Manna issue 78 - Some Notes on Christmas and Easter 聖誕節和復活節的一些注意事項
Adapted from sermon notes by Aun-Quek Chin and lecture notes—Singapore
節錄自 新加坡 陳恩國 傳道 講章及講道筆記
CHRISTMAS 聖誕節
Its Pagan Origin 來自異教
‧ December 25 was the birthday of
the sun god, worshipped by ancient
pagans. Being farmers, these pagans
worshipped the sun because it made
their crops grow and provided warmth
and light. During the winter solstice,
it appeared to these pagans that
their god was in demise. However
on December 25, the sun begins its9
ascent at noontime, which the pagans
interpreted as the rebirth of the sun
god. The day was one of celebration
for sun-worshippers all over the
northern hemisphere.
．十二月25日是太陽神的生日，這是古代異教崇拜的日子。
因為身為農夫的原故，這些異教徒敬拜太陽，因為太陽會讓他們的農作物生長，並且賞賜他們溫暖和陽光。
在冬至的時候，對這些異教徒來說，他們的神祇是會死去的。
然而在十二月25日的時候，太陽在午間的時候，開始上昇，對異教徒而言，他們把這種現象解釋成太陽神的重生。
對整個北半球的拜太陽神的人，這一天就是慶祝活動的其中一天。
‧ The Romans celebrated the
winter festival, Saturnalia, from
December 17–24 (or as some
sources suggest, December 17–23).
It was dedicated to Saturn, the god
of agriculture, and to the renewed
power of the sun. December 25 was
the “Day of the Invincible Sun” (Dies
Invicti Solis), possibly introduced by
Emperor Aurelian in 274 A.D.
．羅馬人會慶祝的冬季節慶，農神節慶，從十二月12-24日(有些來源會說是十二月17-23日)。
這一天是專門用來慶祝農神，農業之神，並且慶祝太陽重生的力量。
十二月25日是"無敵太陽日"(Dies Invicti Solis)，很可能是在西元274年的時候，羅馬皇帝 奧勒良的在位的時候才開始慶祝的。
‧ Since Christmas is an adaptation
of pagan festivals, many of its customs
are also associated with pagan
legends. Take the Christmas tree as
an example. Legend has linked this
tree to Nimrod (Gen 10:8) of ancient
Babylon. After his death, a full-grown
evergreen tree sprang out of the roots
of a dead tree stump, symbolizing
new life for him; legend also relates
how Nimrod would visit the evergreen
tree and leave gifts under it on the
anniversary of his birth (on the winter
solstice). The Roman version of this
myth tells of the mother of Adonis,
the sun god, who mystically changed
into a tree and, in that state, brought
forth her divine son.
．因為聖誕節採用了異教的節慶活動，很多他們的習俗也都和異教的傳說有關係。
讓我們用聖誕樹為例。
這棵樹連結到古代巴比倫英雄寧錄的傳說。(創 10：8)
在他死了之後，從一棵死去的樹根之中，從新生長出一棵完全成長的長青樹，象徵了他得到新生命；
傳說也談到，每到他生日的週年慶祝(正好是冬至)，寧錄會如何來探訪這棵長青樹，並且在樹下留下禮物。
這個神話的羅馬版本，說到太陽神阿多尼斯的母親，她很神秘地變成一棵樹，並且在那樣的狀態之下，產下了她神聖的兒子。
The Druids1 decorated oak trees
with fruits and candles in honor
of their god of harvest during the
winter solstice. The Vikings regarded
evergreen coniferous trees as symbolic
of the end of the darkness of winter
and the return of the light of spring.
在冬至的時候，許多德魯伊祭司會用水果和臘燭來裝飾橡樹，為了敬拜他們的收穫之神。
維京人認為長青針葉樹，象徵了冬季黑暗結束，並且是春天光明的回歸。
Who Established Christmas? 誰創立了聖誕節
‧ Neither the apostles nor the early
church celebrated the birthday of
Christ.
．使徒和早期教會都沒有慶祝基督的生日。
‧ There is no mention of such a
practice in the writings of second
century Christian leaders such as
Irenaeus (c.130-200 A.D.). However,
in this era, there was evidence that
segments of the church were flirting
with the assimilation of pagan
practices into Christianity, setting
auspicious dates for the birth and
death of Christ. However, nobody
had yet put forward December 25 as
the date of Christ’s birth.
