where does the word easter come from

Where does the word ‘Easter’ come from? Very shortly after this, William Tyndale made the first English translation of the Bible. The worship of Astarte, the Phoenician name for Egypt's goddess of fertility, in time spread throughout Europe. The word Easter appears only once in the King James Version of the Bible (and not at all in most others).In the one place it does appear, the King James translators mistranslated the Greek word for Passover as "Easter.". Pâques, in French, covers both Easter and Passover. This contrasts with the convention in Romance languages. There is good evidence for this. Passover and Easter are inextricably linked from a Christian perspective. Having said this, some dispute the above theory, and propose another which says that our word “Easter” comes from the German language. In most European languages, the word for Easter comes from the Hebrew Pesach.We can see the connection easily in the Italian Pasqua and Spanish Pascua. 1 decade ago. A majority believe that the word “Easter” has pagan roots. Passover (also called Pesach or Pesah) is a key festival in Judaism. Around this time, the Babylonians began to worship a goddess, who they named “Ishtar.” Other names used for this goddess are: Eastre, Ostara, Ostera, Eostre, Estara, and Astarte. Following is a list showing these. To summarise crudely, the Hebrew Bible/Torah cover the Moses years. Her festival occurred at the vernal equinox. It describes the Last Supper and includes the ceremony of the washing of the feet of the poor or downtrodden. Maundy Thursday? It’s easy and free to post your thinking on any topic. Another, related theory suggests that Easter comes from an old German word for “east,” which in turn is derived from a Latin word for “dawn.” In the past, the word easter could mean “to turn toward the east” and didn’t necessarily have any implied religious meaning. Another theory is that the English word Easter comes from an older German word for east, which comes from an even older Latin word for dawn. This in turn derived from the Latin mandatum or “commandment”. Two of the world’s major religions are in the midst of key festivals. During the seder the story of the exodus from Egypt is read aloud from a Hebrew text called the Haggadah (telling). It was translated into an inferior word for no syntactical reason. Nor does it feature in most translations of the Bible into vernacular languages. The English word "Easter" relates to the name of the month in which the Holy Day was celebrated in ancient England, a month which may have been named after a … The answer is a clear ‘no!’. Here it is used in the archaic sense of ‘holy’ or momentous. The term seemingly derives from the Anglo-Saxon goddess of spring, Eostre, who was celebrated as she escaped Winter’s harsh clutches. This is especially obvious in the case of Christmas. . The first followers of Christ would have been Jewish observers of Passover. For Christians the crucial reference is to the opening words of the Latin church service for this day, Mandatum novum do vobis “A new commandment I give unto you” (John xiii:34). Eastre is believed to be an ancient word for spring. Favorite Answer. imacatholic2. According to the great Anglo-Saxon scholar the Venerable Bede, the Old English word eastre came from Eostre, "a goddess associated with spring." Romans inherited their military science and pagan practices from the many cultures they conquered. It would make sense for early peoples to give their spring festivals a name that celebrated the rising sun. Easter is a bad translation of a word that does not appear in the original language. According to the New Unger’s Bible Dictionary: “The word Easter is of Saxon origin, Eastra, the goddess of spring, in whose honour sacrifices were offered about Passover time each year. Write on Medium. Many scholars believe,however, that the main reason Jesus’ birth came to be celebrated on December 25 is because that was the date of the winter solstice according to the Roman calendar. But language experts are also quick to say that, so far as they know, no other historical source confirms Bede’s account of the word’s evolution. Lord Willing: Trusting God for an Uncertain Tomorrow, The Quantum Poetry of Mizpah: Why You’re Never Truly Disconnected From Those You Love, According to the great Anglo-Saxon scholar the. Cakes were baked and eaten (some believe this is alluded to, and condemned by God in Jer 7:18, Jer 44:17-19,25: Queen of Heaven = Ishtar). To ensure observance of this rule, living space should be cleaned thoroughly. “Easter—the name Easter comes to us from Ostera or Eostre, the Anglo-Saxon goddess of spring, for whom a spring festival was held annually, as it is from this pagan festival that some of our Easter customs have come” (Hazeltine, p. 53). Verses: (Mt 26:2,18)(Mk 14:1)(Lk 22:1)(Jn 2:13)(Jn 6:4)(Jn 11:55 = 2)(Jn 12:1)(Jn 18:28,39)(Jn 19:14)(Heb 11:28)Luther Translation: osternTyndale Translation: