[B-Greek] Easter question
frjsilver at optonline.net
frjsilver at optonline.net
Mon Apr 2 18:23:20 EDT 2007
Dear Friends --
PASCA is not a natively Greek word. It's an exact transliteration of the **Aramaic** word for 'Passover' (_paskha_); that's the word Jesus used in ordinary speech, and it's what the NT uses. In Hebrew, 'Passover' is _pesakh_
Over these last twenty centuries or so of Christian history, there have been people, some Orthodox Christian Greeks among them, who mistakenly thought that PASCA shared an etymology with PASCW, for reasons which must be obvious given the NT's sequence of events eventuating in Jesus's death and resurrection.
The semitic provenance of PASCA is thoroughly well attested and undisputed now except by some aggressively ignorant types -- but that's clearly not their only trouble.... [[;-D33
The oddest thing about the term 'Easter' is that -- in addition to its association with a prechristian Spring deity -- it appears in the most ancient English-language translations of the gospels with the meaning 'Passover'. That's pretty clearly wrong, too, and this is a very old problem.
If anyone would like to have a copy of my 'Meditations on the Services of Passion Week', which includes some discussion of this among other points of language and practice, please write me off-list and I'll send it right along.
KALO PASCA! KALH ANASTASIS!
Peace and blessings of these holy days to all!
Father James Silver
Monk James
Orthodox Church in America
----- Original Message -----
From: Curtis Hinson
Date: Monday, April 2, 2007 9:22 am
Subject: Re: [B-Greek] Easter question
To: harley at quasar.no-ip.org, B-Greek
> ALIQOS ANESTI!
>
> I wonder why you're saying it's not Greek to say PASCA for
> Easter,
> simply because this wasn't done in biblical times? Do you claim
> to have
> authority over what Greeks may say today because you've read
> books about
> the ancient Greek language during the Koine period?
>
> We're talking about a living Greek person here, not what people
> would
> have said in NT times. Words do evolve over time and take on
> new
> meanings. Whatever other considerations are mentioned here are
> no
> concern to Greeks when they wish one another a good Pascha. Nor
> do they
> concern us on this list.
>
> Bless the Name
> Curtis Hinson
> http://curtishinson.com
>
> harley486 at insightbb.com wrote the following on 4/1/2007 10:09 PM:
> > No, its not. It's Passover. "Easter" did not even exist as
> "Easter" when
> > the bible was written. PASXA is what is translated as
> "Passover" and does
> > refer to the Jewish holiday. and is the same holiday Jesus'
> disciples and
> > the church celebrated in remembrance of Christ, for he said
> "Do this in
> > remembrance of Me". Some Christians do celebrate Passover
> instead of
> > easter. I am one of those who do and it is because Jesus is
> the Passover
> > lamb. Passover is clearly a shadow of what would happen on
> the Cross and
> > then Jesus defeating death for us by rising from the dead. Early
> > Christians only celebrated Passover and then Constantine tried
> to mingle
> > the Christian celebration with a pagan tradition which fell
> near the same
> > time. The result was something which has meaning to most
> Christians in
> > remembering the resurrection of Christ, but the painted eggs, Easter
> > bunnies and the name Easter itself all come from the pagan
> worship of a
> > false goddess. The Greek word for Passover, PASXA is simply a
> > transliteration of the same word in Hebrew.
> >
> > Hope this helps,
> >
> > Pia Mikeal
> >
> > On Sun, 1 Apr 2007, George F Somsel wrote:
> >
> >
> >> Yes, PASXA is "Easter" in Greek.
> >>
> >> george
> >> gfsomsel
> >> _________
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> ----- Original Message ----
> >> From: Mitch Larramore
> >> To: B Greek
> >> Sent: Sunday, April 1, 2007 4:29:54 PM
> >> Subject: [B-Greek] Easter question
> >>
> >>
> >> My friend got an email from one of his friends in
> >> Athens, Greece. She signed it KAI KALO PASCA. Now I
> >> know she is not Jewish. Could someone explain how
> >> PASCA is the Greek equivolent of Easter? I note that
> >> the Passover occurs near in time to Easter, but are
> >> they equivolent?
> >>
> >> Mitch Larramore
> >> Sugar Land, Texas
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
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