The Truth in Print Vol. 23 Issue 3, April 2017

A Publication of the Valley church of Christ,

2375 W. 8th Street, Yuma, AZ 85364 (928-782-5058)

 

Website Address ~ http://yumavalleychurchofchrist.com

 

Don’t Call it Easter just “Resurrection Sunday” and Keep the Human Tradition

 

   Last year about this time we had an article in “The Sun” our local paper on Easter service being a man-made law — mere human tradition:

 

“Surely Not Man-Made Law --- Easter Services”

 

    Lent’s “law of fasting” exemplifies how religious leaders make up their own “canon” (not God’s). The practice of Lent with its “no meat” requirement was no part of “the faith once delivered to the saints” (cf. I Tim. 4:3; 2 Jo. 9, Jude 3). Ash Wednesday – the smudge on the forehead – cannot be found as a part of the law Christ gave for His church. Jesus condemned “vain worship” that came from “teaching as doctrine the commandments of men” (Matt. 15:7-9).

   Denominational and community type churches stand guilty of the same. You can’t go back and rightly connect Easter’s origin with mere human tradition (man’s law not God’s), and then turn and claim that it is New Testament law to be observed by churches. There is no “Easter Celebration Service” given for the local churches of Christ in the New Testament. While not accepting the made up practice of Ash Wednesday and Lent you accept the man-made practice of Easter celebration services for your own churches – that often followed by church sponsored party times.

   Today the New Testament remains as the law of Christ for His church as given in the first century (cf. Phil. 1:27; Jude 3). When asked to do something you should “examine the scriptures” to see if those telling you to do so are speaking the truth from God’s word (cf. Acts 17:11; 2 Tim. 3:16-17). Christians are taught to “prove all things; hold fast that which is good” (cf. I Th. 5:21).

 

  A woman replied with this message:

 

   “Yes I’m calling. I can’t believe another church wrote something like this in the paper – Surely Not Man Made Law ~ Easter Services - horrible, horrible, written article. God bless.”

   She says “another church” for they know they’re all doing this in some form or another   i.e. Catholics and the rest of them involved — thus “another church” exposing their “whole” community after all these years of religious leaders making up their “own” cannon – well that is just horrible even though it doesn’t take much study to know that “food laws” imposed by churches are no part of N.T. doctrine!

   The truth is most who observe Easter Service know nothing about the apostasies in the 2nd Century and what happened from the Period of 100 A.D. to 325 A.D. --- but they make very confident assertions about their human traditions concerning “holy days” practiced by their churches (cf. I Tim. 1:7). And according to the New Testament that’s what is horrible, horrible. 

 

A Short View of Apostasies

 

Phillip Schaff’s History of the Christian Church, 

Vol. I Apostolic Christianity (A.D. 1-100)

 

Schaff said: “The Lord’s Day took the place of the Jewish Sabbath as the weekly day of public worship” (Schaff, Vol. I, Apostolic Christianity, A.D. 1-100, pg. 477). He adds, “Sunday thus became, by an easy and natural transformation, the Christian Sabbath or weekly day of rest, at once answering the typical import of the Jewish Sabbath…” (ibid, pg. 479). Note: (B.L.) The obvious error here is the “first day of the week” (cf. Acts 20:7) is never referred to in New Testament as the “Christian Sabbath.” Above all, Christians could not be bound by “Sabbath” days under the Law of Moses (read Col. 2:14-17).

   Now notice Schaff shift to the truth elsewhere: “The ancient church viewed the Sunday mainly, we may say, one- sidedly and exclusively, from its Christian aspect as a new institution, and not in any way a continuation of the Jewish Sabbath(Schaff, Hist. Christian Church, Vol. 3, A.D. 311-600, Post Nicene Christianity, pg. 379). Note: (B.L.) Schaff can’t have it both ways but he is “weak” in dealing with cohorts.

 

Shaff’s History Vol. I  Apostolic Christianity (A.D. 1-100) ~ The Miracle of Pentecost and the Birthday of the Christian Church. A.D.30. (Acts 2:1-47).

