Easter is named after Eostre, the Saxon goddess of spring, who was one of many pagan goddesses associated with the worship of nature and fertility at spring-time. Eostre is often depicted with a hare by her side, because hares or rabbits were symbols of enviable prolific procreation. When we think of Easter, often our first thoughts are bunny rabbits and chocolate eggs! For Christians it is, more importantly, the anniversary of the resurrection of Jesus, so central to our faith.
And this is where the notion of the Easter Bunny comes from! Originally a spirit, it brought new life in eggs with it when it appeared in spring. Today someone dressed as Easter Bunny may be seen at a hunt for Easter eggs! Eggs were another symbol of new life and fertility, part of the pagan worship of the resurgence of life with the arrival of spring.
Historical records, including the Bible, tell us that Jesus was also crucified at this time of year, in the run up to the Jewish Passover festival. The date each year for Passover was, and still is, based on the Jewish calendar, which has different months than on the calendar we follow today in the western world.
About 350 years after the crucifixion of Jesus, church leaders decided to tell people what day Easter should be observed, as people were choosing different days based on different reasoning. For instance, should Easter Day always be on a Sunday, as this was the original day of the resurrection, or could it be on a week day if the changing date of Passover dictated this? These church leaders decided that Easter Sunday will always be on the First Sunday after the full moon that directly follows the Spring Equinox!
Despite being named after a pagan goddess, Easter actually has much more in common with the Jewish Passover festival. The Passover is described in chapter 12 of the book of Exodus, which tells the story of the Israelites escaping from slavery in Egypt. The Jewish families had to daub lamb's blood on their doorposts; when God saw the blood he "passed over" those homes, but he killed the first born of the Egyptian families who were keeping his people in slavery.
The Jewish families were saved that day by marking their homes with lamb's blood. The Bible says Jesus was the last sacrificial lamb, the last time blood would have to be spilt to pay for our sins. Christians believe that Jesus paid the price for our sins by his death on the cross, and showed he has conquered sin and death by his resurrection. That's what we celebrate on Easter Sunday!
Later, the church instructed people to observe other special days in the run up to Easter to remember different events in Jesus life, from Shrove Tuesday, through Lent, to Ascension Day and Pentecost.
Richmond Park Church, What have Eostre and Jesus got to do with each other?
And this is where the notion of the Easter Bunny comes from! Originally a spirit, it brought new life in eggs with it when it appeared in spring. Today someone dressed as Easter Bunny may be seen at a hunt for Easter eggs! Eggs were another symbol of new life and fertility, part of the pagan worship of the resurgence of life with the arrival of spring.
Historical records, including the Bible, tell us that Jesus was also crucified at this time of year, in the run up to the Jewish Passover festival. The date each year for Passover was, and still is, based on the Jewish calendar, which has different months than on the calendar we follow today in the western world.
About 350 years after the crucifixion of Jesus, church leaders decided to tell people what day Easter should be observed, as people were choosing different days based on different reasoning. For instance, should Easter Day always be on a Sunday, as this was the original day of the resurrection, or could it be on a week day if the changing date of Passover dictated this? These church leaders decided that Easter Sunday will always be on the First Sunday after the full moon that directly follows the Spring Equinox!
Despite being named after a pagan goddess, Easter actually has much more in common with the Jewish Passover festival. The Passover is described in chapter 12 of the book of Exodus, which tells the story of the Israelites escaping from slavery in Egypt. The Jewish families had to daub lamb's blood on their doorposts; when God saw the blood he "passed over" those homes, but he killed the first born of the Egyptian families who were keeping his people in slavery.
The Jewish families were saved that day by marking their homes with lamb's blood. The Bible says Jesus was the last sacrificial lamb, the last time blood would have to be spilt to pay for our sins. Christians believe that Jesus paid the price for our sins by his death on the cross, and showed he has conquered sin and death by his resurrection. That's what we celebrate on Easter Sunday!
Later, the church instructed people to observe other special days in the run up to Easter to remember different events in Jesus life, from Shrove Tuesday, through Lent, to Ascension Day and Pentecost.
Richmond Park Church, What have Eostre and Jesus got to do with each other?
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