INTRODUCTION:

Many people celebrate the day of Easter with the thoughts of Christ’s resurrection.  Many times just by looking at how this holiday began we can see how it is a Pagan holiday.  Yet without studying the history of this holiday we can simply try and identify if we are to observe it with the authority of Christ.

THERE IS ONLY ONE VERSE THAT HAS THE WORD EASTER AND IT IS A MISTRANSLATION THAT THE KJV MAKES, BUT THE ASV 1901 CORRECTS.  THE TERM SHOULD BE PASSOVER.
KJV Acts 12:4
4. And when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him; intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people.
 

I. THE KJV’S MISTRANSLATION OF PASSOVER
Vine's Greek Dictionary
Transliterated: pascha 

Text:  mistranslated "Easter" in Acts 12:4, KJV, denotes the Passover (RV). The phrase "after the Passover" signifies after the whole festival was at an end. The term "Easter" is not of Christian origin. It is another form of Astarte, one of the titles of the Chaldean goddess, the queen of heaven. The festival of Pasch held by Christians in post-apostolic times was a continuation of the Jewish feast, but was not instituted by Christ, nor was it connected with Lent. From this Pasch the pagan festival of "Easter" was quite distinct and was introduced into the apostate Western religion, as part of the attempt to adapt pagan festivals to Christianity. See PASSOVER. "to pass over, to spare," a feast instituted by God in commemoration of the deliverance of Israel from Egypt, and anticipatory of the expiatory sacrifice of Christ. The word signifies (I) "the Passover Feast," e.g., Matt. 26:2; John 2:13, 23; 6:4; 11:55; 12:1; 13:1; 18:39; 19:14; Acts 12:4; Heb. 11:28; 
 

II. CHRIST INSTITUTED THE LORD’S SUPPER IN REMEMBRANCE OF HIS DEATH
THE INSTITUTION OF THE LORD’S SUPPER
KJV Matthew 26:26-30
26.  And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body.
 27.  And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it;
 28.  For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.
 29.  But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom.
 30.  And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives.

PAUL’S REMINDER OF THE LORD’S SUPPER TO THE CHURCH AT CORINTH
KJV 1 Corinthians 11:23-29
 23.  For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread:
 24.  And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.
 25.  After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.
 26.  For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come.
 27.  Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.
 28.  But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.
 29.  For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.

IT WAS FOR CHRISTIANS
KJV Acts 2:41-42
 41.  Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.
 42.  And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.

UPON THE FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK
KJV Acts 20:7
7. And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight.

III. THERE IS NO AUTHORITY TO HAVE A DAY IN WHICH TO REMEMBER HIS RESURRECTION!
PAUL WARNED THOSE AT GALATIA AGAINST REMEMBERING DAYS, MONTHS, TIMES, AND YEARS!
KJV Galatians 4:8-10
 8.  Howbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods.
 9.  But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?
10. Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years.

IV. WHAT WAS THE BIBLICAL PASSOVER?
KJV Exodus 12:1-30
1.  And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt saying,
 2.  This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you.
 3.  Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house:
 4.  And if the household be too little for the lamb, let him and his neighbour next unto his house take it according to the number of the souls; every man according to his eating shall make your count for the lamb.
 5.  Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: ye shall take it out from the sheep, or from the goats:
 6.  And ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month: and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening.
 7.  And they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two side posts and on the upper door post of the houses, wherein they shall eat it.
 8.  And they shall eat the flesh in that night, roast with fire, and unleavened bread; and with bitter herbs they shall eat it.
 9.  Eat not of it raw, nor sodden at all with water, but roast with fire; his head with his legs, and with the purtenance thereof.
 10.  And ye shall let nothing of it remain until the morning; and that which remaineth of it until the morning ye shall burn with fire.
 11.  And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it is the Lord's passover.
 12.  For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the Lord.
 13.  And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.
 14.  And this day shall be unto you for a memorial; and ye shall keep it a feast to the Lord throughout your generations; ye shall keep it a feast by an ordinance for ever.
 15.  Seven days shall ye eat unleavened bread; even the first day ye shall put away leaven out of your houses: for whosoever eateth leavened bread from the first day until the seventh day, that soul shall be cut off from Israel.
 16.  And in the first day there shall be an holy convocation, and in the seventh day there shall be an holy convocation to you; no manner of work shall be done in them, save that which every man must eat, that only may be done of you.
 17.  And ye shall observe the feast of unleavened bread; for in this selfsame day have I brought your armies out of the land of Egypt: therefore shall ye observe this day in your generations by an ordinance for ever.
 18.  In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at even, ye shall eat unleavened bread, until the one and twentieth day of the month at even.
 19.  Seven days shall there be no leaven found in your houses: for whosoever eateth that which is leavened, even that soul shall be cut off from the congregation of Israel, whether he be a stranger, or born in the land.
 20.  Ye shall eat nothing leavened; in all your habitations shall ye eat unleavened bread.
 21.  Then Moses called for all the elders of Israel, and said unto them, Draw out and take you a lamb according to your families, and kill the passover.
 22.  And ye shall take a bunch of hyssop, and dip it in the blood that is in the bason, and strike the lintel and the two side posts with the blood that is in the bason; and none of you shall go out at the door of his house until the morning.
 23.  For the Lord will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when he seeth the blood upon the lintel, and on the two side posts, the Lord will pass over the door, and will not suffer the destroyer to come in unto your houses to smite you.
 24.  And ye shall observe this thing for an ordinance to thee and to thy sons for ever.
 25.  And it shall come to pass, when ye be come to the land which the Lord will give you, according as he hath promised, that ye shall keep this service.
 26.  And it shall come to pass, when your children shall say unto you, What mean ye by this service?
 27.  That ye shall say, It is the sacrifice of the Lord's passover, who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt, when he smote the Egyptians, and delivered our houses. And the people bowed the head and worshipped.
 28.  And the children of Israel went away, and did as the Lord had commanded Moses and Aaron, so did they.
 29.  And it came to pass, that at midnight the Lord smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sat on his throne unto the firstborn of the captive that was in the dungeon; and all the firstborn of cattle.
30. And Pharaoh rose up in the night, he, and all his servants, and all the Egyptians; and there was a great cry in Egypt; for there was not a house where there was not one dead.

LET TODAY BE THE DAY THAT YOU KNOW GOD PROPERLY!
 

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