INPERILS OF THE EASTER BUNNY?

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 . . . intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people. – Acts 12:3, 4

The "Perilous Times" explains the single occurrence of "Easter" in the King James Bible (Acts 12:4) by insisting that Herod was a Pagan, Ishtar and Astarte worshiper (without providing us with any final authority on the matter). After such enlightening speculation, the "Perilous Times" scolds everyone and anyone (as it usually does), who holds to the synonymous "Easter/Passover" explanation, intimating that all who do so are Bible Correctors. "Easter" needs not and should not be changed in the King James Bible! If for no other reason, "Easter" supplies us with the only cross reference to the synonymy of "Easter" and "Passover" in earlier English Bibles. It is not an error. Never was!

We can respect men, who hold differing opinions on difficult matters, if their intentions and motives are to defend the AV 1611's integrity. Two views may differ and still be on the same side. Still, it is difficult to ignore the "Perilous Times" intolerance of other positions (which also seek to defend the KJB). Can private interpretation "dogma" be allowed to go unchallenged, when it dictates, intimidates, and mandates what others "must" believe?

The Perilous Times and Its New Wrinkle

The Perilous Time's newest contention, regarding Acts 12:3, 4, is quite simple, saying the words “Easter” and “Passover” cannot be synonymous, for if that were the case, the Passover day was ended, because they were now in the "days of unleavened bread," and Herod would have to wait another whole year, until the next year's Passover to release Peter "after" Passover. On the surface, this sounds very good. Yet not so fast!

Passover - One Day or Several?

On the fourteenth day of the month at even, ye shall eat unleavened bread, until the one andtwentieth day of the month at even . . . --Ex. 12:18

In the first month, in the fourteenth day of the month, ye shall have the passover, a feastof seven days . . . -- Ezek. 45:21

After two days was the feast of the passover, AND of unleavened bread . . .--Mark 14:1

Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the Passover. And when he was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem after the custom of the feast. And when they had fulfilled the days, as they returned . . . -- Luke 2:41-43

Now the feast of unleavened bread drew nigh, which is called the passover. -- Luke 22:1

The solution to avoiding error, here, is not to use the term "Passover" more tightly or strictly than do the scriptures. Not only does the Passover refer to a day, a feast, a feast day, a lamb, and a meal; it also refers to a seven-day feast, the whole week or feast of unleavenedbread. The “one day” Passover theory creates all sorts of confusion.

Another Passover Day?

Now BEFORE the feast of the passover . . . And supper being ENDED . . . the devil now having now put into the heart of Judas . . . --John 13:1, 2

. . .and they themselves went not into the judgment hall, lest they should be defiled; but that they might eat the passover. -- John 18:28

Some think that the disciples’ private Passover was on a different day than that of the Temple Passover for the priests and Levites, since the lamb had not yet been killed on the first DAY of unleavened bread (Mark 14:12-16) but was killed after the disciples ate a Passover meal; a criminal was released at the Passover (John 18:39) before the lamb was killed; Jesus was in the judgment hall and before Pilate before the Passover (John 18:28; 19:14) was killed and eaten. Nevertheless, Jesus and his disciples ate a Passovermeal before all of this took place (Luke 7:15). They ate the Passover with the bitter herbs and unleavened bread and unleavened fruit of the vine with no mention of lamb.

Faulty Reasoning

If we hold the "Passover" to only ONE day, Herod would, indeed, have to wait another year to release Peter, "after Passover." Nevertheless, the scriptures will not allow such narrow private interpretation. The main feast day (John 2:28) may well be called the Passover. Still, both of the Testaments call the whole feast of seven days -- "Passover." The entire feast or several dayS of unleavened bread are synonymous with Passover, dispelling the "Perilous Times" dogma, speculation, and new wrinkle.

It was Herod's desire to "please" the Jews, which motivated him to arrest Peter and to avoid any ruckus during the remainder of the Passover week. If Herod honored heathen deities and believed in the Astarte, Ishtar, and the Easter Bunny and Easter eggs, he could hardly have pleased the Jews even in the terrible apostate condition in which they were found.– by Herb Evans

Note: Webster's 1828 Dictionary of the English language renders a “PASCH-EGG” as an egg stained and presented to young persons, about the time of Easter. So, help yourself in putting the pagan Pascha Passover back into Acts 12:4.