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From: heb_roots_chr@mail.geocities.com Sent: Friday, March 28, 1997 2:40 AM To: Hebraic Heritage Newsgroup Subject: The Passover Controversy
From: nwalters@m6.sprynet.com To: heb_roots_chr@mail.geocities.com Subject: The Passover Controversy Dear Eddie, I've been sitting back reading and enjoying the news group. Now, I have something that is worth sharing. Keep up the great work. I'm looking forward to your new book! Source of the Material Below: The entire text below is directly quoted from an out-of-print book called "The Church and the Jews - The Biblical Relationship", by Daniel Gruber (published by the General Council of the Assemblies of God, Intercultural Ministries, 1991, Springfield, MO). After reading it, you may understand why there was not a great demand for republishing. I found this book at a MJAA Yeshiva Class on Messianic Theology. I apologize for any typos, I keyed it in and edited it in a hurry to get it done this week. Setup for the Material Below: In 1997, Easter (resurrection Sunday) falls on March 30, yet Passover falls on April 22? How can this be? Passover is always the 14th of the month of Nisan, based on the Jewish calendar which is based on the lunar cycle. Each Jewish month begins with a new moon. Leap months are added occasionally to make sure that the spring festivals stay in the spring, and that the fall festivals stay in the fall. It is my understanding the Easter is the first Sunday after the first full moon after the Vernal Equinox (the first day of spring). Thus, spring sprung on March 21/22 as usual. There is a full moon this week; thus this Sunday is Easter. That makes perfect sense, doesn't it? [he says biting his tongue] Shalom, Neal Walters Creator of "Hooked on Hebrew" - Hebrew Language Tutorial http://www.amerisoftinc.com/prod01.htm ----------------- Beginning of quotes from the section entitled "The Passover Controversy": ---------------- How did the Passover controversy arise? Jesus had celebrated Passover on the fourteenth of Nisan because that is its Biblical date. He observed all the Levitical holy days on the days when God had decreed and designed them to be observed. The Apostles and the first century Church did much the same. "As the Christian Passover was celebrated at the same time as the Jewish, this simultaneous observance was preserving the Jewish ritual in the Christian festival, and strengthening the bonds between Christianity and Judaism. The date must be changed. In some quarters the Church attempted to restrict the celebration to a single day, 14 Nisan; elsewhere - and this became the prevailing custom - she made Holy Week the week in which fell 14 Nisan (the day when the Jewish feast began), and removed the festival, which had already changed its character, to the Sunday following Holy Week. In all these cases there was dependence on the Jewish calendar, a 'humiliating subjection' to the Synagogue which irked the Church." Besides changing their dates the Church also gave to the Jewish festivals, which she adopted, a purpose different from that which they had for the Jews. [Thus] Sunday commemorates the resurrection of the Lord, the victory over the Jews. (1) Sometime in the second century, some of the churches in the west, among the Gentiles, began to celebrate Passover/Easter so that their commemoration of the Lord's resurrection would always take place on a Sunday regardless of the Biblical calendar. Towards the end of the second century, these western churches, led by the bishops of Rome, Casesarea, and Jerusalem (where there were no longer Jewish bishops), began to agitate for all the churches to keep the Passover on their fixed Sunday, rather than on the fourteenth of Nisan. They also were accustomed to using the Roman calendar, rather than the Biblical calendar. Eusebius says, "There was a considerable discussion raised about this time, in consequence of a difference of opinion respecting the observance of the paschal season. The churches of all Asia, guided by a remoter tradition, supposed that they ought to keep the fourteen day of the moon for the festival of the Savior's Passover, in which day the Jews were commanded to kill the paschal lamb.But as it was not the custom to celebrate it in this manner in the churches throughout the rest of the world.there were synods and convocations of the bishops on this question.There is an epistle extant even now, of those who were assembled at the time; among whom presided Theophilus, bishop of the church in Cesarea, and Narcissus, bishop of Jerusalem. There is another epistle extant on the same question, bearing the name of Victor [the bishop of Rome].(2) "The bishops, however, of Asia, persevering in observing the custom handed down to them from their fathers, were headed by Polycrates. He, indeed, had also set forth the tradition handed down to them, in a letter which he addressed to Victor and the Church of Rome. "We,' said he, 'therefore, observe the genuine day; neither adding thereto nor taking therefrom. For in Asia great lights have fallen asleep, which shall rise again in the day of the Lord's appearing, in which he will come with glory from heaven, and will raise up all the saints; Philip, one of the twelve apostles, who sleeps in Hierapolis, and his two aged virgin daughters. His other daughter, also, who having lived under the influence of the Holy Ghost, now likewise rests in Ephesus. Moreover, John, who rested upon the bosom of our Lord; who also was a priest, and bore the sacerdotal plate, both a martyr and teacher. He is buried in Ephesus; also Polycarp of Smyrna, both bishop and martyr. Thraseas, also, bishop and martyr