Easter Sunday

EASTER SUNDAY

     All around the world Easter Sunday is considered one of the most holy days of the year.  It is a day that millions take time to assemble in the churches to remember the most remarkable event in the history of the world; THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS.  But this Easter Sunday will be different.  Most won’t be assembling in the churches due to the social distancing requirements.

Instead of wearing that new spring wardrobe many will still be in their pajamas, lounge clothes, or some other leisure attire.  Such has been the case for the past few Sunday’s for most families.  So how do we celebrate Easter without assembling and putting on the new wardrobe?  The truth is, Easter Sunday should be no different from any other Sunday.  Sunday is the Lord’s Day.  It is the Christian day of worship; every Sunday.  The New Testament upholds the first day of every week as having special significance.

The tradition of celebrating Easter Sunday dates back to the 4th century, not the first.  The first century church knew nothing about Easter Sunday.  Some might ask, “Isn’t Easter found in the bible?”  They would quote Acts 12:4 as the proof text for Easter being found in bible.  The word translated Easter in the KJV bible isn’t Easter at all.  It is the Greek word Paska which is Passover.  The King James translators were influenced by the traditions of the Catholic church and the Church of England when they made that translation.  Hence the translation of Passover to Easter in the KJV bible.  To my knowledge there is no other translation of the New Testament that translates Paska as Easter.  Even the Catholic bible translates Paska as Passover.  The word Easter is completely foreign to the bible.

The significance of the first day of the week and why it is the day of   worship for the Christian and the New Testament church is that Jesus was raised from the dead on that day; Matthew 28:1.  It then became the day of worship for the first century church; Acts 20:7 and I Corinthians 16:2