．在第二世紀基督徒領導者的寫作中，例如：Irenaeus 愛任紐(西元 130-200年間)，沒有提到有慶祝耶穌生日這樣的作法。
然而，在這個時期，有証據顯示，教會一部份的人會去迎合，想要把異教慶祝節日的作法，融入基督教加以同化，設定基督的出生日和殉道日成為一種值得慶祝幸運日。
然而，還沒有任何人會提出十二月25日，是基督出生的日子。
‧ For Christians living in the Roman
Empire, some were either influenced
to join in the celebrations of Saturnalia,
or failed to abstain from the festivities
after conversion. But the church
stalwarts were still strongly opposed
to the assimilation of paganism.
．對住在羅馬帝國裡面的基督教徒而言，有些人不是受到了影響，去加入慶祝農業之神生日的活動，又或在改信基督教之後，還是不能自制去參加異教的歡慶活動。
但是教會的長執負責人，仍然是強烈的反對異教風俗對基督教的同化。
‧ In the fourth century, things
changed and the Roman Catholic
Church adopted Saturnalia and Dies
Invicti Solis in order to conciliate
the heathen populace, and assigned
Christian meanings to these festivals.
It became Christmas, the birthday of
Christ.
．在第四世紀，事情就變了，羅馬天主教採納了農神慶祝活動和無敵太陽日的慶祝活動，
為的就是要安撫異教的平民，並且把這節慶賦予了基督教的意義在這些節慶上。
所以這個節慶就變成聖誕節，基督的生日。
Why We Should Not Observe Christmas 為什麼不該慶祝聖誕節
‧ Despite the Christian masquerade
and appellations, Christmas is
essentially a pagan festival. Christians
should have nothing to do with it. To
claim that the birthday of the pagan
sun god is a day for remembering the
birth of Jesus is an untruth that is not
pleasing to God.
．雖然基督教的偽裝和改變名稱，聖誕節本質上是一個異教節慶。
基督徒應該不要和這個活動有任何的關係。
要把異教太陽神的生日說成是記念耶穌的生日，這件事並不符合真理，並且不會讓神高興。
‧ Neither the Bible nor historical
documents record the precise date
of Christ’s birth. Whichever day it
was, it could not be December 25.
In Judea (present day Israel), there
are two important seasons of rain:
the autumnal rain and the spring rain
(also called the early rain and the
latter rain). The autumnal rain starts in
November and continues till January.
The combination of the incessant
downpour and the chilly winter winds
makes the cold of the night piercing.
Shepherds could hardly be watching
their flocks by night in the plains (Lk
2:8–11). The celebration of Christmas
perpetuates the lie that Christ was
born on December 25.
．不論是聖經，或是歷史文件都沒有記載基督出生正確的日期。
無論基督出生的日子是那一天，它絕對不會是十二月25日。
在猶太地區(現今的以色列)，有二個重要的雨季：秋天和春天的雨季(也稱為早雨和晚雨)。
秋雨從十一月開始，並且持續到一月。
連續不停的降雨，加上冬天的寒風，二者合併在一起，就讓當地夜晚的寒冷異常的刺骨。
牧羊人很難在草地上好好看顧自已的羊群(路 2：8-11)。
慶祝聖誕節，就好像是在延續或是一起維護基督是在十二月25日出生這個謊言。
‧ The commemoration of the
birthday of Jesus demeans Him
because it is tantamount to treating
Him, who is God having no “beginning
of days” (Heb 7:3), as a mere mortal
born at a certain point in time.
．紀念耶穌的生日會貶損耶穌的榮耀，因為這就等同於虧待耶穌，祂是神，本身沒有生日(來 7：3)，
我們卻把祂當成人，在某一個時間點出生到人世間。
‧ There is no record of the
celebration of Jesus’ birthday in the
Bible. Whatever is not instructed in the
Bible, we shall not add. Whoever adds
to or subtracts from the words of God
shall be punished (Rev 22:18–19).
．在聖經裡面，並沒有記載有慶祝耶穌生日的活動。
無論什麼事情，若是沒有記載在聖經裡面，我們就不可以任意添加。
無論任何人，對神的話作了什麼添加或是刪減，應該就會受到處罰。
The custom of setting and decorating
the Christmas tree was condemned
by God in Jeremiah 10:2–4:
設置和裝飾聖誕樹的習俗，是為神所詛咒的，記載在耶 10：2-4：
“Thus says the LORD: ‘Do not learn
the way of the Gentiles; do not be
dismayed at the signs of heaven, for
the Gentiles are dismayed at them.
For the customs of the peoples are
futile; for one cuts a tree from the
forest, the work of the hands of the
workman, with the ax. They decorate
it with silver and gold; they fasten it
with nails and hammers so that it will
not topple.’”
