What, In CHRIST's Name, Is Easter?

It is written, “Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus” (Colossians 3:17). It is, therefore, a fair question to ask: What, in Christ’s name, is Easter? Doing something in Christ’s name does not merely mean to invoke His name, like a magic word; that has been tried, with disastrous results (Acts 19:13-16). Rather, to do all in Christ’s name is to act with His approval, under His supreme authority (Matthew 28:18). The word of the Lord must authorize Easter for it to be a legitimate religious function, but not a word of Inspiration teaches Christians to honor Jesus’ resurrection by way of an annual holiday.

The King James Version, alone, inserts “Easter” into God’s Word (Acts 12:4), where all reliable translations render it “Passover”. Such deliberate manipulation is plainly condemned, as Solomon wrote, “Do not add to His words, lest He rebuke you, and you be found a liar” (Proverbs 30:6).

In the absence of authorization from the divine text, Easter is, conclusively, nothing more than the “commandment of men”, amounting to “vain… worship” (Matthew 15:9).

Scripture informs, repeatedly, that Christ rose from the dead on “the first day of the week” (Matthew 28:1-8; Mark 16:1-11; Luke 24:1-12; John 20:1-23). Worthy of attention is the fact that “on the first day of the week… disciples came together to break bread” (Acts 20:7), which is done to commune with His body (1st Corinthians 10:16), remember Him (1st Corinthians 11:24), and proclaim His death (1st Corinthians 11:26). Christ deserves a weekly, not yearly, memorial.