The Easter dilemma is not that Jesus rose from the dead on the third day after his crucifixion (Luke 24:1-12). It is not the assessment that His resurrection is the keystone of the gospel (1 Cor. 15:12-19). There is no dilemma in accepting that Christ’s resurrection assures the future resurrection of the dead (1 Cor. 15:20-22). Here is the dilemma: Since the New Testament never speaks of an Easter celebration, how do those who profess belief in the Bible justify observing Easter in honor of Christ’s resurrection without giving up their claim of believing and following the Bible as the word of God?

The Scriptures are Silent

Bible believers hold the Scriptures as God’s inspired word, thoroughly adequate to equip us for every good work (2 Tim. 3:16-17). We will find it in His Scriptures if God approves an annual Easter celebration of Christ’s resurrection. Yet, it is not there. Note that belief in the resurrection of Jesus and the celebration of Easter is not the same. Early Christians firmly believed in the resurrection of Jesus Christ, and so do we (1 Cor. 15:4, 12-20; Matt. 28:6; Rom. 4:25). But an annual Easter celebration was unknown to the early Christians. Christ or His apostles did not institute it. The King James Version of Acts 12:4 mistranslated pascha as “Easter,” yet all admit it should be “Passover,” not Easter. “There is no indication of the observance of the Easter festival in the New Testament or in the writings of the apostolic fathers. The sanctity of the special times was an idea absent from the minds of the first Christians” (The Encyclopedia Britannica, 14th ed., II:859). “There is no trace of Easter celebration in the N.T.” (H. Porter, I.S.B.E., II:889). The religious observance of Easter is the result of human will, not divine. Because Christ said true worshipers “must” worship God “in spirit and truth,” we conclude offering God Easter worship does not please Him (John 4:24). Easter worship is not offered to God by the authority of the Scriptures. The Easter dilemma is offering God something He did not ask for, convinced that it pleases and honors God (Matt. 15:7-9). Shall we go beyond the word of God by having an annual resurrection festival? Not if we intend to remain faithful to God’s word (2 John 9; Gal. 1:8-10).

The History of Easter

The history of Easter shows its human origin. The first definite reference to it comes from the middle of the second century (Williston Walker, A History of the Christian Church, New York: 1950, p. 64). Initially, it was called the “Christian Passover” (Philip Schaff, History of the Church, II:206). Intervening centuries developed Easter worship through blending the Jewish Passover with pagan spring festivals that honored Eastre (Saxon goddess of spring and fertility) until the present Holy Day Easter emerged. Facts are a stubborn thing, and these facts are not in dispute. The blending of paganism and post-New Testament observance of Christ’s resurrection produced the modern Easter holiday. This hybrid is no problem for those who accept extra-Biblical authority (like popes, synods, councils, and creeds). But Bible believers cannot endorse such things without forfeiting allegiance to the Bible. Easter has no Biblical endorsement. Can we define and offer whatever worship pleases us? We learn from Nadab and Abihu the answer is “no” (Lev. 10:1-3).

Offering God Easter worship does so with man’s authority, not Christ’s (Matt. 28:18-20). God did not ask for it, yet people offer it to Him.

Both Scripture and history show men created the religious celebration of Easter. It goes beyond God’s word and must be refused (like all other manmade religious celebrations, Col. 2:22-23; 3:17). The dilemma is easily solved. Be content to believe in Christ’s resurrection and do not corrupt it with the worship innovations of men.  -Reprint (edited), The Spirit’s Sword, April 20, 2014

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