Myths and Realities about Easter

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MarcR

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Feb 12, 2015
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Well, nice try, but not quite.

If you look at Matthew chapters 27 & 28, Mark chapters 15 &16, Luke chapters 23 & 24, and John chapters 19 & 20, it is pretty clear that they are all referring to "the Sabbath" as in "on the 7th day" -- that is, Saturday.

According to all four of the gospels, Jesus died around 3:00 p.m. on the day before the Sabbath day. The Sabbath day is Saturday, therefore, Jesus died on Friday.

So we have established two of the three days involved. But when did they realize that Jesus wasn’t in the tomb? We celebrate Easter on a Sunday, but could it have been on a Monday or a Tuesday instead? Nope.

Here again we find agreement between the four gospels that the events took place on the first day of the week," which would be Sunday. Don’t just take my word for it,look at those eight chapters I listed. You will see they include the references to Easter morning.

Saturday, which is the Sabbath, is the last day of the week, Sunday is the first day of the week. There’s really no getting around the timeline of Friday afternoon to Sunday morning. So how is that three days?

First we need to look at a slight-but-important difference in wording. The Bible does not say that Jesus was in the tomb for three days and three nights. What the Bible actually says is that Jesus rose "on the third day." That might seem like a minor difference, but it’s actually quite important.

It is factually and morally wrong to blame the Jews for Jesus’ death. Everyone born after Adam is to blame, because everyone after Adam has sinned, and made the sacrifice of Jesus necessary. However, it is accurate to blame the Jews for the weird time-keeping we’re about to run into. You’ll remember that Jesus was a Jew, as were all of His original Apostles. Judaism doesn’t consider the days to start and end at midnight. Instead, days start and end at sunrise/sunset.

So:

  • Jesus died at noon on Friday = First day
  • Sundown Friday to sundown Saturday = Second day.
  • Sundown Saturday to sundown Sunday = Third day.
"On the third day" means anytime after sundown on Saturday and before sundown on Sunday.

Capice?
Well thought out and logical; but how do you account for 3 nights?
 

MarcR

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Feb 12, 2015
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actually what you did was fail to quote a single primary source documenting the existence of a goddess supposedly named 'eostre'...and then absurdly asked me to document the nonexistence of documentation...

the fact is that there are no contemporary sources documenting that this goddess supposedly called 'eostre' even existed...the only documentation that exists is a second hand report from bede...who never actually witnessed eostre worship and only says that it happened 'in olden time'...

if you disagree...find a primary source like real historians do...don't quote speculation from bible dictionaries...
That is an excellent dodge!


The encyclopedias cited did cite primary sources.

I never spoke of the Celtic goddess, Eoster, except to answer Thomist Collin.

The references to the Teutonic Oester(n) are as well documented as anyone can reasonably expect; since I do not have the financial resources to photograph original sources and images as these references have done. The photographic evidences were stripped in the paste process but the works, themselves, are readily available.

You have made an unsupported claim that there is no connection. I have made a well supported claim that there is indeed a connection. Why should any reasonable person take your assertion over such reputable reference works as Britanica, McClintoc & Strong, International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, etc. Do you suppose that your academic credentials are superior?
 

prove-all

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ezekiel 8 has nothing to do with easter...the weeping for tammuz began at the summer solstice...when the sun reached its highest point in the sky each year and nature began to go 'downhill' into autumn and winter...a natural cycle that was identified with the death of tammuz...
ezekiel 8 has everything to do with His priests worshiping the sun, and not the Son.



On the venerable Day of the Sun let the magistrates and people residing in cities rest


Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day there shall be to you an holy day,
a sabbath of rest to the Lord: whosoever doeth work therein shall be put to death.



He was prety blunt back then
 
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MarcR

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Feb 12, 2015
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That is an excellent dodge!


The encyclopedias cited did cite primary sources.

I never spoke of the Celtic goddess, Eoster, except to answer Thomist Collin.

The references to the Teutonic Oester(n) are as well documented as anyone can reasonably expect; since I do not have the financial resources to photograph original sources and images as these references have done. The photographic evidences were stripped in the paste process but the works, themselves, are readily available.