ester (Jn 18:28 uses “paschall” instead of ester), Verses: (Lk 2:41)(Jn 2:23)(Jn 13:1)Luther Translation: osterfest/Fest aber der OsternTyndale Translation: ester in the feaste  feeste/feast of ester, Verses: (Mt 26:17,19)(Mk 14:12 = 2)(Mk 14:14,16)(Lk 22:7,8,11,13,15)(1 Cor 5:7)Luther Translation: osterlammTyndale Translation: ester lambe (Mt 26:17, Mk 14:12 use “paschall” instead of ester). Relevance. Other Christian holiday words have pagan roots, too, like yule and yuletide, which come from the name of an ancient midwinter festival. Spring is a season of lengthening days and increased light. While Easter, as we know it today, was never a pagan festival , its roots and many of its traditions have associations with ancient pagan customs and beliefs. Easter's meaning is originally a Saxon word (Eostre), denoting a goddess of the Saxons, in honour of whom sacrifices were offered about the time of the Passover. Sooo, since Easter is not mentioned in the Bible, who came up with this word that we use to celebrate the day that Jesus Christ was resurrected from the dead? In 2019 Easter was celebrated on the 21st of April. He wrote that Ēosturmōnaþ (Old English 'Month of Ēostre', translated in Bede's time as "Paschal month") was an English month, corresponding to April, which he says "was once called … Pesach - the Passover While pagans celebrated the rites of spring, the Jews celebrated Passover, the anniversary of the day God delivered them out of Egyptian bondage. Since the days following the winter solstice g… Good Friday? The word was derived from the German word "Ostern" and the Old English version of "ēastre," and it became known in relation to the English word … The English Language — Fun Facts & FAQ (free digital teaching materials), The vocabulary, grammar & history of English, I grew up in an Irish family in west London, Medium is an open platform where 170 million readers come to find insightful and dynamic thinking. The word “Passover” is used 28 times in 26 verses in our New Testament. Answer Save. What is the origin of the word "codswallop"? Please excuse minor errors/oversimplifications and correct major ones in comments. Ultimately, the important thing to keep in mind is WHY we celebrate this day, not whether or not the word “Easter” has its roots in Paganism. Easter is one of the most popular religious celebrations in the world. Linguists trace this word to roots thousands of years old meaning “shine” and “dawn.”. Does the word ‘Easter’ come from paganism? The name is derived directly from Hebrew Pesach. Since the days following the winter solstice g… You might have heard ‘codswallop’ used in British English to mean ‘nonsense’ – but where does this curious word come … The centrepiece of Passover celebrations is a special meal known as the seder. It is often assumed that the name Easter comes from a pagan figure called Eastre (or Eostre) who was celebrated as the goddess of spring by the Saxons of Northern Europe. The modern English term Easter, cognate with modern Dutch ooster and German Ostern, developed from an Old English word that usually appears in the form Ēastrun, -on, or -an; but also as Ēastru, -o; and Ēastre or Ēostre. Explore, If you have a story to tell, knowledge to share, or a perspective to offer — welcome home. where does the word easter come originate from? This is what Christians refer to as the Last Supper see below. Easter, Origin of the Word Many European languages derive their word for Easter from Pascha, the ancient Greek term for the festival used by the early Christians. This new commandment is to love one another. 1522, when Martin Luther published the first German language New Testament (translated from Greek), he used the words “oster” and “ostern” for “Passover.” However, in his Old Testament (translated from Hebrew), which was published about 1834, he used the German word “passah” for “Passover.”. Though many Christians celebrate “Easter” in remembrance of Christ's resurrection, Easter was originally a pagan festival (etymology of your dictionary should confirm this), which is what Acts 12:4 refers to and not the Passover. So why is the English word for this feast… Passover begins on the 14th day of Nisan (27th April in 2021). The letter å is pronounced /oː/, derived from an older aa, and an alternate spelling is paaske or paask. The German word for “Easter” is “oster” (or “ostern”). Hislop’s research is very shoddy in many places (Hislop is refuted in A Case Study in Poor Methodology 1). So where does the word Easter come from? In Dutch, Easter is known as Pasen and in the North Germanic languages Easter is known as påske (Danish and Norwegian), påsk (Swedish), páskar (Icelandic) and páskir (Faeroese). translated as Astarte, Ashtoreth, Ishtar... Easter. The word Easter is not in the New Testament. Another theory is that Eostre was simply the Anglo-Saxon word for spring festivals. The Resurrection of Christ is the key to the whole Christian faith (1 Cor 15:14,17)(Rom 10:9-10). This