of Eumenia, who is buried at Smyrna. Why should I mention. "All these observed the fourteenth day of the passover according to the gospel, deviating in no respect, but following the rule of faith. Moreover, I, Polycrates, who am the least of all of you, according to the tradition of my relatives, some of whom I have followed. For there were seven, my relatives bishops, and I am the eighth; and my relatives always observed the day when the people (i.e. the Jews) threw away the leaven. I, therefore, brethren, am now sixty-five years in the Lord, who having conferred with the brethren throughout the world, and having studied the whole of the sacred Scriptures, am not at all alarmed at those things with which I am threatened, to intimidate me For they who are greater than I, have said, "We ought to obey God rather than men." ".Upon this, Victor, the bishop of the Church of Rome, forthwith endeavored to cut off the churches of all Asia, together with the neighboring churches, as heterodox, from the common unity. And he publishes abroad by letters, and proclaims, that all the brethren there are wholly excommunicated."(3) There were others, like Irenaeus, who "with much severity" exhorted Victor to withdraw his decree. Irenaeous reminded Victor of what had happened about fifty years earlier. Anicetus, the bishop of Rome at that time, had tried to persuade Polycarp. "For neither could Anicetus persuade Polycarp not to observe it, because he had always observed it with John the disciple of our Lord, and the rest of the apostles, with whom he associated."(4) In another section, Eusebius says this about Polycarp: "He always taught what he had learned from the apostles, what the church had handed down, and what is the only true doctrine." (5) . The issue, in a slightly altered from, was finally settled by the Council of Nicea in 325 AD. There it was decided that all the churches should celebrate Passover, or actually Easter, on the ecclesiastically chosen Sunday rather than the Biblical date. All the churches were thus informed. The Emperor Constantine sent his personal exhortation to all the churches concerning the decision of the Council. What the Emperor said had great weight. After all, Constantine was the one who had ended the persecution of the churches. He was the founder of the Holy Roman Empire. He openly, personally professed the Christian faith. He had convened the council. The churches, therefore, were more than willing to hear whatever he had to say to them. What he had to say to them is a clear presentation of the sentiment and theology of the Council of Nicea. It expresses what then became the nearly universal sentiment and theology of the Church. Following are excerpts from his letter: ---- beginning of Constantine's letter ---- Constantine, august, to the Churches. Having experienced, in the flourishing state of public affairs, the greatness of the divine goodness I though it especially incumbent on me to endeavor that the happy multitudes of the Catholic [i.e. the universal] Church should preserve one faith, be united in unfeigned love, and harmoniously join their devotions to the Almighty God. . When the question arose concerning the most holy day of Easter, it was decreed by common consent to be expedient, that this festival should be celebrated on the same day by all, in every place. For what can be more beautiful, what more venerable and becoming, than that this festival, from which we receive hope of immortality, should be suitably observed by all in one and the same order. it seemed to every one a most unworthy thing that we should follow the custom of the Jews in the celebration of this most holy solemnity, who, polluted wretches! Having stained their hands with a nefarious crime, are justly blinded in their minds. It is fit, therefore, that, rejecting the practice of this people, we should perpetuate to all future ages the celebration of this rite, in a more legitimate order, . Let us then have nothing in common with the most hostile rabble of the Jews. We have received another method from the Savior. A more lawful and proper course is open to our most holy religion. . As it is necessary that this fault should be so amended that we may have nothing in common with the usage of these parricides and murderers of our Lord; and as that order is most convenient which is observed by all the churches of the West, as well as those of the southern and northern parts of the world, and also by some in the East, it was judged therefore to be most equitable and proper, and I pledge myself that this arrangement should meet your approbation, viz. That the custom which prevails with one consent in the city of Rome, and throughout all [list of countries] .., and to have no fellowship with the perjury of the Jews. And, to sum up the whole in a few words, it was agreeable to the common judgment of all, that the most holy feast of Easter should be celebrated on one and the same day. . it is your duty to receive and establish the arguments already stated, and the observance of the most holy day; .. ---- end of Constantine's letter ---- In this letter, Constantine officially establishes an anti-Judaic foundation for the doctrine and practice of the Church, and declares that contempt for the Jews, and separation form them, is the only proper Christian attitude. .. The most revealing question to ask is, "When did God give such authority over the Church to Constantine?" It is a question that was not really articulated at that time nor in most of the sixteen and a half centuries since. The relationship of Church and State which began under Constantine was seen as the greatest blessing of God. There was an