SUNDAY EDITORIAL

Today many are celebrating Easter, others the Passover, some Resurrection Day. I am confused!

As I usually do when I have a question I talk to the Lord, and since many people include Him by saying it is the day they celebrate His Resurrection I of course decide to do my research.

Acts 12:4
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.

Good the word Easter is in the Bible. But, don't you love those buts. Easter is a mistranslation of the word Passover. And it is only used this one time in the Bible. So after apprehending him, and putting him in prison, he intended to bring him before the people, after Passover. Oh, and I almost forgot the he here is not the HE, it is in fact Peter.

Passover then is the correct name for the holiday. What then is Passover? Passover is a Jewish holiday, or rather one of their most important festivals. It begins on either the 14th or 15th day of Nisan, which is the first month of the religious calendar. Passover lasts either 7 or 8 days again depending again on if you are Diaspora or Reformed.

Passover is the observance of the deliverance from Egypt. To celebrate this event correctly Jewish people start preparing a month ahead of time. We actually get our spring cleaning ritual from this as the cleaning of the house is an enormous task. Your house must be cleaned completely, in fact the instructions I found mentioned a toothpick and Q-tips, so nothing is missed. When they say clean they mean clean.

Now that the house is clean, a few days before Passover you will begin making your kitchen "Kosher for Passover." First all utensils that have been used year round must be locked or sealed up in cabinets. [See below about chamtez.] All food must be put away, again under lock or seal. If you have finished early before Passover starts you may buy ready-prepared food and eat it outside your house. All non-Passover food has to go, as in you can sell it, give it away, but you cannot keep it.

Now here is one that will sound familiar. Make sure your holiday clothes and shoes are ready, ironed, and polished. Treat yourself to something new--an outfit, shoes, maybe a tie.

Now with a candle, a spoon, and a feather search the house for any remaining or forgotten chametz. Chametz is anything made from the five major grains [wheat, rye, barley, oats and spelt]. Jews may not eat chamtez during Passover, they cannot even own it, all chamtez including utensils used to cook it must either be disposed of or sold to a non-Jew. If you find any during this search you must burn it. Then you will recite the 'nullification statement' renouncing all ownership of any chamtez that may remain that you did not find [with the toothpick in the corner of the cabinet] or anywhere else in your possession.

Now it is time to start Passover. Wait, did I hear you say something? You are not a Jew. Oh I am sorry, but if you are going to celebrate something from the Bible you don't get to change the rules. Only God makes the rules. God never changes, right?

The Passover is included in the Law passed down from Moses, and didn't Jesus say He came to fulfill the law not do away with it.
Luke 24: 44And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.

Matthew 5: 18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.

John 15:25 But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause.

Did you just read that? Jesus came to fulfill the law, it does not say 'He came to fulfill the law not do away with it. And in Matthew 5:18 'one jot or one title shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.’
We are not under the law, Jesus fulfilled the law, there is no reason to celebrate the Passover.

But recj/LJG, we are celebrating His Resurrection. Well if that is what you are doing the Bible doesn't say do or not do. Praise Him and lift up His Name and all He is and has been, and shall be forever. I do not think God minds our families getting together and lifting up His name. I don't believe He minds us having a big special meal with all kinds of sweets and chocolate, and candies and cookies and cakes and pies and sweets---sorry got carried away.

God wants us to remember the wonderful things that He has done for us. The Jewish people celebrate for 7 or 8 days with prayer and sacrifice for a Saviour that has already came. I am sure you will spend this one day celebrating Jesus.

God Bless Indeed
recj/ljg