Why The Split?
Where did the split between the Jewish holidays of Passover and Firstfruits and the Christian holidays of Good Friday and Easter all begin? Not just in practice, but why are they separated on the calendar as well?
Have you ever noticed how some years, the Christian celebrations of Passion Week and the Jewish observance of Passover appear to be closely aligned, while other times they seem to be out of sync? It may leave you wondering why these two significant holy seasons don’t always coincide. In order to understand this, we need to look into history and examine the calendars followed by each tradition.
Let’s explore how the split between the Jewish holidays of Passover and Firstfruits and the Christian holidays of Good Friday and Easter occurred and why. We’ll have to save the, “How did the Feast of Firstfruits become a holiday known as Easter?” for another article on another day.
Determining Resurrection and Passover
In the early days, Gentile believers celebrated the resurrection of Jesus alongside Passover since the Last Supper was essentially a Passover meal. However, as Christianity spread throughout the Roman Empire, there arose a desire within the church to establish its distinct identity and practices.
This led to the Council of Nicaea in AD 325, where it was decided that Easter would be celebrated on the first Sunday after the first full moon occurring on or after the vernal equinox, which falls on March 21.
As a result, Easter Sunday can fall anywhere between March 22 and April 25 each year.
This decision created a divergence in how Christians and Jews approached their springtime festivals. The Jewish method of dating Passover is based directly on the lunar calendar, ensuring that it falls on the 15th day of the Hebrew month of Nisan.
On the other hand, the Christian method for dating Easter, as established by the Council of Nicaea, is a combination of solar and lunar calculations, using the Gregorian calendar.
The Jewish Method for Dating Passover
For thousands of years, Jews have relied on the lunar calendar to determine the timing of Passover. According to Leviticus 23 in the Bible, Passover begins on the evening of the 14th day of the month of Nisan and continues until the 21st day. This ensures that the celebration aligns with the biblical account of the Israelites’ exodus from Egypt.
The Christian Method for Dating the Resurrection
In contrast, the Christian calculation for determining Easter involves both the lunar and solar calendars. It starts with the date of the vernal equinox, when the day and night are approximately equal in length. Then, it finds the first Sunday following the first full moon that occurs on or after the vernal equinox. This system allows for flexibility but results in varying dates.
The Origins of the Split
To understand why the Passion Week and Passover eventually became distinct holidays, we must recognize the early connection between Judaism and Christianity. In its initial stages, Christianity was not a separate faith from Judaism. Jesus, referred to as Yeshua, was the Jewish Messiah who preached salvation primarily to the Jewish people.
His disciples, including James, Judas, and John, were also Jewish. They had Jewish names like Yaakov (James) and Yehuda (Judas) and Yochanan (John). In fact, the Lord’s name was Yeshua, not Jesus, and He was a rabbi, not a pastor or reverend.
The Quartodeciman Controversy
During the early days of Christianity, followers of Jesus commemorated His death and resurrection during the Passover season. However, a controversy arose over whether the Gentile Christian community should observe these events on the 14th day of Nisan, as Jews did with Passover.
This practice was known as “Quartodeciman” because it derived from the Latin word for “fourteenth.”
The Quartodecimans’ argument stemmed from their understanding that early Jewish Yeshua-believers likely maintained this custom. However, it posed practical challenges for the wider Gentile church, particularly in Asia Minor, which wanted to distance itself from Jewish customs and establish its own liturgical calendar.
As Christianity gained more Gentile converts and expanded beyond its Jewish roots, there emerged a desire among some factions to sever ties with Judaism and create a separate identity.
They believed that aligning significant holy days like the Resurrection with the Jewish calendar undermined their efforts to establish an independent faith.
The sentiment is exemplified by a decision made at the Council of Nicaea in AD 325, convened by Emperor Constantine. Rejecting dependence on the Jewish calendar, they opted for a Sunday celebration of the resurrection.
Their aim was to demonstrate solidarity with fellow Christians who were primarily non-Jewish and disassociate themselves from what they deemed detestable about the Jewish community.
The Decision at the Council of Nicaea
At the Council of Nicaea, the final decision was made to officially separate Easter from Passover, marking a significant turning point in the history of both celebrations.
The debate centered around whether the resurrection of Yeshua should be observed on the 14th of Nisan, as celebrated during Passover. However, the Quartodeciman practice was ultimately deemed unacceptable since it required dependence on Jewish traditions.
Note, this separation from Jewish traditions also creates a separation from a dependence on biblical traditions. And there, friends, is where we have the biggest issue.
Constantine’s decision explicitly expressed rejection of Jewish influence and severed ties to anything Jewish in determining Christian holy days. The statement emphasized the need for a more “legitimate” and convenient approach that aligned with the order of the days of the week.
The dispute was not about celebrating the resurrection on a Sunday - that could have been done while still adhering to Firstfruits and the Jewish Passover calendar. The core issue arose from having a major Christian holy day determined by the Jewish calendar, which conflicted with the church’s desire for independence.
How, then, did it get separated, becoming a separate holiday called Easter?
Messianic Jewish scholar Mark Kinzer explains:
“The point of disagreement was this: should the Gentile ekklesia [congregation, church] commemorate the death and resurrection of Yeshua on the fourteenth of Nisan, when the Jews celebrate the Passover? Those who said yes were called the Quartodecimans (from the Latin word for “fourteenth”). Their practice likely derived from the early Jewish ekklesia. The small communities of Jewish Yeshua-believers in the second century almost certainly maintained this custom. . . . The problem came from the fact that the Gentile ekklesia of the province of Asia (in Asia minor) was Quartodeciman and claimed that their practice was of apostolic origin.
