Passover and Easter- celebrate common religious roots
Maine Writer: My husband and I have attended a Jewish family's Passover Sader. We experienced the common religious roots expressed by our Roman Catholicism in the Gospel described the Last Supper.
In my opinion, Jewish Passover is the Christian Holy Thursday.
Two faiths celebrate freedom, renewal, hope to overcome oppression- Jews and Christians
By Brad Bloom echo opinion published in the South Carolina Island Packet (IP) newspaper.
https://www.islandpacket.com/living/religion/faith-in-action/article250360306.html
Some people are confused about the timing of Passover and Easter. This year Passover began March 27, and will end eight days later on April 4, which is also Easter. How are these holidays determined, and how do they intersect from a historical and theological perspective?
Is there an ecumenical dimension to these two holidays, despite their differences, that can enrich Jews and Christians?
To begin with, Passover goes by the Jewish calendar, and always falls on the 15th day of the Hebrew month of Nissan.
Second, the Hebrew calendar is determined by the lunar cycle of the moon. It usually occurs around the full moon, typically in either March or April.
Historians of this Late Antiquity period reminds us that Easter is determined by the solar calendar. So it takes quite a few years for both holidays to be on the same secular date on the Gregorian calendar.
The first disciples of Jesus were Jewish, so they used the lunar calendar to determine when Easter would occur. In 325 C.E., the First Council of Nicaea changed its calendar and based the date for Easter on the solar calendar, which meant that the first day of Passover and Easter would rarely be on the same day.
Yet, there is more to the relationship between these two holy days than the differences in the lunar and solar calendars. The really important issues revolve around the basic themes of these holidays. For Passover, it is about the exodus of the ancient Hebrews from Egypt. Freedom from slavery and the oppression of Pharaoh became the major theme for the Jewish observance of Passover. For Easter, it is about the resurrection of Jesus. Easter is a different kind of spiritual renewal that concentrates on freedom from sin based upon Jesus’ rise from the dead.
Some clergy and scholars argue that Jesus’ Last Supper was a Passover Seder, but there is no consensus that this was factual.
Historians of this Late Antiquity period reminds us that Easter is determined by the solar calendar. So it takes quite a few years for both holidays to be on the same secular date on the Gregorian calendar.
The first disciples of Jesus were Jewish, so they used the lunar calendar to determine when Easter would occur. In 325 C.E., the First Council of Nicaea changed its calendar and based the date for Easter on the solar calendar, which meant that the first day of Passover and Easter would rarely be on the same day.
Yet, there is more to the relationship between these two holy days than the differences in the lunar and solar calendars. The really important issues revolve around the basic themes of these holidays. For Passover, it is about the exodus of the ancient Hebrews from Egypt. Freedom from slavery and the oppression of Pharaoh became the major theme for the Jewish observance of Passover. For Easter, it is about the resurrection of Jesus. Easter is a different kind of spiritual renewal that concentrates on freedom from sin based upon Jesus’ rise from the dead.
Some clergy and scholars argue that Jesus’ Last Supper was a Passover Seder, but there is no consensus that this was factual.
(I take exception to this comment! As a Roman Catholic, I firmly believe that the Last Supper of Jesus was a Passover observation. Has the author of this essay ever attended a Passover Sader?)
Passover is also about renewal, not only because it is springtime like Easter, but because this venerated holiday highlights the renewal of the people and their leaving slavery behind after over 400 years of servitude in Egypt.
Easter also focuses on renewal, and this time the messianic passion revolves around Jesus himself and the Roman crucifixion and resurrection afterwards. Passover concentrates on freedom of an entire people, whereas Easter is about an individual accounting and hope for each person to accept Jesus as their savior.
Unfortunately for the Jewish people, Easter was always a fearful time in medieval Europe. They were blamed for killing Jesus. This time of the year, the most violent, revenge-taking mobs terrorized the Jewish communities in Christian Europe during the Middle Ages. Jewish and friendly Christian leaders would warn Jewish citizens to stay indoors to avoid the anti-Semitic crowds who sought to harass and wipe out Jewish communities.
While the holidays have gone in completely different directions both historically and theologically, they still have in common themes of hope, spiritual renewal and messianic aspirations.
This week an interfaith group of clergy met at Congregation Beth Yam to observe the Passover holiday. We came from diverse religious backgrounds, from the denominations of Christianity to Judaism. We practiced the rituals of the Passover Seder meal and told the story of the Exodus.
Our conversations around the interplay of Passover and Easter brought us toward a better understanding of each other’s faith traditions. Eating the unleavened bread called matzah, or the poor man’s bread, especially resonated with the clergy who understand well enough the importance of feeding the poor. Participants also were interested the book Jews read, the Haggadah or the Narration, which passes on the traditions and memory of the Exodus to each generation. One colleague pointed out that with so many religiously unaffiliated people in America today, it is important to teach our children their roots.
Easter also focuses on renewal, and this time the messianic passion revolves around Jesus himself and the Roman crucifixion and resurrection afterwards. Passover concentrates on freedom of an entire people, whereas Easter is about an individual accounting and hope for each person to accept Jesus as their savior.
Unfortunately for the Jewish people, Easter was always a fearful time in medieval Europe. They were blamed for killing Jesus. This time of the year, the most violent, revenge-taking mobs terrorized the Jewish communities in Christian Europe during the Middle Ages. Jewish and friendly Christian leaders would warn Jewish citizens to stay indoors to avoid the anti-Semitic crowds who sought to harass and wipe out Jewish communities.
While the holidays have gone in completely different directions both historically and theologically, they still have in common themes of hope, spiritual renewal and messianic aspirations.
This week an interfaith group of clergy met at Congregation Beth Yam to observe the Passover holiday. We came from diverse religious backgrounds, from the denominations of Christianity to Judaism. We practiced the rituals of the Passover Seder meal and told the story of the Exodus.
Our conversations around the interplay of Passover and Easter brought us toward a better understanding of each other’s faith traditions. Eating the unleavened bread called matzah, or the poor man’s bread, especially resonated with the clergy who understand well enough the importance of feeding the poor. Participants also were interested the book Jews read, the Haggadah or the Narration, which passes on the traditions and memory of the Exodus to each generation. One colleague pointed out that with so many religiously unaffiliated people in America today, it is important to teach our children their roots.
The Passover Haggadah says, “Each person should see themselves as if they too went out from Egypt or servitude.”
Teach young and old, whether about Jesus at Easter or the Israelites at Passover. Feel the history as if all generations were there at these famous events. Renewal and redemption apply to both faith traditions, albeit in profoundly different ways. They give us hope to overcome oppression in the world today.
Teach young and old, whether about Jesus at Easter or the Israelites at Passover. Feel the history as if all generations were there at these famous events. Renewal and redemption apply to both faith traditions, albeit in profoundly different ways. They give us hope to overcome oppression in the world today.
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