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 Post subject: "Easter" in Acts 12:4
PostPosted: Sun Mar 27, 2016 12:28 pm 
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Have you ever noticed the context and timeline in which this word is used? Acts 12:1 begins "Now about that time Herod the king stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church. And he killed James the brother of John with the sword. And because he saw it pleased the Jews he proceeded further to take Peter also. THEN were the days of UNLEAVENED BREAD!

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.


I find it interesting and worthy of more study.


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 Post subject: Re: "Easter" in Acts 12:4
PostPosted: Sun Mar 27, 2016 5:18 pm 
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The word in Greek is Pascha

http://biblehub.com/interlinear/acts/12.htm

That's the Greek word for both Easter and Passover - when we go to Church to Celebrate the Resurrection, we call it Pascha. The translators of your version (you didn't name it?) apparently chose Easter because that's the word most English speakers use for Pascha.

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 Post subject: Re: "Easter" in Acts 12:4
PostPosted: Sun Mar 27, 2016 5:45 pm 
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Anna1111 wrote:
The word in Greek is Pascha

http://biblehub.com/interlinear/acts/12.htm

That's the Greek word for both Easter and Passover - when we go to Church to Celebrate the Resurrection, we call it Pascha. The translators of your version (you didn't name it?) apparently chose Easter because that's the word most English speakers use for Pascha.


But, that's what fascinates me! It's the KJV and it's the ONLY "pascha" they translate as "easter". But, with the timeline it makes it seem like they did it on purpose - which I believe they must have. It speaks of "easter" being after the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Passover would never come after Unleavened Bread.


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 Post subject: Re: "Easter" in Acts 12:4
PostPosted: Sun Mar 27, 2016 5:53 pm 
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I always just understood it to be because it was an 8 day holiday. I just saw it that they were arrested during Pascha, and Herod would bring him out to the people after the 8 days were complete (since Pascha was work restricted). Am I missing something that you see when I read it that way? :geek:

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 Post subject: Re: "Easter" in Acts 12:4
PostPosted: Sun Mar 27, 2016 6:54 pm 
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Anna1111 wrote:
I always just understood it to be because it was an 8 day holiday. I just saw it that they were arrested during Pascha, and Herod would bring him out to the people after the 8 days were complete (since Pascha was work restricted). Am I missing something that you see when I read it that way? :geek:


Well, I need to study it out but it does seem odd that it is the only time the KJV people translated it differently. It seems to me that could be because they saw what I just saw - the timeline. Passover is it's own Feast. Then is the Feast of Unleavened Bread and then the Feast of Firstfruits all within the 8 day cycle. It's kind of like the last 3 feasts that run all together but are also separate feasts.

The way I'm seeing it right now is that this was a year in which easter and passover fell close together, the easter celebration being just a week or two past passover. If it were only about passover, why would Herod care? He didn't care enough NOT to arrest Peter during Unleavened Bread! (Which would be AFTER Passover.)


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 Post subject: Re: "Easter" in Acts 12:4
PostPosted: Sun Mar 27, 2016 7:05 pm 
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Hmmm - I don't see three *separate* feasts when I read the Bible. (And, to analogize - we have several feasts during the 12 days of Christmas - but refer to the entire time as Christmas).
And the modern Jews I know refer to all 8 days as "Pesach"

I'm pretty sure that the separately dated Feast we know as Pascha didn't start at this early a date - but I can double check that with DH when I get a chance. (He knows EVERYTHING! ; )

IMO - Herod was trying to please the crowds. He may not have PERSONALLY cared - but he did care about public approval. Not unlike some modern politicians. Taking a "dangerous criminal" off the streets during a big holiday may not have met with disapproval -but a big show trial might have. Not to mention, he wanted the adoring crowds to have the leisure time to attend.

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 Post subject: Re: "Easter" in Acts 12:4
PostPosted: Sun Mar 27, 2016 7:34 pm 
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Anna1111 wrote:
Hmmm - I don't see three *separate* feasts when I read the Bible. (And, to analogize - we have several feasts during the 12 days of Christmas - but refer to the entire time as Christmas).
And the modern Jews I know refer to all 8 days as "Pesach"

I'm pretty sure that the separately dated Feast we know as Pascha didn't start at this early a date - but I can double check that with DH when I get a chance. (He knows EVERYTHING! ; )

IMO - Herod was trying to please the crowds. He may not have PERSONALLY cared - but he did care about public approval. Not unlike some modern politicians. Taking a "dangerous criminal" off the streets during a big holiday may not have met with disapproval -but a big show trial might have. Not to mention, he wanted the adoring crowds to have the leisure time to attend.


But, it says he was trying to please the crowds by killing Peter, so why wait? Jesus was killed on Passover.


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 Post subject: Re: "Easter" in Acts 12:4
PostPosted: Sun Mar 27, 2016 8:22 pm 
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DH says that Christian Pascha would have been celebrated even while the Bible was being written.

ETA - in case this wasn't clear - what I'm saying here is that you may well be right! : )

Jesus' execution during Passover was extraordinary - remember that the Jews wouldn't participate in some of it for fear of defilement.

What is expedient & politically popular can fluctuate from week to week- just look at the fickle moods of our own culture.

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 Post subject: Re: "Easter" in Acts 12:4
PostPosted: Mon Mar 28, 2016 10:15 am 
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Anna1111 wrote:
DH says that Christian Pascha would have been celebrated even while the Bible was being written.

ETA - in case this wasn't clear - what I'm saying here is that you may well be right! : )

Jesus' execution during Passover was extraordinary - remember that the Jews wouldn't participate in some of it for fear of defilement.

What is expedient & politically popular can fluctuate from week to week- just look at the fickle moods of our own culture.


:mrgreen:

(What's ETA?)


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 Post subject: Re: "Easter" in Acts 12:4
PostPosted: Mon Mar 28, 2016 10:39 am 
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Edited to add :ugeek:

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