end to what had seemed like endless persecution. But with the end of persecution and the beginning of new alliance came great compromises which have distorted the nature of the Church to this day. . >From that point on, Church doctrine was to be enforced by the sword of the State. Those who would not conform were to be exiled or put to death. The book of heretics - those who taught what was contrary to the accepted teaching - were to be burned and exterminated from the earth. After all, as Constantine had written, "no pretense was left for dissension or controversy respecting the faith." The Church ceased to be the Church of Jesus, and became the Church of Constantine. It was no longer the bride of Messiah. It had become the bride of Caesar. The light within turned to darkness. The Church changed from a means of salvation into a means of destruction. It poisoned the waters of eternal life, turning them into an everflowing fountain of death. Jesus had warned his followers, "The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who have authority over them are called 'Benefactors." But not so with you, but let him who is the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as the servant.": (Luke 22:25-26). Constantine presented himself as the Benefactor of the Church, having ended the persecution, and therefore expected the Church to conform to his will. The prophetic voice of the Church vis a vis the State was silenced, and a hierarchical structure was imposed upon it. Under Constantine, Eusebius wrote a history of the church that pointedly eliminated any positive references the restoration of Israel and earthly reign of Jesus. . The Church made a significant official change both in doctrine and in the way doctrine was to be established. . For what was approved by 300 bishops can only be considered as the pleasure of God. God's Truth was to be determined by Church councils, and not by the Word of God. Consequently, the teaching which was a blasphemous heresy to Justin Martyr became the new, unchallengeable orthodoxy. It is remarkable that this change was made over such a clear, but seemingly insignificant issue as when the Church should celebrate the Passover. The Bible sets the date for Passover as the fourteenth of Nisan. That is when Jesus celebrated the Passover. The apostles did the same. The Apostle Paul, whose ministry was to the Gentiles, observed the Biblical dates. The book of Acts records, simply in passing, that Passover (Acts 20:7), Shavuot [Pentecost] (Acts 20:16) and Yom Kippur [the Day of Atonement] were fixed, significant dates for Paul. . Eusebius tells the story in The Last Days of Constantine. All these edifices the emperor consecrated with the desire of perpetuating the memory of the Apostles of our Savior before all men. He had, however, another object in erecting this building (i.e. the Church of the Apostles at Constantinople); an object at first unknown, but which afterwards became evident to all. He had in fact, made a choice of this spot in the prospect of his own death, anticipating with extraordinary fervor of faith that this body would share their title with the Apostles themselves, and that he should thus even after death become the subject, with them, of the devotions which should be performed to their honor in this place, and for this reason he bade men assemble for worship there at the altar which he placed in the midst. He accordingly caused twelve coffins to be set up in this church, like sacred pillars in honor and memory of the apostolic band, in the center of which his own was placed, having six of their on either side of it. (5). . "Planning the Church of the Apostles, Constantine had dreamed of resting there forever in the midst of the Twelve, not merely one of them, but a symbol of, if not a substitute for, their Leader. During the months of the church's construction, his agents had been busy in Palestine collecting alleged relics [i.e. bones] of the apostles and their companions, to be laid up in the church with his body, awaiting the general resurrection."(6) "The project was started but not completed. However, an official search was made for the locations of the bodies of the Apostles, and this official search was possible the precipitating cause for the inventory which was made for the Apostolic remains or relics. After this time there arose the practice of the veneration of relics.(7) Constantine sought bones and buildings as the focus of worship. Constantine built buildings which were called churches, and people who were not the Church began to fill them. They 'went to church," but did not seek to "be the Church." Rome was to become the new "holy city", geographically defining and confining worship. Paul had warned the Gentile believer in Rome, "Don't be arrogant towards the natural branches. Don't be ignorant of God's faithfulness to the Jewish people." FOOTNOTES: 1) Les Juifs dan l'empire romain I, Paris 1914, P.308ff,quoted in "A Note on the Quartodecimans," C.W. Dugmore, Studia Patristica, Vol.IV, Berlin, 1961, P.412. 2)The Ecclesiastical History of Eusebius Pamphilus, op.cit., Bk 5, Ch.23, P.207. 3) ibid, Bk.5, Ch.24,Pp..208-209. 4) ibid, Bk 5, Ch.24,Pp.210-211. 5) ibid, Bk.4, Ch.14,P.141. 6) J. Stevenson, A New Eusebius, P.395, quoted in The Search for the Twelve Apostles, William Steuart McBirnie, Tyndale House, Wheaton, IL., 1977, P.19 7) John Holland Smith, Constantine the Great, Pp.301-302, quoted in The Search for the Twelve Apostles, William Steuart McBirnie, Pp.19-20. 8) The Search for the Twelve Apostles, P.20 Neal Walters Hooked on Hebrew http://www.amerisoftinc.com/prod01.htm
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