You have made an unsupported claim that there is no connection. I have made a well supported claim that there is indeed a connection. Why should any reasonable person take your assertion over such reputable reference works as Britanica, McClintoc & Strong, International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, etc. Do you suppose that your academic credentials are superior?
If you download E-Sword Bible Study software at e-Sword | Home, at no charge; you can then go to Latest e-Sword Downloads, Modules, Utilities, and News - e-Sword News, Downloads, and Forums - www.BibleSupport.com and download all my cited reference works (also at no charge); and see for yourself how well documented the connections are.

You can also use Google, or the search engine of your choice to locate scholarly articles and Masters & Doctorate theses:

Google: Oestern, Astarte, and Aphrodite and you will find that they link not only to each other; but to Ishtar as well.

You will also find that Astarte is linked to the 'Queen of Heaven' and to Constantine's move to venerate Mary.
 

prove-all

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May 16, 2014
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Well, nice try, but not quite.

If you look at Matthew chapters 27 & 28, Mark chapters 15 &16, Luke chapters 23 & 24, and John chapters 19 & 20, it is pretty clear that they are all referring to "the Sabbath" as in "on the 7th day" -- that is, Saturday.

According to all four of the gospels, Jesus died around 3:00 p.m. on the day before the Sabbath day. The Sabbath day is Saturday, therefore, Jesus died on Friday.



Capice?
at closer look into it we see

the one thing that man had was Gods commanded convocation assemblies,

His Sabbathe(s) made Holy by Him , and man forgets and does his own traditions,

a high holy day, bible verse you miss, the night to be most remembered,

the High Holy day mary rested on first, was the day after passover, not the 7th day regular Sabbath,
I repeat not a regular Sabbath, but was the 5th day of the week that year back in 31 a.d.,
a floating holiday.

the 6th day of the week she was able to mix spices, then rested again on the weekly Sabbath,
7th day week,

and went to apply very early,1st day week, and he was gone before light,no witness saw before dark was over .

Numbers 33:3: “And they departed from Rameses in the first month, on the fifteenth day of the first month;

on the morrow after the passover the children of Israel went out with an high hand in the sight of all the Egyptians.”

Numbers 28:16-17. “n the fourteenth day [not after it] … is the passover of the Lord.
And in the fifteenth day [not before it] of this month is the feast: seven days shall unleavened bread be eaten.”

Leviticus 23:5-6 say the same thing. Notice the Passover is not the 15th, but the 14th.

but the feast day is the 15th. The seven-day period begins the 15th.
The 15th is the first of the seven Days of Unleavened Bread.

The 14th day is the Passover. It is the first of God’s festivals.In the 15th day is the feast.

Exodus 12:14 “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.Seven days shall ye eat unleavened bread.
And in the first day there shall be an holy convocation …” (verses 14-16).

What day is established as a memorial—not a shadow, a memorial—a feast—to be kept forever?
Notice, it is the day that is the feast—“[Y]e shall keep it a feast.”

It is the day that is the feast day—the 15th Abib, not the 14th—not the Passover!


Matthew 26:5. The chief priests and the scribes, conspiring to kill Jesus, said: “Not on the feast day, lest there be an uproar among the people.” They hastened so they could take and kill Him the day before the feast, or on the 14th Abib (Nisan).

Capice ?
 

MarcR

Senior Member
Feb 12, 2015
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actually what you did was fail to quote a single primary source documenting the existence of a goddess supposedly named 'eostre'...and then absurdly asked me to document the nonexistence of documentation...

the fact is that there are no contemporary sources documenting that this goddess supposedly called 'eostre' even existed...the only documentation that exists is a second hand report from bede...who never actually witnessed eostre worship and only says that it happened 'in olden time'...

if you disagree...find a primary source like real historians do...don't quote speculation from bible dictionaries...
I have not pretended to write a compendium for publication. I have answered an ignorant post on a public forum with reputable scholarship that has been continuously published since the 19th century from 5 sources in agreement with each other. You have dismissed it as speculation and gotten people to like your hubris. I suppose that if you learn to fart on cue, you will find people who call it music!
 

john832

Senior Member
May 31, 2013
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Well, nice try, but not quite.

If you look at Matthew chapters 27 & 28, Mark chapters 15 &16, Luke chapters 23 & 24, and John chapters 19 & 20, it is pretty clear that they are all referring to "the Sabbath" as in "on the 7th day" -- that is, Saturday.

According to all four of the gospels, Jesus died around 3:00 p.m. on the day before the Sabbath day. The Sabbath day is Saturday, therefore, Jesus died on Friday.


