This year, Christians are quite confused. In their Christian calendar for 2016, Easter (March 27) comes first before Passover (April 22)—Jesus resurrects first before He is crucified. How could that be?
The confusion stems from the difference between two calendars –the Jewish lunar calendar and the current Gregorian calendar, according to Dr. Sam Nadler, the president of Word of Messiah Ministries.
Writing for Charisma News, Nadler says that since Israel's exodus from Egypt until today, Passover has always been observed beginning on the 14th day of the first month of the Hebrew lunar calendar, Nisan, or Aviv (Ex. 12). "This was the very day Yeshua (Jewish name for Jesus) was crucified, confirming His identity as the true 'Lamb of God' (Luke 22:7; John 1:29, 19:14). Three days later, Yeshua rose again on the biblical Feast of Firstfruits, becoming our 'first fruits from among the dead' (Lev. 23:10-14; 1 Cor. 15:20)," Nadler says.
There was no problem with the dates from the time of Jesus' death and resurrection until the third century A.D. That was the time when decisions were made to separate the faith from its Jewish roots. "It was from this turn of events that the Resurrection came to be celebrated apart from the Passover," the Jewish scholar says.
At the Council of Nicea in 325 A.D., Emperor Constantine issued a decree stating that Easter be observed on the first Sunday after the first full moon of spring, and not in relation with Passover.
Constantine made the change in the date for observing the resurrection of Christ to reject the custom of the Jews, "who had soiled their hands with the most fearful of crimes [the killing of Christ]."
"But what was intended to be a victory for the church has instead brought confusion at best and serious damage at worst," Nadler says. "Sadly, when Yeshua's death and resurrection is celebrated apart from its Jewish context of Passover, most Jewish people do not recognise Yeshua as their Messiah."
