Easter: Passover compass directions

Acts 12:4 And when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him; intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people. [kjv]

ον και πιασας εθετο εις φυλακην παραδους τεσσαρσιν τετραδιοις στρατιωτων φυλασσειν αυτον βουλομενος μετα το πασχα αναγαγειν αυτον τω λαω [gnt]

The word "Easter" appears once in the KJV (King James Version), in the book of Acts. This one instance sometimes causes controversy and arguments.

In the verse, Peter has just been put into prison.

From where does the word Easter originate?

Acts 12:4

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KJV: And when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him; intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people.

Hebrew: ויאחז אתו ויתנהו במשמר וימסרהו לארבע מחלקות של ארבעה אנשי צבא לשמרו כי אמר להעלותו אחרי הפסח לפני העם׃

Greek: ον και πιασας εθετο εις φυλακην παραδους τεσσαρσιν τετραδιοις στρατιωτων φυλασσειν αυτον βουλομενος μετα το πασχα αναγαγειν αυτον τω λαω

Latin: quem cum adprehendisset misit in carcerem tradens quattuor quaternionibus militum custodire eum volens post pascha producere eum populo

Wycliffe: And whanne he hadde cauyte Petre, he sente hym in to prisoun; and bitook to foure quaternyouns of knyytis, to kepe hym, and wolde aftir pask bringe hym forth to the puple.

Tyndale: And when he had caught him he put him in preson and delyvered him to. iiii. quaternios of soudiers to be kepte entendynge after ester to brynge him forth to the people.

Luther: Da er ihn nun griff, legte er ihn ins Gefängnis und überantwortete ihn vier Vierteilen Kriegsknechten, ihn zu bewahren, und gedachte, ihn nach Ostern dem Volk vorzustellen.

Slavonic: егоже и емь всади в темницу, предав четырем четверицам воинов стрещи его, хотя по Пасце извести его к людем.

Russian: и, задержав его, посадил в темницу, и приказал четырем четверицам воинов стеречь его, намереваясь после Пасхи вывести его к народу.

Spanish: Y habiéndole prendido, le puso en la cárcel, entregándole a cuatro cuadrillas de soldados para que le guardasen; queriendo sacarle al pueblo después de la pascua.

One can compare the "rising sun" with the resurrection and the "rising son".

The German word "der Sohn" ≈ "son".
The German word "die Sonne" ≈ "sun".

The English word is "east" which leads to "Easter".
The German word is "Ost" which leads to "Ostern".
Spanish "este" ≈ "east".
The Gothic word is "austar".

So we get the words for Easter from the rising sun in the east. Or, in German, "Ostern".

In ancient times, a map would commonly be "oriented" towards the rising sun, the east.

The Latin: "orientis" ≈ "east"

Is putting "East" at the top of the map confusing?

The "far east" is the "orient". China is in the orient, to the east of Europe.

Today, we orient a map with north at the top. How is your mind effected by orientation?

How do you prefer the map to be oriented when using a GPS (Global Positioning System)? Do you prefer "north" at the top or the direction you are facing at the top?

Note the position of the church where north points up and consider one standing in the lobby at the entrance.

The "West sanctuary" is about 30 degrees south of west. It is closer to "south-west" than "west".
The "South sanctuary" is about 30 degrees east of south. It is closer to "south-east" than "east".

Being 30 degrees off on a compass is like being 1 hour off on an analog clock. 12*30=360

Discuss: How important is it to have the physical directions in a church accurate if people are coming to the church for spiritual direction?

Physical compass
Moral compass
Spiritual compass

How important is it that these are pointing in the right direction? If not, the further you go the further off course you get.

John 11:9 Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world. [kjv]

απεκριθη ιησους ουχι δωδεκα εισιν ωραιεισιν της ημερας εαν τις περιπατη εν τη ημερα ου προσκοπτει οτι το φως του κοσμου τουτου βλεπει [gnt]

Does anyone really know what time it is? (song by Robert Lamm, made popular by the music group Chicago)
The next line is interesting. "Does anyone really care?".

Now for a timely remark:

Would you wear a second hand watch?

If not, just wait a minute.

Did Jesus spend three days and three nights in the grave? How many hours are there in a day?

More: John 9: One thing I know is that I know nothing

The Greek word «ανατειλη» for "arise" is related to the Greek word «ανατολη» which means "east".

The area of "Anatole" is that of eastern Turkey or, in the GNT (Greek New Testament) times, "Asia".

The "rising sun" of the "east" is also associated with the resurrection.

Matthew 9:38 Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest. [kjv]

biddað … [wes]

bidjith … [got]

The Old English word "biddan" ≈ "ask, demand" and is the source of English words such as "bid", "bidding", "bead" an it prayer beads, etc. This word was combined/conflated with the Old English word "beodan" ≈ "offer, announce".
The monk Beade, whose name meant "prayer", starting dating events using the (incorrect dating system for the) birth of Christ. This calendar dating system is still used today. Beade used the term "Easter" and it appears to have been used ever since.

5:42 Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away. [kjv]

… bidde… [wes]

… bidjandin … [got]

More: Prayer beads, Beade, and year dates

The Russian word "восток" (bos-tok) ≈ "east" has the German "Ost" in it. The Russian city of Vladivostok literally means the "power" of the "east" where Vladimir, a Russian name combining power and peace, is a common name in Russian.

The Russian prefix "B" has the connotation of "to" or "towards".

The word "east" has an interesting etymology.

More: East

The Russian word "Воскресенье" (vos-kre-shen-i-a) ≈ "Sunday" is the "Lord's Day" or, literally, "Resurrection Day" and starts with the Russian prefix for "east".