And what do you call this?

Lev 23:24 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, in the first day of the month, shall ye have a sabbath, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, an holy convocation.

The Feast of Trumpets that occurs on the first day of the seventh month and can occur on any day of the week. It is a Sabbbath, a high Sabbath or High Day.

Lev 23:27 Also on the tenth day of this seventh month there shall be a day of atonement: it shall be an holy convocation unto you; and ye shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD.
Lev 23:32 It shall be unto you a sabbath of rest, and ye shall afflict your souls: in the ninth day of the month at even, from even unto even, shall ye celebrate your sabbath.

The Day of Atonement occurs on the tenth day of the seventh month and can occur on any day of the week. It is a Sabbbath, a high Sabbath or High Day

Guess what the First Day of Unleavened Bread is?

Lev 23:6 And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of unleavened bread unto the LORD: seven days ye must eat unleavened bread.
Lev 23:7 In the first day ye shall have an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein.

It is the High Day that followed Passover...

Joh 19:31 The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the sabbath day, (for that sabbath day was an high day,) besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away.


So we have established two of the three days involved. But when did they realize that Jesus wasn’t in the tomb? We celebrate Easter on a Sunday, but could it have been on a Monday or a Tuesday instead? Nope.
What you have established is that you know nothing of the Feasts of God and are completely unaware that the day following Christ's crucifixion (the Passover) was a Sabbath (an high day) called the First Day of Unleavened Bread.

Here again we find agreement between the four gospels that the events took place on the first day of the week," which would be Sunday. Don’t just take my word for it,look at those eight chapters I listed. You will see they include the references to Easter morning.
What we find is that He was already gone on the morning of the first day of the week...

Joh 20:1 The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre.
Joh 20:2 Then she runneth, and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and saith unto them, They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre, and we know not where they have laid him.

Of course He was, He was resurrected three days and three nights after He was put in the tomb.

Saturday, which is the Sabbath, is the last day of the week, Sunday is the first day of the week. There’s really no getting around the timeline of Friday afternoon to Sunday morning. So how is that three days?
Assuming you can't count and you disregard scripture you come up with a Sunday morning resurrection.

First we need to look at a slight-but-important difference in wording. The Bible does not say that Jesus was in the tomb for three days and three nights. What the Bible actually says is that Jesus rose "on the third day." That might seem like a minor difference, but it’s actually quite important.
Conveniently ignoring this scripture...

Mar 8:31 And he began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders, and of the chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.

Now who was teaching this? No other than Christ Himself.

It is factually and morally wrong to blame the Jews for Jesus’ death. Everyone born after Adam is to blame, because everyone after Adam has sinned, and made the sacrifice of Jesus necessary. However, it is accurate to blame the Jews for the weird time-keeping we’re about to run into. You’ll remember that Jesus was a Jew, as were all of His original Apostles. Judaism doesn’t consider the days to start and end at midnight. Instead, days start and end at sunrise/sunset.
Uh, the days begin at sunset. You are speaking about the Creator of days and He says that the days begin at sunset. Judaism teaches a lot of things, some of which is even true.

So:

  • Jesus died at noon on Friday = First day
  • Sundown Friday to sundown Saturday = Second day.
  • Sundown Saturday to sundown Sunday = Third day.
First of all, we can't count the daylight period on Friday, this is not what Christ said. He didn't say He would be dead for three days and three nights, He said He would be in the tomb for three days and three nights...

Mat 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.

Secondly, where are three nights between Friday and Sunday morning? There is Friday night and Saturday night. Where is the third night?

"On the third day" means anytime after sundown on Saturday and before sundown on Sunday.

Capice?
OK, let's get ALL the scriptures and put them together...

Joh 2:19 Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.

In three days.

Mat 16:21 From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.

Mat 17:23 And they shall kill him, and the third day he shall be raised again. And they were exceeding sorry.

on the third day.

Mar 8:31 And he began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders, and of the chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.

after three days.

And finally...

Mat 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.

Three days and three nights. Now how long is the daylight part of a day?

Joh 11:9 Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world.
Joh 11:10 But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because there is no light in him.

Christ plainly shows here, contrasting the daylight with night that there are twelve hours in the daylight and twelve hours at night.

Put them all together and what fits?