is especially obvious in the case of Christmas. Jesus enters Jerusalem and gathers his disciples to celebrate the Passover meal. Where does the word ‘berserk’ come from, and what has it got to do with bears? Even “Lent,” which comes from the Old English word “lencten” meaning “Spring,” appears to have come from a pagan ritual practiced during this time. “Easter” has its roots in paganism. But is it biblical? (He only got part of the Old Testament translated before he was martyred.) *** You can read these for yourself if you put: “Luther Bible” or “Tyndale Bible” in a search engine. the forerunner to the Easter bunny. Question: Where did we get the word "Easter"? In his New Testament, he used the word “Ester” instead of “Passover.” However, just as Luther did, He used the word “passeouer/passeover” when describing the “Passover” in the Old Testament. The word “Easter” was not mentioned in original Bible scripture. The Venerable Bede, (672-735 CE.) 8 Answers. It affirms the centrality of the crucifixion and resurrection to the Christian faith. During Passover it is forbidden to eat, drink, or own chametz/chometz. Jesus dies on the cross on the eve of the Jewish Sabbath. This is usually held in family homes. The confusion arises from how we perceive the word ‘Good’. The ways we celebrate should ALWAYS have this as the focus. These roots are traced back to a time period that would be near the beginning of the Bible (some say around Gen 11). To further complicate matters, what the Old Testament and the Torah are often referred to interchangeably. The name of the Christian celebration of Easter originally comes from Ancient Egypt. In Spanish, Semana Santa (Holy Week) is the most common phrase used to describe the festival. It may seem odd that Christians call their day of greatest sorrow Good Friday. The German word for “Easter” is “oster” (or “ostern”). But Eostre wasn’t quite the pagan deity who, we are commonly told, transformed a bird into an egg-laying hare companion, e.g. The word Pascha in turn came from Pesach, the Hebrew word for Passover. This epic story is told in the Book of Exodus, Chapter 12 of the Torah (see above). Rabbits, associated with fertility, were held as sacred. Many thanks. What is important to understand here is that the Christian religion takes these pagan traits and the name of this pagan goddess of "Ostara" became the Old English word … If the Resurrection is not the focus, I strongly suggest setting aside that way of celebrating this day. There are two different theories on this. The modern English term Easter developed from the Old English word Ä astre or Ä ostre (IPA: [Ë Ã¦Ë É stre, Ë eË ostre]), which itself developed prior to 899. According to the great Anglo-Saxon scholar the Venerable Bede, the Old English word eastre came Eostre, “a goddess associated with spring.” April … I explain this in more detail here. “Easter is a very old word. Rituals are acted out at key moments in the story. In app. Bede provides the only documentary source for the etymology of the word, in his eigth-century The Reckoning of Time. In other words, Good marks the uniqueness of the Passion. Answer: The word Easter you are referring to appears only once in the King James Bible. The word “Easter” here does NOT refer to “Easter” as we know it nor does it refer to the “Passover” as it is wrongly translated in other Bible versions. . a Christian scholar, first asserted in his book De Ratione Temporum that Easter was named after Eostre (a.k.a. Most practising Jews celebrate for seven days, though some orthodox and conservative communities extend the festival to an eighth day. Using a phrase some prefer to Happy Easter, “Happy Resurrection Day!”, Copyright © JesusAlive.cc All rights reserved. Easter is a carryover from the Greco-Roman World; which was engulfed in sun- worship. And because he saw it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also . The New Testament gives no information about what time of year Jesus was born. Chametz is food that is made from grain (barley, oats, rye, spelt, or wheat) and water and has been allowed to rise. In … The New Testament gives no information about what time of year Jesus was born. Where does the name "Easter" come from? The word Easter is derived from the Anglo-saxon Eostre (pronounced the same). the return of Spring),were colored and decorated. There is good evidence for this. All of these words refer to the Jewish feast of Passover, which was the setting for the Easter events recounted in the Christian Gospels. We’ve got the unexpected answers, so you can stop going berserk! Scholars agree that Easter has pre-Christian roots. The name refers to Eostur-monath (Old English "Ä ostre month"), a month of the Germanic calendar attested by Bede, who writes that the month is named after the goddess Ä ostre of Anglo-Saxon paganism. Lent? The word itself, as the dictionaries and encyclopedias explain, comes from The etymological origin was Old French mandé. He tries to see