 

   Here Schaff refers to Pentecost as “the first Christian Pentecost” (Vol. 1, pg. 227). No such observance as “the Christian Pentecost” is found as part of the “apostles’ doctrine” Christians continued stedfastly in (cf. Acts 2:42, Col. 2:4-17, Jude 3). Christians did not observe a Christian Pentecost that grew out of the Jewish Pentecost of the Law. Schaff’s work’s copyright is 1910.  He showed that he feared the consequences of going too hard on the additions of “the Christian Pentecost” and “the Christian Passover” and Easter.

 

Schaff’s History Vol. II  Ante-Nicene Christianity (A.D. 100-325) ~ Pentecost ~

 

   In this section Pentecost is said to be observed as early as the second century. Notice: “Easter was followed by the festival of Pentecost. It rested on the Jewish feast of harvest. It was observed as early as the second century, in commemoration of the appearances and heavenly exaltation of the risen Lord. At the first it lasted 50 days (Quinquagesima) — which were celebrated as a continuous Sunday, by daily communion, the standing posture in prayer, and the absence of all fasting. Tertullian said the festivals of the heathen put together will not make up the one Pentecost of the Christians.” ... During that period the Acts of the Apostles were read in public service (and are read to this day in the Greek church). Subsequently the celebration was limited to the fortieth day as the feast of the Ascension, and the fiftieth day, or Pentecost proper (Whitsunday) as the feast of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and the birthday of the Christian Church.” (Schaff, Pentecost, Vol. 2, Ante-Nicene Christianity A.D. 100-325, pg. 220-221) 

 

A Note On Tertullian

 

   “Tertullian, at the close of the second century and beginning of the century, views the Lord’s Day as figurative of rest from sin and typical of man’s final rest, and says: "We have nothing to do with Sabbaths, new moons or Jewish festivals, much less those of the heathen. We have our own solemnities, the Lord's Day, for instance, and Pentecost" (Schaff, Vol. 2, pg. 204). Tertullian applied Col. 2:14-17 to the Sabbatarians, but he endorsed the so called “Christian Pentecost” observances against the very passages he used to refute the former (cf. Col. 2:14-17).

 

Passover, Easter, Pentecost, Epiphany

 

   “Strictly speaking the ante-Nicene church had two annual festive seasons, the Passover in commemoration of the sufferings of Christ, and the Pentecoste in commemoration of the resurrection and exaltation of Christ, beginning with Easter and ending with Pentecost proper. But Passover and Easter were connected in a continuous celebration, … hence the term pascha is often used in a wider sense for the Easter season” (Schaff, Vol. 2., A.D. 100-311, Ante-Nicene Christianity, pg. 206-207).

   “The Christian Passover naturally grew out of the Jewish Passover, as the Lord’s Day grew out of the Sabbath… It is certainly the oldest and most important annual festival of the church,  and can be traced back to the first century, or at all events to the middle of the second, when it was universally observed, though with a difference as to the day, and the extent of the fast connected with it” (ibid, 207).

   “The commemoration of the resurrection was called the pascha anastasimon, and afterwards Easter –fn. Easter is the resurrection festival which follows the Passover proper, but is included in the same festive week’” (ibid, 207). 

    Watch now for the new way of saying this. Many have begun to cease using “Easter” (and we all know why) but call it “Resurrection Sunday.” Still such an observance was never given by Christ for the churches. The Lord’s Supper on the first day of the week is what was given to Christians under the New Testament, and that has not changed or been replaced (I Cor. 11:23-34). To “proclaim His death till He comes” (I Cor. 11:26) via the Lord’s Supper each first day of the week is a pattern established from the beginning of the church: Jesus had a “specific” day in mind (Matt. 26:29) and “that day” is  identified in Acts 20:7 as “the first day of the week.” And since we are told they continued stedfastly in the partaking (Acts 2:42 “breaking of bread”) and they met daily in the Temple (Acts 2:46) — the repetition is easily seen in Sunday being a “day” of the week. I Cor. 11:17-22, 34 is a rebuke for assembling as a church with a common feast (food for the body) in mind and not the Supper. The Lord’s Supper is not a memorial of the resurrection. It is a public proclamation of His death (I Cor. 11:26).  

