Page 207 - Way of Life Encyclopedia of the Bible Christianity. Based on the King James Bible

EASTER - EBED MELECH

good works for the sake of those who are dead, we are, Enlarging on this subject, Ken Johnson adds: “[Those
as it were, completing what they left undone, paying who claim this is a mistranslation in the KJV] show a
their debts and offering our own sacrifice to the lack of two things. First, they neglect the context of the
Merciful Lord on their behalf” (The Journal of the verse for it is a season that is also noted. Second, in
Moscow Patriarchate, No. 10, 1976). English the season or time of year marked as the
In the Journal of the Moscow Patriarchate, No. 4, Passover season has for years been expressed in English
1980, we find the following false teachings about Mary, as ‘Easter.’ The KJV translators did not invent this usage
salvation, and the Lord’s Supper: nor were they wrong. The Geneva Bible of 1557
“When one asserts his faith in the Son of God, the Son translates Acts 12:4 as ‘Easter.’ This is also true of the
of the Ever Virgin Mary, the Mother of God, [note the 1539 Cranmer Bible—’Easter,’ and the Tyndale Bible of
false Catholic doctrines that Mary is the Mother of God 1534—’ester.’ This takes the time element back almost
and a perpetual virgin, meaning that she had no other 100 years for the usage of ‘Easter.’ Alfric, at the
children after Jesus] he accepts first of all the words of beginning of the eleventh century, wrote a Homily using
faith into his heart, confesses them orally, sincerely
repents of his former sins and washes them away in the term Easter: ‘Fram dam halgan easterlican [Easter
the sacrament of Baptism. Then God the Word enters season] (A.C. Champneys, History of English, London:
the baptized one, as though into the womb of the Revington, Percival and Co., p. 178). This calls the
Blessed Virgin and remains in him like a seed. ... By Passover season ‘Easter’ season and it is some five
partaking of the Holy Eucharist, a Christian is made hundred years plus before the KJV saw its publication
one with Christ” (Foundation, Nov.-Dec. 1980, p. 21). with ‘Easter’ in Acts 12:4" (Ken Johnson, A Response to
From these quotes it is obvious that the Orthodox J.H. Melton’s Forum Re. the King James Version and
Church is entirely apostate. It holds the same basic set Inspiration, p. 12).
of false beliefs as the Roman Catholic Church from (2) An occasion observed by many Christians
which it broke away in the ninth century. commemorating the resurrection of Christ. It is observed
Ecumenism: The Eastern Orthodox churches are on the Sunday immediately after the first full moon that
members of and form an influential block within the occurs on or after March 21. Originally Easter was a
World Council of Churches. In recent years steps have pagan holiday in the name of the goddess of spring, but
also been taken to reconcile the Eastern Orthodox with it was “Christianized” by the Catholic Church and
the Roman Catholic Church. In 1965 Pope Paul VI and adapted to the remembrance of Christ’s resurrection.
Patriarch Athenagoras I formally lifted the Sunrise services are adaptations of the ancient worship
excommunications of 1054. [See Mary, Pope, Roman of the sun. The Easter celebration is extra-biblical.
Catholic Church, World Council of Churches.] “Good Friday,” which is the supposed day that Christ
EASTER. (1) A pagan holiday (Ac. 12:4). This is the died, is fictitious in that Christ could not have died on
only place in which “easter” appears in the Authorized Friday. He was three days and three nights in the tomb
Version. Some say that this should be translated (Mt. 12:40; 16:21; 17:22-23; 20:17-19; 27:62-64; Lk.
“passover” and they point to this as an error in the KJV, 24:1-8; Jn. 2:19). He arose before daylight on Sunday
but they are wrong. The Easter of Ac. 12:4 occurred morning at the end of the sabbath (Jn. 20:1; Mt. 28:1;
after the Passover. We know this because Ac. 12:3 says it Mk. 16:2). Thus he must have been crucified on
was “the days of unleavened bread.” The feast of Wednesday or Thursday. The Jewish day begins in the
unleavened bread followed the Passover (Nu. 28:16-25), evening (Ge. 1:5,8,13,19,23). [See Christmas, Fable,
but this Easter was after the feast of unleavened bread. Friday, Roman Catholic Church.]
It refers to a pagan holiday, probably the celebration of EAST SEA. A name for the Salt Sea, or the Dead Sea.
Tammuz, the sun god (Jack Moorman, Easter or It is called East Sea because it forms Israel’s east
Passover?). “Easter” is a proper translation to boundary (Eze. 47:18). [See Salt Sea.]
distinguish it from the Jewish Passover, and the KJV EASY TO BE INTREATED. This phrase in Ja. 3:17
translators were wise in their choice of this word. In describes the character of a true godliness. It is kind and
using the term “Easter” in Ac. 12:4, The King James easily approached. When a question is asked of it, it
Translators merely left intact the reading of Tyndale, does not respond angrily, but gently and with charity
Matthews, and the Geneva Bible: “Then were the days toward the questioner. This attitude is contrasted with
of unleavened bread, and when he had caught him, he the bitter envying and strife which characterizes the
put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions world (Ja. 3:14-15). [See Love.]
of soldiers to be kept, intending after Easter to bring EBAL (bare). Ge. 36:23.
him forth to the people” (The Newe Testament by
William Tindale, 1526, John Wesley Sawyer, The EBED (servant). Ju. 9:26.
Martyrs Bible Series). EBED MELECH (servant of the king). Je. 38:7.

Way of Life Encyclopedia of the Bible & Christianity 207