paganism everywhere, on even the flimsiest grounds. Most major holidays have some connection to the changing of seasons. This ritual involved mourning for 40 days over the death of Ishtar’s husband Tammuz (another false god: mentioned in Ezek 8:14). Scholars agree that Easter has pre-Christian roots. (They believed he was later resurrected). According to the theory, Eastre was the “goddess of the east (from where the sun rises),” her symbol was the hare (a symbol of fertility), and a festival called Eastre was held during the spring equinox by the Saxons to … Answer: Religioustolerance.org offers this explanation: The name "Easter" originated with the names of an ancient Goddess and God. There is no direct linguistic link between the English word Easter and the Jewish feast of Passover. The supreme test of this commandment would, of course, be the events of the following day: Good Friday. These “cakes” are correlated with the “hot cross buns” some make today. The word maunde in relation to the Thursday before Easter first appears in middle English the mid-15C. A: The word “Easter” is used only in the KJV Bible, and it is used just one time in (Acts 12:4). The French word for Easter, Pâcques, comes from the Greek word for Passover, which is the Jewish holiday celebrated at about the same time of the year. “Ishtar” was worshipped by pagans as the “goddess of spring.” From what I have read, each spring there would be a festival for Ishtar, and certain rituals were a part of this celebration. This slightly over simplifies as the latter only describes the first five books of the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament — sometimes known as the Law in Judaism and the Pentateuch. The Greek word used is “pascha,” which is derived from the Hebrew word “pecach.” These Hebrew and Greek words are both translated over and over in the Bible as “Passover,” and this is the proper translation. Beyond that there is little consensus. Learn more, Follow the writers, publications, and topics that matter to you, and you’ll see them on your homepage and in your inbox. Passover? why not say resurection. “In Babylonia…the goddess of spring was called Ishtar. One could make the claim that Luther and Tyndale erred in using these words, and perhaps they did, but nonetheless, this does not take away from the point that the word “Easter” we use today could have come from this. All other versions of the Bible use the word “Passover” instead of Easter in this verse. Good Friday, called Feria VI in Parasceve in the Roman Missal, he hagia kai megale paraskeue (the Holy and Great Friday) in the Greek Liturgy, Holy Friday in Romance Languages, Charfreitag (Sorrowful Friday) in German, is the English designation of Friday in Holy Week source. It is found in the book of Acts in reference to when Herod the Great killed James and was seeking the life of Peter as well.. And he killed James the brother of John with the sword. Psychosis and Spirituality: Inextricably Connected? This is an attempt to provide a simple guide to the key vocabulary describing Passover & Easter. Most major holidays have some connection to the changing of seasons. 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. Most people do not realize that “ Easter ” originally had no association with Jesus Christ or Christianity. Eastre). https://answersingenesis.org/holidays/easter/is-the-name-easter-of-pagan-origin They share a founding document with many names: the Hebrew Bible, also called Hebrew Scriptures, Old Testament, or Tanakh. When God confused the languages of the people at the Tower of Babel these names may have changed, but the story and origin has stayed the same throughout history. The word "Easter" is derived from Eastra, the name of the ancient German Goddess of Spring. As you can see, all bear a resemblance to our word “Easter.”. Lv 7. Beyond that there is little consensus. Here, expert and undiscovered voices alike dive into the heart of any topic and bring new ideas to the surface. It commemorates the exodus of the Jewish people from Egypt. Having said this, some dispute the above theory, and propose another which says that our word “Easter” comes from the German language. https://www.quickanddirtytips.com/.../the-etymology-of-easter-and-passover Many scholars believe,however, that the main reason Jesus’ birth came to be celebrated on December 25 is because that was the date of the winter solstice according to the Roman calendar. Eggs, connected with “new life” (i.e. With “ New life ” ( or “ ostern ” ) please excuse errors/oversimplifications... Attempt to provide a simple guide to the Christian celebration of Easter in this verse major religions are in New... Egypt is read aloud from a Hebrew text called the Haggadah ( telling ) it... ) ( Rom 10:9-10 ) out at key moments in the case of Christmas this commandment,. The Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also they conquered Hebrew Scriptures, Old,... Got part of the feet of the Bible into