Christian Apologetics Society

Jesus replied, "You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God."
- Matthew 22:29

Isaiah 55:11
So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it
Gen 1:3
Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light
Matthew 26:26
And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, “Take, eat; this is My body."
Malachi 1:11
My name will be great among the nations, from the rising to the setting of the sun. In every place incense and pure offerings will be brought to my name, because my name will be great among the nations," says the LORD Almighty.
John 20:23
If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.
James 5:16
Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.
James 2:14
What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?
Luke 20:38
For He is not the God of the dead but of the living, for all live to Him.
Rev 21:27
Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life.
1 Cor 3:15
If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
Psalm 51:5
Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me.
John 3:5
Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
Titus 3:5
Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
1 Timothy 3:15
but if I am delayed, I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.
Acts 22:16
And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.

Ash Wednesday & Lent: Are They in the Bible?

That is the question posed by evangelist and revivalist Dr. Lance Ketchum on his blog Line Upon Line. Our response to Dr. Ketchum follows.


>Dr. Ketchum : "There is little doubt about the origins of what we know as Ash Wednesday. This day was part of the ancient pagan celebration centering around Easter."

1. Your post is largely a strawman in that Catholics and other Christians do not celebrate Easter, but Pascha, which is from the Hebrew meaning "Passover". Any use of the term "Easter" is not in reference to the pagan feast, but use of the vulgar (common) English.

2. Twice you claim that Ash Wednesday is of pagan origin, but never cite any proof of its pagan origin. You seem to be arguing for guilt by association. In fact, all the evidence cited (Genesis 3:19 KJV, "from biblical times...") seems in support of Ash Wednesday and not against.

>Dr. Ketchum: "We find the only mention of the word Easter in the King James Version, in Acts 12:4, and that reference is to the Passover, not a Christian observance. Further, it is an improper translation of the Greek word, and most Bible translations have corrected this error."

Interestingly, Luther uses Ostern (Easter) in his German translation of the Bible. Was Luther, the original Reformer, also in error?

    4Da er ihn nun griff, legte er ihn ins Gefängnis und überantwortete ihn vier Rotten, je von vier Kriegsknechten, ihn zu bewahren, und gedachte, ihn nach Ostern dem Volk vorzustellen.
    Apostelgeschichte 12:4 (Luther Bibel 1545)


Jerome's Latin Vulgate, long used by Catholics, uses "pascha" instead of Easter, or Ostern.

    quem cum adprehendisset misit in carcerem tradens quattuor quaternionibus militum custodire eum volens post pascha producere eum populo
    Acts 12:4, Latin Vulgate


Its also interesting that you should cite the King James Version as the original 1611 King James Version includes a almanac which lists the dates for the First Day of Lent, Easter day, Ascension day, and Whitsuntide. Apparently, the staunchly anti-Catholic English Reformers had no objections or misgivings regarding the marking of these dates and considered them important enough for inclusion in the King James Bible.

>Dr. Ketchum: "Christians have no command or example that suggests we are to keep the Passover."

Um, do we not read in several gospels that Jesus and the apostles kept the passover? Matthew 26 and Mark 22 seem clear examples and we are told by Jesus to do this in rememberance of him (Mark 22:19) to boot. "This" was the passover. I find Jesus examples in the gospels sufficient. Every Lord's Supper is the Christian remembrance (memorial) of Passover.

>Dr. Ketchum: "The inappropriateness, and even sinfulness, of the Easter season is seen in the three seasons (the Carnival season, the Lenten season, and the Post-Easter season)"

This statement I find the most amazing. I cannot fathom a man of God actively discouraging people from acknowledging their sinfullness, discouraging repentance, and discouraging the opportunity to fall deeper in love with Christ. I find much in scripture that authorizes rejecting sin and returning to God.

Why do you actively seek to keep people from Christ?

God bless... +Timothy

BTW, I note that you go by Dr. (doctor). Does not the Bible say to "call no man rabbi" (Matthew 23:8). Your title of doctor is Latin for "Rabbi" (teacher). How are you authorized to deviate from scripture?


Related Posts:
1611 KJV Bible Available Online
Baptists Recovering Lost Catholic Treasure of Lent
Evangelical Christians Adopting Advent


Source: Ash Wednesday & Lent: Are They in the Bible?

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1 Comments:

Blogger Timothy said...

Short note to savedbygracenotworks. Your comment was received and read, however, your generic Roman Road cut&paste is off-topic and was therefore deleted. Please keep comments germaine. No drive-bys.

God bless... +Timothy

9:21 AM  

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