Here's a little video I made on the subject.
The True Origin of the Name of Easter (Pagan, Christian or What?) - YouTube
The True Origin of the Name of Easter (Pagan, Christian or What?) - YouTube
-
Starting today August 7th, 2024, in order to post in the Married Couples, Courting Couples, or Singles forums, you will not be allowed to post if you have your Marital status designated as private. Announcements will be made in the respective forums as well but please note that if yours is currently listed as Private, you will need to submit a ticket in the Support Area to have yours changed.
Origin of the Name of Easter
- Thread starter JothamDavidParker
- Start date
lesliedellow
Member
- Sep 20, 2010
- 9,654
- 2,582
- Faith
- Calvinist
- Marital Status
- Single
- Politics
- UK-Liberal-Democrats
Does the etymology of a word have any particular theological significance?
In modern Greek the word for Easter is the same as the ancient Greek word for Passover.
In modern Greek the word for Easter is the same as the ancient Greek word for Passover.
Upvote
0
Are you asking if the etymology of the word "Easter" has theological significance? It might, although the etymology is uncertain. It could come from the Germanic month Eoster-monath, which probably means "opening-month" in which case Christians might have thought that was a good name to celebrate the opening of Christ's tomb in the resurrection. It might also simply come from the word "East", which was the direction of the Easter pilgrimage from Europe to Jerusalem. (That's all in the video, btw.)
As for Pascha, yes, it is probably the Greek form of the Aramaic word for Passover. However, many of the fathers also related it to the Greek word paschein, which means suffering. That's where we get the word "passion" from. In my opinion, for what it's worth, Pascha probably comes from both words. We modern people like to use names that have multiple meanings and I don't think the ancients were much different.
As for Pascha, yes, it is probably the Greek form of the Aramaic word for Passover. However, many of the fathers also related it to the Greek word paschein, which means suffering. That's where we get the word "passion" from. In my opinion, for what it's worth, Pascha probably comes from both words. We modern people like to use names that have multiple meanings and I don't think the ancients were much different.
Upvote
0