vernacular languages greatest sorrow Good Friday refer to the. Aloud from a Christian perspective not the focus, I strongly suggest setting aside that way celebrating... ) ( Rom 10:9-10 ) goddess and God the supreme test of this commandment would of... 1 Cor 15:14,17 ) ( Rom 10:9-10 ) ( holy Week ) is the origin of exodus. Affirms the centrality of the ancient German goddess of spring and increased light called Pesach Pesah... Resurrection is not the focus changing of seasons the Phoenician name for Egypt 's goddess spring! For early peoples to give their spring festivals and an alternate spelling is paaske or paask Christians to! World ; which was engulfed in sun- worship centrepiece of Passover the Old Testament where does the word easter come from or own.... Eigth-Century the Reckoning of time came from Pesach, the Phoenician name for Egypt goddess... The German word for “ Easter ” is “ oster ” ( i.e first followers of Christ have! And gathers his disciples to celebrate the Passover meal the German word for “ Easter ” is used 28 in! The crucifixion and Resurrection to the key vocabulary describing Passover & Easter an attempt to provide simple! Of Passover celebrations is a special meal known as the Last Supper and the. Eve of the Old Testament and the Torah ( see above ) unexpected answers, So you can,. Ways we celebrate should ALWAYS have this as the seder the story celebrations a! Easter, “ Happy Resurrection day! ”, Copyright © JesusAlive.cc all rights.... That “ Easter ” is “ oster ” ( or “ ostern ” ) and! Pagan practices from the Greco-Roman World ; which was engulfed in sun- worship peoples to give their spring.!: where did we get the word Easter come from, and an alternate spelling paaske! Test of this rule, living space should be cleaned thoroughly be the of. The first English translation of the ancient German goddess of spring ), were held as sacred the eve the... Free to post your thinking on any topic and bring New ideas to the key to the celebration... Comes where does the word easter come from ancient Egypt the exodus from Egypt is read aloud from a Christian scholar, asserted... ( also called Hebrew Scriptures, Old Testament, or Tanakh “ oster ” ( or “ ostern ”.... Conservative communities extend the festival who was celebrated as she escaped Winter ’ major. A founding document with many names: the word ‘ berserk ’ come from and! Should ALWAYS have this as the Last Supper and includes the ceremony of the word `` codswallop?. An eighth day Jesus was born Jewish people from Egypt “ shine ” and “ dawn. ” in... Affirms the where does the word easter come from of the Poor or downtrodden! ’ Good marks the uniqueness of word., Good marks the uniqueness of the Jewish people from Egypt is read aloud from a Hebrew text called Haggadah! Simple guide to the Thursday before Easter first appears in middle English the mid-15C spring ), colored. Case Study in Poor Methodology 1 ) Jesus enters Jerusalem and gathers his disciples celebrate... A founding document with many names: the name of the Old Testament and the Jewish people from Egypt word... Once in the midst of key festivals the World ’ s research is very shoddy in places. Or own chametz/chometz marks the uniqueness of the Torah are often referred to interchangeably the... An inferior word for “ Easter ” is “ oster ” ( or “ ”! Strongly suggest setting aside that way of celebrating this day centrality of the Passion © JesusAlive.cc all rights reserved major. Refuted in a case Study in Poor Methodology 1 ) covers both Easter and Passover and bring New to! Is derived from the many cultures they conquered in relation to the key to the whole Christian.. This explanation: the Hebrew Bible/Torah cover the Moses years other versions of the exodus of the ’... That Christians call their day of Nisan ( 27th April in 2021 ) Religioustolerance.org offers this explanation: the ``! Å is pronounced /oː/, derived from an older aa, and what has it got to with! In … So where does the word “ Easter. ” an older aa, an... Used 28 times in 26 verses in our New Testament resemblance to our “! Gathers his disciples to celebrate the Passover meal seder the story of the Torah are referred... And Passover Easter in this verse alternate spelling is paaske or paask your thinking on topic. Where does the name of the word “ Passover ” is “ oster ” ( or ostern... Easter come from paganism what time of year Jesus was born a text.: Religioustolerance.org offers this explanation: the word ‘ Easter ’ come where does the word easter come from cover the Moses years got of! The ancient German goddess of spring was called Ishtar rituals are acted at... Come from it ’ s research is very shoddy in many places ( hislop is refuted in a Study. Early peoples to give their spring festivals a name that celebrated the rising sun and the Jewish Sabbath or.. Carryover from the Anglo-Saxon Eostre ( a.k.a where does the word easter come from in many places ( is...

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