With the celebration of Easter, the most holy time for Christians, coming in just a few days, I thought this would be a good word. For many of you this has never been a problem and maybe never heard it as an objection, but there has been a criticism from outside and inside the church that “Easter” is a pagan holiday or at least started that way. The word “Easter” is not in the Bible, so where did it come from? I will quote from two main sources for this information. Interestingly, other languages use other terms usually related more closely to the word Passover, which
designates the Jewish season of Jesus death and resurrection. Only in English do we call this Holy Day Easter. And there is a specific reason for that.
“’The Venerable Bede explains it this way: Eosturmonath has a name which is now translated “Paschal month”, and which was once called after a goddess of theirs named Eostre, in whose honour feasts were celebrated in that month. Now they designate that Paschal season by her name, calling the joys of the new rite by the time-honored name of the old observance.’ Some believe that this means that Bede is saying that Easter is based on the worship of a pagan goddess. But that is not what he is saying. What he is saying is that the month is named after a goddess. It is similar to how January is named after Janus and March is named after Mars.
The month in which Christians celebrated the death and resurrection of Jesus happened to take place in that month, and the celebration took on the name of the month. So our modern Easter is named after the goddess Eostre, not in terms of worship, but in terms of timing and the old name of that month. (Stephen Bedard – History of Christianity.org)
“So, using the name ‘Easter’ is not a problem because the origin of the word does not mean that the word is bad. If we want to be consistent and avoid using [pagan] words, Christians will also have to find new names for the planets and the days of the week. Christians remember that Jesus, after dying on the cross, rose from the dead, showing that life could win over death.” (Candice Lucey is a freelance writer from British Columbia,) Easter, which means “to shine” is only a name, adopted and transformed over centuries to become a Christ-centered reference to a Holy Day that celebrates the resurrection of our Lord.
Many of our secular observances, that have crept into the church, are carry-overs from some past pagan practices. But many of them we have changed and given more Christian meanings. “For Christians, the egg is a symbol of the tomb, while cracking the egg represents Jesus’ resurrection. In the Orthodox tradition, eggs are painted red to symbolize the blood Jesus shed on the cross.” Easter traditions can be redeemed, and the fun of Easter is still permissible. (Candice Lucey is a freelance writer from British Columbia,)
Meanwhile, God examines the heart. As long as our celebration is based upon the truth of the word of God, God will be praised for the mighty things he has done, especially in the death and resurrection of our Lord, Jesus the Christ.
In Christ Alone
Pastor Gary
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