"Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that His hour had come that He should depart from this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end." (John 13:1)
This is one of those years when "Easter" and Passover do not coincide. I have read many reasons for this, but don't "buy" a lot of them. Early "christianity" wanted to distance itself from the Jews; ergo, they took on the pagan calendar and discarded the Jewish calendar.
Jesus appeared as a Jew. He was raised to the age of 30 by Jews. He was "trained" in Judaism. The Twelve were Jews. As far as we know, the first converts on the Day of Pentecost were Jews from Jerusalem and the Diaspora. The Jews did not kill Jesus. You and I and the whole human race "killed" Jesus. It was my sin and your sin which took Jesus to the cross. Catholicism and too much of other "Christian catechisms" through the centuries have used the death of Jesus by the hands of Jews to justify Jew-baiting.
I personally "celebrate" Holy Week, "Good Friday," and Resurrection Sunday at the Passover Season. My eccentricities aside, we can look at Resurrection Celebration much as I do Christmas. What does it matter the debated "dates?!?" We celebrate the Appearing of Jesus. We celebrate the shedding of Jesus' Blood, Jesus' Death, Jesus' Resurrection, Jesus' Ascension, all that you and I might know the Living Triune God, be, "accepted in the Beloved," have our names written in the, "Lamb's Book of Life."
Father, in Jesus' Name, I so needed and need You, my Savior, my King. Amen.
This is one of those years when "Easter" and Passover do not coincide. I have read many reasons for this, but don't "buy" a lot of them. Early "christianity" wanted to distance itself from the Jews; ergo, they took on the pagan calendar and discarded the Jewish calendar.
Jesus appeared as a Jew. He was raised to the age of 30 by Jews. He was "trained" in Judaism. The Twelve were Jews. As far as we know, the first converts on the Day of Pentecost were Jews from Jerusalem and the Diaspora. The Jews did not kill Jesus. You and I and the whole human race "killed" Jesus. It was my sin and your sin which took Jesus to the cross. Catholicism and too much of other "Christian catechisms" through the centuries have used the death of Jesus by the hands of Jews to justify Jew-baiting.
I personally "celebrate" Holy Week, "Good Friday," and Resurrection Sunday at the Passover Season. My eccentricities aside, we can look at Resurrection Celebration much as I do Christmas. What does it matter the debated "dates?!?" We celebrate the Appearing of Jesus. We celebrate the shedding of Jesus' Blood, Jesus' Death, Jesus' Resurrection, Jesus' Ascension, all that you and I might know the Living Triune God, be, "accepted in the Beloved," have our names written in the, "Lamb's Book of Life."
Father, in Jesus' Name, I so needed and need You, my Savior, my King. Amen.
When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"
Hebrews 12:2
Hebrews 12:2
