*How is Easter determined? Is it the Sunday after the last Friday of March? *
Easter falls on the dates that the Jews celebrate the Feast of Unleavened Bread which culminate in the last supper being called “Passover”. This religious festival was initiated when God led them out of Egypt. The story can be read in Exodus chapters 1 to 13 with the Passover initiated in chapter 12. I quote freely how and why God instituted it: * This is a day you are to commemorate as a festival to the Lord. For seven days you are to eat bread made without yeast. On the first day hold a sacred assembly and another one on the seventh day. Celebrate the Feast of Unleavened bread, because it was on this very day that I (God) brought you out of Egypt. *
Jesus and his 12 disciples went to Jerusalem to celebrate this feast, as they were all Jews. During the supper Jesus instituted the Christian sacrament called the Lord’s Supper or Holy Communion (not the same as the Mass done by Catholics) as a remembrance to Jesus’ crucifixion and return one-day.
Some people say that the “unlucky thirteen” number originated because there were 13 people around the table.
which one was the betrayer? The name?
Judas also called Iscariot. The last name is normally given to differentiate between him and another disciple also called Judas.
Also, I remember that jews were the rulers at that time.
The Romans were in power, ruling with a governor appointed by Rome (Pontius Pilate). The Roman governor normally let the population’s appointed people rule things such as religious customs.
Did they need a betrayer to capture Christ or is there some other significance of the 12th disciple?
As said by “chris_wazir”, Jesus was very popular. The religious leaders of the Jews needed to capture him in secret and to rush through the proceedings before his followers could realise what happened.
Next day, on Good Friday, Christ was taken prisoner and was crucified. I have heard that christians believe that Christ took upon himself all the punishment of his followers. Is it true?
It is correct. Christ died not just for Christians but for all that wish to follow him. His death replaced Adam’s original sin and let people again stand before God without sin. * “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whosoever beliefs in him shall not perish but have eternal life” *
*What happened to Christ after he was crucified? Was he taken up by the God Almighty? What happened to his body? *
Christ died and soldiers piercing him with a spear confirmed this. His body was taken away by some followers and put into a borrowed grave. Soldiers were put on guard at his grave to prevent his followers stealing his body away and claiming he has risen again as Jesus prophesied during his life on earth. When some of the women followers came to the grave on the third day (our Sunday), they found the soldiers and the body gone. Jesus later appeared to several of his followers and finally was taken up to heaven in a cloud.
Just an interesting point: Romans when counting days, always count the present day as well. If one is on the 3’rd day of July, then there will be, according to a Roman, 11 days to the 13’th of July. The day of the 3’rd plus 10 days. That’s why we say Jesus rose on the ** third** day although he was buried on the Friday and resurrected on the Sunday – normally only 2 days according to us but 3 days according to the Roman method.
On Sunday (Easter Sunday), Christians believe that Christ was resurrected. Did he physically come back or is it spiritual resurrection?
He came back physically. To proof that he came back physically, he ate with his followers and even asked one of his followers to put his fingers into the holes in his hands and side.
*Lastly, what is the significance of Easter bunny and the eggs in this whole story? Is it just the commercial aspects of Easter, added in recent years, or are they carry over from some early pagan festivals (like Halloween)? *
it is of pagan origin and as normal, people has started to make money out of the day. I think what helped in commercialising the festival is calling the Monday a holiday as well as it has absolutely no relevance to Jesus.