Epiphany – January 6

   “The yearly festivals of this period were Easter, Pentecost, and Epiphany. They form the rudiments of the church year, and keep within the limits of the facts of the New Testament” (Schaff, Vol. 2., A.D. 100-311, Ante-Nicene Christianity, pg. 206-207). Note: (B.L.) To say they keep within the limits of doctrine of New Testament is simply false; he’s supporting human tradition. 

   “Epiphany” (Cath. Ency.) The term means “manifestation.” In the liturgical calendar of the Roman Catholic Church the solemnity of the Epiphany occurs on January 6, which commemorates the “manifestation” of God through Christ to the whole “world” symbolized by the Three Magi from the East (Mt. 2:1-12). The Feast day originated sometime in the third century in the Eastern Church, where originally and currently it refers to the “manifestation” of God to the world through the Baptism of Christ (cf. Clement of Alexandria’s Stromata i.21). By the fourth century the feast ranked in the importance of Easter and Pentecost. When introduced into the Western Church in the fourth century, the focus of the feast shifted from Christ’s Baptism to His birth. …in the United States, the Epiphany is celebrated on the Sunday nearest January 6.

   Notice the “this originated sometime” in the above — it speaks volumes for it is not in the New Testament. Let’s see, the Scriptures for the Baptism of Christ are found in Matt. 3:13-17 and used currently for those who thought it up. But others  use Matt. 2:1-12 and with a different invention. This is called “Grab A Feast” and just put your own verse with it to make it what you want it to be commemorating! When you are making up the rules you can invent and others then change things any time they desire! 

 

The Passover, Pentecost & Christmas

(Schaff, Vol. 1, Apostolic Christianity A.D. 1-100, pg. 480).

“3. ANNUAL festival. There is no injunction for their observance, direct or indirect, in the apostolic writings…But Christ observed them, and two of the festivals, the Passover and Pentecost, admitted of an easy transformation similar to that of the Jewish into the Christian Sabbath. ... Christmas came in during the fourth century by a natural development of the idea of a church year, as a sort of chronological creed of the people.”

 

Easter, Council of Nice A.D. 325

The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia states concerning Easter: The Jewish Christians in the early church continued to celebrate the Passover, regarding Christ as the true paschal Lamb, and this naturally passed over into a commemoration of the death and resurrection of our Lord, or an Easter feast. But differences arose as to the proper Sunday for the Easter celebration which led to long and bitter controversies. The Council of Nice, 325 AD, decreed that it should be on Sunday, but did not fix the particular Sunday. …By some it was kept as early as March 21, and by others as late as April 25, and others followed dates between.

 

Definitions:

Mardi gras -- Mardi gras (a French term meaning "Fat Tuesday") is a festival or celebration which is the day before "Ash Wednesday" which marks the beginning of "Lent."

Ash Wednesday -- Some say the first clear evidence of Ash Wednesday is around 960, and in the 12th century people began using palm branches from the previous Palm Sunday for ashes. Note: (B.L.) The “around 960” speaks volumes.

Lent – The Catholic Ency. says lent means spring...is a period of penance and fasting --  but was known first as the “forty days” … “The number forty is first noted in the Canons of Nicaea (A.D. 325), likely in imitation of Jesus’ fast in the desert before His public ministry (with Old Testament precedent in Moses and Elijah).” Note: (B.L.) In this definition you can easily see human tradition — note “likely” indicating nothing more than made up human tradition.

Easter   The celebration of the resurrection in the second century, see above, that originated with man not God.

 

Valley Church of Christ

2375 W. 8th Street, Yuma, AZ 85364

(928) 782-5058 ~ http://yumavalleychurchofchrist.com

Sunday Services – Classes ~10:00; Assembly 10:50 am; Evening: 6:00 pm.

Wednesday evening – 7:00 pm

 

To learn more call, visit or visit our website at:

http://yumavalleychurchofchrist.com

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