72 hours is the only time that will fit all the scriptures.

Well thought out and logical; but how do you account for 3 nights?
Now how well thought out and logical was this? Most of the pertinent scriptures were ignored or disregarded.
 
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pem

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Mar 13, 2015
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Easter, Christmas, lent, etc etc - all Roman Catholic
 

MarcR

Senior Member
Feb 12, 2015
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And what do you call this?

Lev 23:24 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, in the first day of the month, shall ye have a sabbath, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, an holy convocation.

The Feast of Trumpets that occurs on the first day of the seventh month and can occur on any day of the week. It is a Sabbbath, a high Sabbath or High Day.

Lev 23:27 Also on the tenth day of this seventh month there shall be a day of atonement: it shall be an holy convocation unto you; and ye shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD.
Lev 23:32 It shall be unto you a sabbath of rest, and ye shall afflict your souls: in the ninth day of the month at even, from even unto even, shall ye celebrate your sabbath.

The Day of Atonement occurs on the tenth day of the seventh month and can occur on any day of the week. It is a Sabbbath, a high Sabbath or High Day

Guess what the First Day of Unleavened Bread is?

Lev 23:6 And on the fifteenth day of the same month is the feast of unleavened bread unto the LORD: seven days ye must eat unleavened bread.
Lev 23:7 In the first day ye shall have an holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work therein.

It is the High Day that followed Passover...

Joh 19:31 The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the sabbath day, (for that sabbath day was an high day,) besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away.




What you have established is that you know nothing of the Feasts of God and are completely unaware that the day following Christ's crucifixion (the Passover) was a Sabbath (an high day) called the First Day of Unleavened Bread.



What we find is that He was already gone on the morning of the first day of the week...

Joh 20:1 The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre.
Joh 20:2 Then she runneth, and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and saith unto them, They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre, and we know not where they have laid him.

Of course He was, He was resurrected three days and three nights after He was put in the tomb.



Assuming you can't count and you disregard scripture you come up with a Sunday morning resurrection.



Conveniently ignoring this scripture...

Mar 8:31 And he began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders, and of the chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.

Now who was teaching this? No other than Christ Himself.



Uh, the days begin at sunset. You are speaking about the Creator of days and He says that the days begin at sunset. Judaism teaches a lot of things, some of which is even true.



First of all, we can't count the daylight period on Friday, this is not what Christ said. He didn't say He would be dead for three days and three nights, He said He would be in the tomb for three days and three nights...

Mat 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.

Secondly, where are three nights between Friday and Sunday morning? There is Friday night and Saturday night. Where is the third night?



OK, let's get ALL the scriptures and put them together...

Joh 2:19 Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.

In three days.

Mat 16:21 From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.

Mat 17:23 And they shall kill him, and the third day he shall be raised again. And they were exceeding sorry.

on the third day.

Mar 8:31 And he began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders, and of the chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.

after three days.

And finally...

Mat 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.

Three days and three nights. Now how long is the daylight part of a day?

Joh 11:9 Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world.
Joh 11:10 But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because there is no light in him.

Christ plainly shows here, contrasting the daylight with night that there are twelve hours in the daylight and twelve hours at night.

Put them all together and what fits?

72 hours is the only time that will fit all the scriptures.



Now how well thought out and logical was this? Most of the pertinent scriptures were ignored or disregarded.
John,

If you look at the four books of Kings and Chronicles, you will see that if a king reigned for as little as 3 days, it was counted as a year. Likewise in Hebrew idiom, any part of a day was regarded as a day. The idea that 3 days refers to 72 hours is both English idiom and Western European thinking. Ancient Israel simply didn't regard time this way. When trying to understand what Jesus said, it is necessary to recognized what it meant to the people to whom He spoke; before trying to extrapolate to our own culture. Even in English, If I say I need to shop again in 3 days, I don't mean that I need to wait 72 hours.
 

john832

Senior Member
May 31, 2013
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John,

If you look at the four books of Kings and Chronicles, you will see that if a king reigned for as little as 3 days, it was counted as a year. Likewise in Hebrew idiom, any part of a day was regarded as a day. The idea that 3 days refers to 72 hours is both English idiom and Western European thinking. Ancient Israel simply didn't regard time this way. When trying to understand what Jesus said, it is necessary to recognized what it meant to the people to whom He spoke; before trying to extrapolate to our own culture. Even in English, If I say I need to shop again in 3 days, I don't mean that I need to wait 72 hours.
Again, ignoring some scriptures like John 11:9 and Mat 12:39-40.
 