Matthew 5:26 Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing. [kjv]

αμην λεγω σοι ου μη εξελθης εκειθεν εως αν αποδως τον εσχατον κοδραντην [gnt]

The Hebrew word "amen" has been translated as a transliteration into almost every language on the planet (that has a Bible in their language). The meaning is that of affirming "it is so" and can appear at the beginning, middle or end of a sentence. Saying that "amen" means "so be it" tends to place the "amen" at the end of the sentence.

The Hebrew root has a connotation of "right" as in right-hand side which historically was considered the stronger side. The connotation of direction, when facing the rising sun (in the northern hemisphere) was that of "south" while "north" was considered more sinister and "evil" as in "bad". This idea was often associated with the tribe of Dan and with the snake (serpent) and, later, the eagle (bird of prey).

More: Verily, a true beginning and amen

We often see or perceive things that are not actually there. Do you see the triangle?

There is no triangle! Your brain makes the triangle that you see. The eye just passed along the image information to the brain which organizes ind recognizes it.
Abstraction involves looking at similarities and differences and filling in missing details - sometimes appropriately, sometimes inappropriately. This abstraction can be used to deceive by providing some details but leaving other details to be filled in by unsuspecting listeners or viewers.

More: Kanizsa triangle: seeing what is not there

The name "Passover" comes from the night before the Hebrews departed from Egypt and the angel of death "passed over" them (if they did what they were supposed to have done).

The Hebrew word "פסח" (pe-sach) ≈ "passover". פסח - Passover

Most languages, with the notable exceptions of English and German, use a name that originates in the Hebrew for "Passover".

The English name for "Easter" is based, not on "Passover", but on "east" which is related to the golden egg (sun, fertility, etc.) of "Astarte".

More: Exodus 12: Passover

Psalms 103:12 As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us. [kjv]

καθ οσον απεχουσιν ανατολαι απο δυσμων εμακρυνεν αφ ημων τας ανομιας ημων [lxx]

… caelum terra … [v]

… Morgen … Abend… [lu]

The earth is finite, not infinite.

How far is the "north" from the "south"?
How far is the "east" from the "west"?

But how can this be?

Psalms 103:12

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KJV: As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.

Hebrew: כרחק מזרח ממערב הרחיק ממנו את פשעינו׃

Greek: καθ οσον απεχουσιν ανατολαι απο δυσμων εμακρυνεν αφ ημων τας ανομιας ημων

Latin: quantum enim excelsius est caelum terra tantum confortata est misericordia eius super timentes eum

Luther: So ferne der Morgen ist vom Abend, lässet er unsere Übertretung von uns sein.

Spanish: Cuanto está lejos el oriente del occidente, hizo alejar de nosotros nuestras rebeliones.

Psalms 103:12 As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us. [kjv]

καθ οσον απεχουσιν ανατολαι απο δυσμων εμακρυνεν αφ ημων τας ανομιας ημων [lxx]

… caelum terra … [v]

… Morgen … Abend… [lu]

The LXX (Septuagint) Greek has east and west, though the words can mean morning and evening.

The Latin Vulgate has heaven and earth instead of east and west.

The Latin word "caelum" ≈ "heaven".
The Latin word "terra" ≈ "earth".

The Luther German has morning and evening instead of east and west.

The German word "Morgan" ≈ "morning".
The German word "Abend" ≈ "evening".

Psalms 103:12 As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us. [kjv]

καθ οσον απεχουσιν ανατολαι απο δυσμων εμακρυνεν αφ ημων τας ανομιας ημων [lxx]

The words to "In Christ there is no east or west" were written by English poet/author William Arthur Dunkerley (1852-1941) in 1908 for an exhibition in London for the theme "the orient in London".

The Latin word "orientem" ≈ "east" and is the source of the English word "orient". At one time, the top of maps were the direction east.

It was published in 1913, a year before the start of World War I, based on Galatians 3:28. During World War I, his hymn book "Hymns for men at the front" sold 8,000,000 (eight million) copies.

More: Song: In Christ there is no east or west

Luke 24:29 … Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. … [kjv]

και παρεβιασαντο αυτον λεγοντες μεινον μεθ ημων οτι προς εσπεραν εστιν και κεκλικεν ηδη η ημερα και εισηλθεν του μειναι συν αυτοις [gnt]

The garden of Hesperides, visited by Hercules as one of his feats, was in the extreme west (setting sun) from Greece and is the source of the Greek word for "evening" which comes, through Latin, as "vespers". The ancient Greek word for "Spain" was "Hesperia".

The ancient Greek word "ἕσπερος" ≈ "evening" which has a connotation of "west" as in the setting sun. The related English word "west" is related to the Latin word "vesper" ≈ "evening" and the Russian word "вечер" (ve-sher) ≈ "evening".

Since Adam and Eve were expelled towards the east, and Hesperides is to the west, some associate the Garden of Eden with the legend of the Gander of Hesperides.

More: Vespers in the west at evening

More: East

The spring equinox was a time of awaking celebrated by fertility rights, typically involving eggs, bunnies, etc. These pagan customs originated in Babylon and from Babel.

Pagans worshiped the sun as in the "golden egg" of "Astarte". This is "Astorith" in the OT (Old Testament) and is related to the rising sun and the word "east".

Judges 2:13 And they forsook the LORD, and served Baal and Ashtaroth. [kjv]

και εγκατελιπον τον κυριον και ελατρευσαν τη βααλ και ταις ασταρταις [lxx]

1 Samuel 7:4 Then the children of Israel did put away Baalim and Ashtaroth, and served the LORD only. [kjv]

και περιειλον οι υιοι ισραηλ τας βααλιμ και τα αλση ασταρωθ και εδουλευσαν κυριω μονω [lxx]

More: Easter: golden eggs and the rising sun