Easter origins - What are they? Should we even be celebrating Easter?

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

Easter originates from the celebration of Jesus’ resurrection, a central event prophesied and foreshadowed in the Old Testament. While Easter customs have absorbed various cultural and pagan elements, such as symbols of fertility and spring festivals, the biblical focus remains on Christ’s resurrection as proof of His sinlessness and God’s acceptance of His sacrifice (Matthew 28:6; John 20:1; Romans 4:25). The Bible does not command Christians to celebrate Easter specifically, but it is helpful to remember and celebrate Jesus’ resurrection. Celebrating Easter can be a meaningful corporate act of worship, but what truly matters is keeping our hearts fixed on the resurrection and the salvation Jesus brings. Ultimately, each believer is free to observe Easter or not, as long as Christ remains at the center.

FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT

• Although Easter origins come directly from the New Testament with Jesus’ death and resurrection, there are Old Testament passages that provide the theological and symbolic background that connects the Old Testament festivals and prophecies to the New Testament fulfillment in Jesus’ death and resurrection—central to what Easter celebrates. For example, in Exodus 12:1-30, God commands the Israelites to sacrifice a lamb and mark their doorposts so the angel of death would “pass over” their homes. This Passover feast foreshadows Jesus as the “Lamb of God” (John 1:29) whose sacrifice delivers from sin and death.
• The Feast of Unleavened Bread is a week-long festival that immediately follows Passover and commemorates Israel’s deliverance from Egypt (Leviticus 23:4-8). It points to holiness and separation from sin, themes fulfilled in Christ’s resurrection.
• Psalm 22 is a prophetic psalm describing a righteous sufferer, often understood as foreshadowing Jesus’ crucifixion (see also Matthew 27:46).
• The Suffering Servant passage (Isaiah 53) describes a servant who suffers and dies for the sins of others, clearly pointing forward to Jesus’ sacrificial death.
• Hosea 6:1-2 states “After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will raise us up…” This is often seen as a prophetic hint toward Jesus’ resurrection on the third day.

FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT

• Easter is the Christian celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ (Matthew 28:5–6; Luke 24:6–7). Easter is observed on the first Sunday after the first full moon following the vernal equinox.
• The origin of Easter is the day Jesus rose from the dead, which occurred on the first day of the week (John 20:1).
• Jesus was a Jew born around 6–4 BC (Luke 2:1–7). When He was about thirty, He began His ministry in the region of modern-day Israel, healing the sick and teaching people to follow God (Luke 3:23; Matthew 4:23–24). His teachings alarmed the local leaders. The religious leaders, especially the Pharisees, recognized that Jesus was using historical Jewish titles and scriptures to claim He was both God and the Son of God (John 10:33; Mark 14:61–64). They considered this blasphemy, even though Jesus fulfilled numerous messianic prophecies from the Old Testament (Isaiah 53; Micah 5:2; Zechariah 9:9). The political leaders also saw His teachings as a challenge, since Jesus was called the "King of the Jews" (John 18:36–37). Under Roman rule, such a claim was seen as a direct threat to Caesar’s authority and potentially grounds for rebellion (Luke 23:2–3).
• Together, the religious and political leaders managed to convict Jesus of enough offenses to bring Him to trial (Luke 23:1–2). Although no ruler found Him guilty (Luke 23:4, 14–15; John 18:38), Pontius Pilate, the Roman prefect, feared a political uprising and gave in to the crowd's demands to have Jesus crucified (Mark 15:14–15).
• Jesus was nailed to a cross and died (Mark 15:24–37), then was placed in a tomb (Mark 15:46). When the tomb was opened three days later, His body was gone (Luke 24:1–3). Jesus appeared to His followers and many others over a period of forty days before ascending into heaven, proving He is God and the Son of God (Acts 1:3, 9; John 20:27–29).
• Throughout His ministry, Jesus tried to make people understand that as both the Son of God and Son of Man, He is the only sinless human (John 8:46; Hebrews 4:15). His death was the sacrifice God used to take away the sins of the world (John 1:29; 1 John 2:2).
• Jesus’ resurrection, which is the origin of Easter, is a sign that God accepted His sacrifice and recognized His sinlessness (Romans 4:25; 1 Peter 1:3). Easter is a celebration of His resurrection from the grave (Matthew 28:6; Luke 24:6–7).

IMPLICATIONS FOR TODAY

The origin of Easter customs is muddy. We know that Jesus was crucified and resurrected in the spring because it was the time of the Jewish Passover. But the early church combined the celebration of Jesus' resurrection with events from the pagan celebrations of spring. Hares were a common symbol among fertility goddesses. The parades of Mardi Gras resemble the Greco-Roman bacchanalia festivals held in mid-March. Even the idea of celebrating an event in Jesus' life could be said to have pagan influences. Jesus told us to observe Communion, but nothing in the Bible directs us to celebrate Jesus' resurrection.

"Easter" is not even the original word used to identify the day we celebrate the resurrection of Christ. The original word used was "Pascha," the Greek version of the Aramaic word for Passover. Easter was taken from the Germanic goddess of the spring, Ostara or Eostre. As the goddess of fertility her symbols were hares and eggs. When Christianity moved into the region, the people kept the cultural traditions of hares and eggs, as well as the name Eostre, but switched the emphasis of the season from healthy crops to Christ's crucifixion and resurrection.

Should Christians celebrate Easter? If so, how? These are matters of personal conviction. There is nothing demonic about hard boiled eggs and chocolate rabbits. Whether there is anything edifying in them depends on how they are used. The traditional Easter basket can be used to teach children to value the holy day before they fully comprehend its meaning. Of course, Easter baskets can also be used to distract us from the true meaning of the celebration. As was mentioned, the Bible does not tell us to take a day to contemplate Jesus' resurrection, but it does not discourage us from doing so, either. And setting aside a single day a year gives us the opportunity to celebrate, worship, and thank Him corporately. Since the early disciples began meeting on the first day of the week, their weekly remembrance of Jesus’ resurrection was a continual reminder of His power over death.

The origins of Easter reflect the early church’s effort to corporately celebrate Jesus’ resurrection, even as cultural and pagan springtime customs became intertwined over time. For believers today, celebrating Easter can be a meaningful way to worship and remember Christ’s victory over death, but it is not a biblical requirement—each Christian is free to observe the day or not, guided by personal conviction and a heart focused on Christ, as Romans 14:5 reminds us: “Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind.” What matters most is that our celebration, whatever form it takes, honors Jesus and keeps our focus on His resurrection and the salvation it brings.

UNDERSTAND

• Easter’s origin is rooted in celebrating Jesus’ resurrection.
• Some Easter traditions come from cultural and pagan springtime symbols but that does not mean Easter itself is just cultural or pagan.
• Celebrating Easter can be a meaningful act of worship if Christ and His resurrection remain the focus.

REFLECT

• How does understanding the biblical foundation of Easter, especially Jesus’ resurrection, shape the way you personally relate to the celebration of Easter?
• How might you be influenced by cultural or non-biblical traditions during Easter, and how can you keep Christ truly at the center?
• How do you understand the freedom you have in choosing whether or not to celebrate Easter and how?

ENGAGE

• How can we, as believers, celebrate Easter in ways that honor Jesus’ resurrection while thoughtfully navigating the cultural and pagan traditions tied to the holiday?
• What are some meaningful ways to teach children or others about the true significance of Easter beyond the popular customs of eggs and rabbits?
• How does Romans 14:5, about being fully convinced in our own minds, guide us in respecting differing views on observing Easter among believers?