for MY LORD and Saviour JESUS and HIS Resurrection is another matter and battle that belongs to the Father...LORD rebuke you...
Before we go around so called 'rebuking' others,let us remember to take the log out of our own eye first,then we can see CLEARLY
Now let us look at the word 'easter' to see if the word of GOD will support this word.
I will post a few different translations to look into and than i will post the English and Greek words with their definitions.
Parallel Verses:
New International Version
After arresting him, he put him in prison, handing him over to be guarded by four squads of four soldiers each. Herod intended to bring him out for public trial after the Passover.
New Living Translation
Then he imprisoned him, placing him under the guard of four squads of four soldiers each. Herod intended to bring Peter out for public trial after the Passover.
English Standard Version
And when he had seized him, he put him in prison, delivering him over to four squads of soldiers to guard him, intending after the Passover to bring him out to the people.
New American Standard Bible
When he had seized him, he put him in prison, delivering him to four squads of soldiers to guard him, intending after the Passover to bring him out before the people.
King James Bible
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.
Holman Christian Standard Bible
After the arrest, he put him in prison and assigned four squads of four soldiers each to guard him, intending to bring him out to the people after the Passover.
International Standard Version
When he arrested Peter, Herod put him in prison and turned him over to four squads of soldiers to guard him, planning to bring him out to the people after Passover season.
NET Bible
When he had seized him, he put him in prison, handing him over to four squads of soldiers to guard him. Herod planned to bring him out for public trial after the Passover.
Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And he arrested him and cast him into prison and delivered him unto sixteen Soldiers to guard him so that after Passover he would deliver him to the people of Judea,
GOD'S WORD� Translation
After capturing Peter, Herod had him thrown into prison with sixteen soldiers in squads of four to guard him. Herod wanted to bring Peter to trial in front of the people after Passover.
Jubilee Bible 2000
And when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him, intending after the Passover to bring him forth to the people.
King James 2000 Bible
And when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four squads of soldiers to keep him; intending after the passover to bring him forth to the people.
American King James Version
And when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four squads of soldiers to keep him; intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people.
American Standard Version
And when he had taken him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to guard him; intending after the Passover to bring him forth to the people.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And when he had apprehended him, he cast him into prison, delivering him to four files of soldiers to be kept, intending, after the pasch, to bring him forth to the people.
Darby Bible Translation
whom having seized he put in prison, having delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep, purposing after the passover to bring him out to the people.
English Revised Version
And when he had taken him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to guard him; intending after the Passover to bring him forth to the people.
Webster's Bible Translation
And when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him; intending after the passover to bring him forth to the people.
Weymouth New Testament
He had him arrested and lodged in jail, handing him over to the care of sixteen soldiers; and intended after the Passover to bring him out again to the people.
World English Bible
When he had arrested him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four squads of four soldiers each to guard him, intending to bring him out to the people after the Passover.
Young's Literal Translation
whom also having seized, he did put in prison, having delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to guard him, intending after the passover to bring him forth to the people.
(KJV+) AndG2532 when he(G3739) had apprehendedG4084 him, he putG5087 him inG1519 prison,G5438 and deliveredG3860 him to fourG5064 quaternionsG5069 of soldiersG4757 to keepG5442 him;G846 intendingG1014 afterG3326 EasterG3957 to bring him forthG321 G846 to theG3588 people.G2992
Now let us look at the Strongs number for 'easter',it is # 3957
Original Word: πάσχα, τό
Part of Speech: Aramaic Transliterated Word (Indeclinable)
Transliteration: pascha
Phonetic Spelling: (pas'-khah)
Short Definition: the feast of Passover, the Passover lamb
Definition: the feast of Passover, the Passover lamb.
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
of Aramaic origin, cf. pesach
Definition
the Passover, the Passover supper or lamb
NASB Translation
Passover (29).
From Thayer's
G3957
πάσχα
pascha
Thayer Definition:
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
Part of Speech: noun neuter
Look at the translations where the word Greek word πάσχα, τό 'pascha ' has been translated into 'easter' you will find that ONLY the King James and American King James says 'easter';
Yet the King James 2000 says PASSOVER.
Remember translators have their own prejudices during the time they are translating,whether political,financial,personal,and even religious.
�Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures� 1 Corinthians 15:3
Shared ~ I definitely agree with the Word of GOD Almighty, AND EASTER is not of GOD ALMIGHTY nor can you JUSTIFY easter in the Scriptures.
*** I�m glad you are willing to Agree with the WORD�Here is Scripture of HIS WORD and I don�t need to justify it George�Yahshua�aka JESUS already did that and you just need to keep studying your �Greek� because the �WORD� is in the Holy Scriptures�and GOD Almighty wouldn�t have it there if HE didn�t want it there�
Act 12:4 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. (KJV)
Easter - G3957 � pascha
1. the paschal sacrifice (which was accustomed to be offered for the people's deliverance of old from Egypt) 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
2. the paschal supper the paschal feast, the feast of the Passover, extending from the 14th to the 20th day of the month Nisan
From base word - Of Aramaic origin � Hebrew � H6453 � pecach
