During Easter, the holiest of days for mainstream Christianity; people gather for sunrise services, buy new clothing, and church pews are more crowded than any other time of the year. Children paint eggs and parents hide them. A traditional ham dinner will be prepared. Are these traditions based on a biblical account, or do they have other origins?
A simple Google or Bing search of the origins of Easter will reveal how these traditions became involved in what is called a Christian holiday. For this article I would like to focus upon the timeline of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
So many celebrate and decree that Christ died on a Friday and rose on Sunday morning. Will this tradition hold up against the biblical account? We must turn to the scriptures and read Jesus Christ's own words on the subject.
Matthew 12:38 Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee.
Matthew 12:39 But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas:
Matthew 12:40 For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
Only the sign of Jonah would be given revealing the true resurrection. Remember Jonah? He was in the belly of the large fish for 3 days and 3 nights before being expelled upon the shore of Nineveh. Why would Christ give this sign? He gave it because it was the sign that he was indeed the Messiah. He was the King of Kings and the Eternal God that lives for all eternity. Through his resurrection we have that same hope of eternal life.
Now, let's compare tradition with the biblical account. Friday day and Friday night equals one day and one night. Saturday day and Saturday night equals day two and night two. Sunday morning equals day 3, but something is missing; there is no third night. Jesus plainly said he would be in the grave for three days and three nights. Several occasions he stated he would rise on the third day.
A simple Google or Bing search of the origins of Easter will reveal how these traditions became involved in what is called a Christian holiday. For this article I would like to focus upon the timeline of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
So many celebrate and decree that Christ died on a Friday and rose on Sunday morning. Will this tradition hold up against the biblical account? We must turn to the scriptures and read Jesus Christ's own words on the subject.
Matthew 12:38 Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee.
Matthew 12:39 But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas:
Matthew 12:40 For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
Only the sign of Jonah would be given revealing the true resurrection. Remember Jonah? He was in the belly of the large fish for 3 days and 3 nights before being expelled upon the shore of Nineveh. Why would Christ give this sign? He gave it because it was the sign that he was indeed the Messiah. He was the King of Kings and the Eternal God that lives for all eternity. Through his resurrection we have that same hope of eternal life.
Now, let's compare tradition with the biblical account. Friday day and Friday night equals one day and one night. Saturday day and Saturday night equals day two and night two. Sunday morning equals day 3, but something is missing; there is no third night. Jesus plainly said he would be in the grave for three days and three nights. Several occasions he stated he would rise on the third day.
This chart explains the actual timeline of Christ's death, burial and resurrection. It aligns with the scriptures.
My friends, if you are observing Easter and its traditions, I would ask; are you observing a biblical holy day or something else? That's for you to decide.
Chris Anderson
For even more information I would suggest reading Garner Ted Armstrong's booklet titled "Believe it or not; the resurrection was not on a Sunday". Click the provided link to access this information.
Believe it or not the resurrection was not on a Sunday.
My friends, if you are observing Easter and its traditions, I would ask; are you observing a biblical holy day or something else? That's for you to decide.
Chris Anderson
For even more information I would suggest reading Garner Ted Armstrong's booklet titled "Believe it or not; the resurrection was not on a Sunday". Click the provided link to access this information.
Believe it or not the resurrection was not on a Sunday.