MarcR

Senior Member
Feb 12, 2015
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Again, ignoring some scriptures like John 11:9 and Mat 12:39-40.
Jn 11:8-11
8 His disciples say unto him, Master, the Jews of late sought to stone thee; and goest thou thither again?
9 Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world.
10 But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because there is no light in him.
11 These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep.
KJV
Looking at the context here it is obvious that Jesus is speaking about Spiritual enlightenment and not about time.

There are only 12 hours of daylight at the equinoxes. Between the solstices daylight varies between 9 and 15 hours; at 40 degrees latitude. As you approach the pole, day length can vary between 1 and 23 hours.


Mt 12:39-40
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:
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.
KJV


Verse 40 must be understood in the same idiom. Three days and three nights can be fulfilled by anywhere between 48 and 72 hours but must subtend at least part of 3 distinct nights and 3 distinct days.
 
R

RachelBibleStudent

Guest
That is an excellent dodge!


The encyclopedias cited did cite primary sources.

I never spoke of the Celtic goddess, Eoster, except to answer Thomist Collin.

The references to the Teutonic Oester(n) are as well documented as anyone can reasonably expect; since I do not have the financial resources to photograph original sources and images as these references have done. The photographic evidences were stripped in the paste process but the works, themselves, are readily available.

You have made an unsupported claim that there is no connection. I have made a well supported claim that there is indeed a connection. Why should any reasonable person take your assertion over such reputable reference works as Britanica, McClintoc & Strong, International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, etc. Do you suppose that your academic credentials are superior?
i went back and checked again...not one of your sources cites a primary source...

maybe you don't know what a primary source actually is...a primary source is something produced by someone contemporary with the event or phenomenon under investigation...for the case of 'eostre' you would need a source older than bede...

and actually since you are using an 'argument from authority' in defense of your assertions...i thought i would post what the encyclopedia britannica -currently- says about easter...

"The English word Easter, which parallels the German word Ostern, is of uncertain origin. One view, expounded by the Venerable Bede in the 8th century, was that it derived from Eostre, or Eostrae, the Anglo-Saxon goddess of spring and fertility. This view presumes--as does the view associating the origin of Christmas on December 25 with pagan celebrations of the winter equinox--that Christians appropriated pagan names and holidays for their highest festivals. Given the determination with which Christians combated all forms of paganism, this appears a rather dubious presumption. There is now widespread consensus that the word derives from the Christian designation of Easter week as in albis, a Latin phrase that was understood as the plural of alba ("dawn") and became eostarum in Old High German, the precursor of the modern German and English term."

Easter | holiday | Encyclopedia Britannica

now why should any resonable person take your assertion over such a reputable reference work? do you suppose that your academic credentials are superior?
 

MarcR

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Feb 12, 2015
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i went back and checked again...not one of your sources cites a primary source...

maybe you don't know what a primary source actually is...a primary source is something produced by someone contemporary with the event or phenomenon under investigation...for the case of 'eostre' you would need a source older than bede...

and actually since you are using an 'argument from authority' in defense of your assertions...i thought i would post what the encyclopedia britannica -currently- says about easter...

"The English word Easter, which parallels the German word Ostern, is of uncertain origin. One view, expounded by the Venerable Bede in the 8th century, was that it derived from Eostre, or Eostrae, the Anglo-Saxon goddess of spring and fertility. This view presumes--as does the view associating the origin of Christmas on December 25 with pagan celebrations of the winter equinox--that Christians appropriated pagan names and holidays for their highest festivals. Given the determination with which Christians combated all forms of paganism, this appears a rather dubious presumption. There is now widespread consensus that the word derives from the Christian designation of Easter week as in albis, a Latin phrase that was understood as the plural of alba ("dawn") and became eostarum in Old High German, the precursor of the modern German and English term."

Easter | holiday | Encyclopedia Britannica

now why should any resonable person take your assertion over such a reputable reference work? do you suppose that your academic credentials are superior?

As I noted earlier, I have cited reputable scholarship. The financial and time burden of finding primary sources is prohibitive.