“The Quartodeciman controversy observing was disturbing, since (if followed) it would obligate the entire ekklesia to order its liturgical calendar in accordance with the decisions of the Jewish community. In a matter of great practical import it expressed dependence upon and even solidarity with the wider Jewish world” (Post-Missionary Messianic Judaism, 199).
The problem, then, was simple: Following the Jewish calendar was too Jewish for the increasingly Gentile church!
To quote the decision from the Nicene Council directly:
“It was declared to be particularly unworthy for this, the holiest of all festivals, to follow the custom [the calculation] of the Jews, who had soiled their hands with the most fearful of crimes, and whose minds were blinded. In rejecting their custom, we may transmit to our descendants the legitimate mode of celebrating Easter, which we have observed from the time of the Saviour’s Passion to the present day [according to the day of the week].
We ought not, therefore, to have anything in common with the Jews, for the Saviour has shown us another way; our worship follows a more legitimate and more convenient course (the order of the days of the week); and consequently, in unanimously adopting this mode, we desire, dearest brethren, to separate ourselves from the detestable company of the Jews, for it is truly shameful for us to hear them boast that without their direction we could not keep the feast . . . it would be still be your duty not to tarnish your soul by communications with such wicked people [the Jews].”
It is indeed ironic that the Resurrection, a celebration of Yeshua the Messiah’s resurrection, had to be separated from its Jewish roots due to concerns over appearing too Jewish.
Reconnecting the Severed Roots
Given this historical background, you might ask whether there is value in reconnecting the Resurrection with its original Jewish context. Advocates propose reconsidering the current church calendar and embracing a more biblically rooted approach.
One not-so-radical, but also incredibly radical, proposal involves coordinating the Church calendar with the biblical Jewish calendar to celebrate the Passion Week in conjunction with Passover. This would involve adjusting the calculation of the date of the Resurrection as we know it, to align with the lunar-based dating of Passover.
This change would restore the connection between Jesus’ death and resurrection and the Passover season. It would acknowledge the significance of these events within their original context and highlight the deep-rooted connections between Judaism and Christianity.
This would make our presentations of the Messiah in the Passover far less eye-opening to the Christian church who really don’t make any connection between the two. That’s what 1,700+ years of separation will do to you.
By commemorating Yeshua’s death on Friday during the Passover week and celebrating His resurrection on Sunday (Resurrection or Easter Sunday), Christians can bridge the gap that developed over time. This approach allows for a more profound understanding of the shared biblical heritage between Jews and Christians, promoting unity rather than separation.
Bridging the Gap Between Resurrection and Passover
The historical split between Passover and Passion Week originated from a desire to establish distinct practices within Christianity. As Gentile influence grew, there was a need to separate from Jewish customs and assert independence.
And rather than having the Resurrection be connected to its biblical roots of the Feast of Firstfruits, it unfortunately bears more resemblance to pagan celebrations of goddesses like Astarte and Oestre replete with fertility, bunnies, and eggs! But at least it’s not Jewish, right?
We don’t condemn or blame the church today. For the most part, it is truly a result of a continuing of tradition in ignorance rather than a willful disdain for the Jewish people and intentional separation from anything Jewish.
This has resulted in a significant rift that severed the inherent connections between the Resurrection and its Jewish roots.
To bridge this gap, it may be time to reevaluate our current practices and consider celebrating Passion Week in conjunction with Passover once again. By embracing the original context and commemorating Yeshua’s death and resurrection during the Passover season, we can honor the shared biblical heritage while fostering greater understanding and unity.
Why not explore how reconnecting the Passion Week and Passover in your own personal observance might deepen your understanding of their intertwined histories?
In conclusion, by recognizing the historical circumstances surrounding the split between Passion Week and Passover, we can appreciate the efforts to establish unique identities but also acknowledge the potential value in bridging the gap once again. Ultimately, deepening our understanding and celebration of both can contribute to a richer appreciation of our shared biblical heritage.
Key Takeaways
The split between Passion Week and Passover occurred due to the growing divide between Christianity and Judaism.
Early Christians initially celebrated the resurrection of Jesus alongside Passover since Jesus’ ministry primarily focused on His Jewish audience.
A controversy arose over whether Gentile Christians should observe these events based on the 14th day of Nisan, as practiced in Passover.
The Council of Nicaea in AD 325 established the Resurrection as a Sunday celebration separate from the Jewish calendar, aiming to establish a distinct Christian identity.
Restoring the connection between Passion Week and Passover could deepen the understanding of their shared biblical heritage.
Celebrating Passion Week in conjunction with Passover would promote unity and foster a deeper appreciation of the historical and spiritual significance of both traditions.
About The Jewish Road
At the heart of The Jewish Road lies a passion ignited by a father-son duo, Ron and Matt Davis. Our journey began with a simple yet profound desire: to bridge the gap in understanding that has kept two faith communities apart for too long. We're here to help Christians connect with the roots of their faith and for Jews to explore the life and teachings of Jesus with an open heart.
Imagine a world where every believer, be it Jewish or Christian, not only knows their faith but truly understands its origins and interconnectedness. We strive to restore the Jewish essence of the Gospel, offering insights that deepen knowledge, bolster faith, and propel the growth of the Kingdom. The narrative of faith, we believe, is a two-act play where both acts are essential for a comprehensive grasp of the story. By uniting these acts, we're presenting a more holistic and enriching perspective.
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