New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-04-10
A JEWISH VIEW OF EASTER.
THAT 1T HAS NO CONNECTION WITH
THE TEACHINGS OF JESUS.

THE TEACHINGS OF JESUS.
The origin OF Easter" says the Rev. DR..
Joseph Silverman. rests purely dogma. II
has no direct connection with the history or the
teachings OF Jesus-in fact. 1t is opposed to the
spirit OF both I believe that Jesus would have
regarded the dogma which Easter Is based
rank heresy. In order TO arrive at a clear
understanding OF the subject. we must review
the events that took place during the last week
OF the life OF Jesus. II was the week preceding
the Passover OF the Jews. Judea was at that ,
time Roman province. under the jurisdiction
OF the Procurator. Pontius Plate and oppres-
sion rested heavily the land Of Palestine.
The poor Jew felt that his darkest hour had
come that his nationality gone forever. A
sigh went up from the suffering Jews; cry
to Heaven FOR redeemer from the tyran-
rule Of the foreigner and the Jews longed
for some Heavenly miracle to bring them relief
In the hour OF trial came the good man. Jesus
OF Nazareth who counselled patience and nom
resistance and promised better days for all the
faithful
The people welcomed him in Galilee and
Jerusalem as a comforter. wise and good
man Some bold enough TO call him King
FOR was he not a descendant OF David? II Pal
estne had at tina, time regained her indepen-
dence doubt not he would have been pro-
claimed King 81 the Jews
Such was the condition Of affairs when Jesus
with mis- friends came 70 Jerusalem TO celebrate
the feast Of the Passover This feast drew
great crowds to the Holy City. which. bent on
showing honor to the Nazarene teacher. made
his entry into Jerusalem almost triumphal
march There rumOrs that the King or inc
Jews had come The crowds In the city. Win
the presence Of Jesus. the most popular Jew OK
the time seemed 10 portend rebellion 70 the
government The corrupt priests against wnom
Jesus had spoken complained against him. ana
IL was resolved by PLATE 70 kill Jesus and pre-
vent a rebellion.
Jesus had some in;imation that the fourteentn
day OF Nissan on the evening ~ which he was
to eat his Passover meal with his friends and
disciples would be his last day on earth He
could not escape and determined upon sacrino-
Ing himself for the safety Of his friends and dis
ciples At the simple Passover meal on the
evening OF the fourteenth day OF Nissan Jesus
took farewell Of his friends just as any hero
might who vas about TO sacrifice himself ana
face death.
He broke the unleavened northumberland
poured out the wine. is the custom at the
Passover meal Then. turning TO his friends. he
said. Now as this bread is broken. so viii Do
| my body: as this wine is split. so Will my blood
| be split Let this meal be a memorial OF our
| parting Take this bread eat It. for II Is like
my body take this wine. drink IT, for II Is like
| my blood. / die 70 you my friends. Now
I command you 10 love one another. Ny blood
shed for you shall unite you forever In love-
May the God who has been with me in all my
trials be also with you
after the Passover meal Jesus hastened to
leave the city arrested tried at midnight.
condemned and crucifed before dawn Of an
floOa Ind
to Jewish law and practice. The scheme had
been planned by Pontus PLATE. and 1t was car
red out by a few Roman hired assassins The
Jews mourned for him because his death was a
blow dealt by Roman against Jewish indie
| pendence.
The next DAY being the Sabbath. the Jews
| could not bury the murdered Jesus. but Plate
granted their request to place the body tempo
rarity in tomb Early on Sunday morning
Mary Magdalen went 10 the tomb and. TO her
amazemen; found It empty He is risen shs
said. and the cry spread throughout jerusalem.
I. vas taken UP by the friends. lovers and dis
ciples ~ Jesus
The resurrection dogma became popular. be-
cause In those days the belief in miracles was
common What coull be easily comprehended
found no followers Only the impossible the
wonderful the mythical found credence on all
sides Jesus told his friends az the Last oupPef'
the Solar that they should think Of Him al
every Passover meal and remember that HIS
body was broken as the bread and His blood
spill, as the wine ., this a communion service
was made and a verltable sacrament was insei-
tuted The lamb that sacrificed IN Egypt
became symDolical OF Jesus. the OILY Lamb OK
! God sacrificed FOR the sins OF all men. Just -
the blood 81 the lamb sprinkled upon the door
posts Z the houses Of Israetes in Egypt saved
those who dwet in :hem from death. so the
hood 81 Jesus could save all men who believed
in Hin.
1T was but natural that those Jews who had
followed Jesus should connect some Of these
IDEAS with the annual Passover. and should
gradually learn TO celebrate that feast. not In
memory II the redemption from Egyptian bond
age hut IN memory Of the death and resurrec-
ton ~ Jesus When Christianity came into
! contact with the Saxon nation Il found fesei-
val held by the people in the spring In honor OK
the Goddess Eostora or Eastre. When the wor-
ship II the heather deity was replaced by tho
worship 81 Jesus and the festival In honor OF
Easter became Identical with Passover. the
latter name was dropped and the name Easter
retained"