If I were publishing a compendium, I would be obliged to cite primary sources. An ignorant post on a public forum does not warrant such expenditure.
 

john832

Senior Member
May 31, 2013
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Jn 11:8-11
8 His disciples say unto him, Master, the Jews of late sought to stone thee; and goest thou thither again?
9 Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world.
10 But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because there is no light in him.
11 These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep.
KJV
Looking at the context here it is obvious that Jesus is speaking about Spiritual enlightenment and not about time.

There are only 12 hours of daylight at the equinoxes. Between the solstices daylight varies between 9 and 15 hours; at 40 degrees latitude. As you approach the pole, day length can vary between 1 and 23 hours.
Lemme ask you something, when does the Passover occur? At the winter solstice? Or at the spring EQUINOX?


Mt 12:39-40
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:
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.
KJV


Verse 40 must be understood in the same idiom. Three days and three nights can be fulfilled by anywhere between 48 and 72 hours but must subtend at least part of 3 distinct nights and 3 distinct days.
Excuse me, why must it be understood as an idiom? So that it can be massaged into a Friday crucifixion, Sunday morning resurrection?

I prefer to just read what it says, three days and three nights.
 

MarcR

Senior Member
Feb 12, 2015
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Lemme ask you something, when does the Passover occur? At the winter solstice? Or at the spring EQUINOX?




Excuse me, why must it be understood as an idiom? So that it can be massaged into a Friday crucifixion, Sunday morning resurrection?

I prefer to just read what it says, three days and three nights.
Taking the bible to mean what it says is good practice.

Imposing scholarly constraints on God's word should be done cautiously if at all.

Let's consider the implications of entombment before sundown Wednesday.
Wednesday night- Thursday is 1 night and 1 day
Thursday night-Friday is 2nights and 2 days
Friday night-Saturday is 3nights and 3 days
If Jesus arose on the third day then the resurrection was on the Sabbath and not on Firstfruits.

The doctrine of Jesus being the Firsttruits of the resurrection from the dead is lost.
 

MarcR

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Feb 12, 2015
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Lemme ask you something, when does the Passover occur? At the winter solstice? Or at the spring EQUINOX?




Excuse me, why must it be understood as an idiom? So that it can be massaged into a Friday crucifixion, Sunday morning resurrection?

I prefer to just read what it says, three days and three nights.
There is absolutely nothing that connects John 11 to Passover.

As I pointed out, the passage is about spiritual enlightenment not about time.
 

MarcR

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i went back and checked again...not one of your sources cites a primary source...

maybe you don't know what a primary source actually is...a primary source is something produced by someone contemporary with the event or phenomenon under investigation...for the case of 'eostre' you would need a source older than bede...

and actually since you are using an 'argument from authority' in defense of your assertions...i thought i would post what the encyclopedia britannica -currently- says about easter...

"The English word Easter, which parallels the German word Ostern, is of uncertain origin. One view, expounded by the Venerable Bede in the 8th century, was that it derived from Eostre, or Eostrae, the Anglo-Saxon goddess of spring and fertility. This view presumes--as does the view associating the origin of Christmas on December 25 with pagan celebrations of the winter equinox--that Christians appropriated pagan names and holidays for their highest festivals. Given the determination with which Christians combated all forms of paganism, this appears a rather dubious presumption. There is now widespread consensus that the word derives from the Christian designation of Easter week as in albis, a Latin phrase that was understood as the plural of alba ("dawn") and became eostarum in Old High German, the precursor of the modern German and English term."

Easter | holiday | Encyclopedia Britannica

now why should any resonable person take your assertion over such a reputable reference work? do you suppose that your academic credentials are superior?
Several of the cited works include photographs of Phoenician images and show their arrival in Lydia/Ephesus, Southern Europe, and even England. I considered those to be primary sources.
 

john832

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May 31, 2013
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There is absolutely nothing that connects John 11 to Passover.

As I pointed out, the passage is about spiritual enlightenment not about time.
Not the point, the Creator knew how long a day was daylight portion 12 hours, nighttime portion 12 hours.

Days begin at sunset and there is a dark and a light part...

Gen 1:5 God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night. So the evening and the morning were the first day.

Christ tells us how long each are in John 11. You suppose He forgot all about creating everything while He was here on earth?
 

MarcR

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John,

The only legitimate to consider idiom or other factors is to resolve apparent contradictions.