While many Christians the world over believe that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was crucified on Good Friday, the publicity secretary of God’s Kingdom Society, GKS, Bro. Benedict Hart, in this interview with Vanguard, contends that Jesus could not have been crucified on Friday. He said Easter is actually a pagan festival that true Christians should avoid.
See his position on the issues below:
What is Lent and of what significance is Lent to Christians?
Lent is the 40 days period of fasting from Ash Wednesday to Easter, excluding Sundays, established in imitation of Christ’s 40 fasting days in the desert (Matthew 4:2). It cannot be of significance to Christians since we are not asked to fast or afflict ourselves every year in remembrance of Christ’s sufferings or agony before his death and resurrection. He is now alive for evermore (John 16:20-22; Revelation 1:18). The 40 days fasting in the wilderness has nothing to do with the gap between the Last Supper and Christ’s death on the tree.
The end of the Lent climaxes with an annual observance in Christendom known as ‘Good Friday’. Mention at least two reasons why the day cannot be a good day.
The day was good to the wicked Jews who crucified Jesus Christ but not to the disciples of Christ. The apostles of Jesus Christ were in sorrow when he was killed (John 16:19-22; Mark 16:9-10). Christ himself said that his soul was exceedingly sorrowful (Matthew 26:38). Calling it good amounts to justifying the act of Judas Iscariot and the wicked Jews who betrayed Jesus Christ and killed him. (Proverbs 17:15; Matthew 27:1-10; Acts 1:18-20).
What is Ash Wednesday and should it be observed?
Among most Christians, Ash Wednesday is the beginning of the season of Lent (that is, the first day of Lent, occurring six and a half weeks before ‘Good Friday’ or Easter and is symbolized by placing ash on the heads of the entire congregation.
There is no command for the observance of Ash Wednesday in the Bible. And if anyone wants to fast, Jesus Christ says he should not disfigure his face or make people to know he is so doing. That is personal righteousness (Matthew 6:16-18). Christians are strictly warned to steer clear of the traditions or commandments of men which are not after Christ (Mark 7:6-8, 13; Colossians 2:8, 23; Titus 1:14).
Some have cited instances of showing affliction with the use of ash. Are these not convincing enough?
They are not. In the Christian era, one can fast but it should be voluntary and not a group thing and he should not show it (Matthew 6:16-18). Jesus Christ chastised the religious leaders of his days for doing things to be seen by men (Matthew 23:1-5). He condemned the Pharisees for observing formalities or traditions of men which had nothing to do with the essence of the faith. – Mark 7:1-4.
Is it out of place to use the 40 days to purify ourselves in remembrance of Christ’s passion?
The Bible does not give the understanding that we should attach significance to the 40 days. It is His preserve to use that number of days for His purposes, not for man to imitate. In any case, it serves no purpose spending 40 days for the purpose of penitence when Christ has finished his work and is now glorified and is with us in spirit (Matthew 9:14-17). We should not be tied to days (Colossians 2:8).
The anointing of Christians with ash on Ash Wednesday, the priest prints the symbol of the cross on the forehead of the worshipper. What is the significance of the use of the cross symbol in worship?
The use of the cross symbol in worship is wrong. Christ was not killed on the cross but on a tree – Acts 5:30; 10:38-40; Galatians 3:13; 1 Peter 2:21-24, etc.
What should be the attitude of a true Christian to Easter?
Easter is a pagan festival. A true Christian should not have hand in it but should keep himself unspotted by the false religions of the world and get separated from it (James 1:27; 2 Corinthians 6:14-18).
What portion of the Bible condemns the practice of abstaining from meat on Good Friday?
1 Timothy 4:1-5.
How does a Friday date for Christ’s death contradict the Scriptures?
By saying Christ was killed on Friday, the Churches have created misgivings in the minds of the people as to the veracity of Christ’s declaration that he would be in the grave for three days and three nights. (Matthew 12:38-40), God does things at the exact time he had purposed and so the issue of Christ’s entombment should not be an exception – Galatians 4:4; Exodus 12:40,41.
If it were true that he was entombed on Friday, it would mean that he was in the grave for only two nights and a day, rather than three days and three nights. The Bible record shows that when the women went to the sepulchre after the weekly Sabbath (after 6.00 p.m.), it was already night time and his body was no longer there: he had risen (Matthew 28:1; Mark 16:1,2; John 20:1).
What other revelations of the Bible show that Good Friday and Easter Sunday celebrations are misleading festivals?(i). Jesus Christ resurrected at sunset on Saturday and not Sunday morning as some believe. When the women came to the sepulcher after the weekly Sabbath on Saturday, that is, in the night of Saturday that would break into Sunday, the first day of the week, he had risen – Matthew 28:1, 5-8; John 20:1.
(ii). If you count backwards from Saturday, you will arrive at Wednesday.
The fact is that having being killed and buried in the midst of the week, on Wednesday, he rose at sunset on Saturday, which was the weekly Sabbath, and the women could only get there after the Sabbath because of the restrictions on movement on that day. (See Daniel 9:27). The Bible says no lie is of the truth (1John 2:21).
It is therefore wrong for the Church to change the actual date of Christ’s death from Wednesday to Friday and even to compound issues by calling it “Good”, thereby justifying the action of those who killed him. See Proverbs 17:15; Matthew 27:3-10.
Bro. Benedict Hart