2耶和華如此說：你們不要效法列國的行為，也不要為天象驚惶，因列國為此事驚惶。
3眾民的風俗是虛空的；他們在樹林中用斧子砍伐一棵樹，匠人用手工造成偶像。
4用金銀妝飾他，用釘子和錘子釘穩，使他不動搖。
(耶 10：2-4)
EASTER 復活節
Its Pagan Origin 異教起源
‧ Easter is linked to a festival of the
ancient pagans who celebrated the
return of spring and a new lease of
life, and is also associated with deities
of fertility:
．復活節連結到古代異教的節慶，他們慶祝春天的回歸，和生命的新協議，這也都和生育和生產力的神祇有關係：
． The goddess Eostre was
worshipped by the Anglo-Saxons1
and the Teutonics2 in Europe.
．歐洲的盎格魯撒克遜人和日耳曼條頓人都崇拜春之女神伊奧斯特。
． She was known as “Ostara”
among the Norse peoples in
Scandinavia, “Ausra” in Lithuania,
and “Austri” in Norway.
．斯堪地那維亞的挪威人，叫祂Ostara奧司脫拉，立陶宛叫她Ausra奧司拉，挪威叫祂Austri奧斯特里。
． In the Mediterranean, the goddess
of fertility was “Aphrodite” in Cyprus,
“Demeter” in Greece, “Hathor” in
Egypt, “Cybele” in Phrygia (now
Turkey), and “Ishtar” in Assyria
(today’s Iraq).
．在地中海地區，生育女神在賽浦勒斯叫作 Aphrodite 阿芙羅狄蒂，
在希臘叫作 Demeter 狄蜜特，在埃及叫作 Hathor 哈索爾，在弗呂家(現今的土耳其)叫作 Cybele 希?利，在亞述(現今伊拉克)叫作 Ishtar 伊斯塔地的。
． Among the Canaanites3,
Ishtar was known as “Astarte” or
“Ashtoreth.”
．在迦南人的地區，伊斯塔又叫作 Astarte 阿斯塔爾塔，或是 Ashtoresh 亞斯他錄。
‧ The symbols of Easter were
adopted from pagan traditions to
celebrate the return of spring. Eggs
symbolized the return of life at the
beginning of spring. The rabbit was
a pagan symbol of productivity. An
early form of hot cross buns was used
in the worship of the queen of heaven
1,500 years before the Christian era.
．復活節的標誌，就是採用異教傳統，來慶天的回歸。
蛋代表了在春天開始的時候，生命的回歸。
兔子是異教生育或生產能力的代表。
在基督教時代的1500年前，用熱十字麵包來敬拜天上的女王是古代的形式之一。
How Did a Pagan Spring Festival
Come to Be Associated with
Christianity?
但是到底異教春季慶祝活動，如何變成和基督教有關係的呢？
‧ According to references such as
Encyclopaedia Britannica, there is no
indication of the observance of the
Easter festival in the New Testament
or in the writings of the apostolic
fathers.
跟據記載，例如大英百科全書，在新約的時代，沒有任何實行復活節慶活動的跡象，
在使徒時代的基督教前輩的寫作中，也沒有看見在寫下這樣的記錄。
‧ Although some church historians
claim that Easter observance began
in the first century, the first evidence
comes from the second century.
．雖然有些教會的歷史學家，宣稱慶祝復活節從第一世紀就開始了，
但是第一個出現的証據卻是來自第二世紀。
‧ Jewish Christians in the early
church continued to celebrate the
Passover, regarding Christ as the true
paschal lamb, but the predominantly
gentile church in the west had no
festival. In springtime, their societies
celebrated the spring fertility festival
in honour of the Cybele cult, linked
with Attis, the god of agriculture who
supposedly died and was reborn each
March.
早期教會的猶太基督徒繼續慶祝逾越節，他們認為基督是真正逾越節的羊羔，
但很明顯地西方外邦信徒的教會卻沒有這個慶祝活動。
春天的時候，他們的社會慶祝春天生育的節慶活動，為了在典禮中榮耀希?利，
而這個神祇和阿提司有所關係，她是農業之神，被認為已經死去，並且在每一年的三月會重生。
Since this festival of fertility coincided
somewhat in time (springtime)
and motif (resurrection/newness
of life) with an evolved version of
the Passover observed by Jewish
Christians in the east, some historians
have shown that in the later part of
the second century, the church in the
west adopted it to commemorate the
resurrection of Christ in its attempt
to garner conversions. The church
felt it would be easier for pagans to
embrace Christianity if they were
permitted to continue with practices
they had been accustomed to. Some
sources suggest that the Anglo-Saxon
Christians subsequently gave this
adopted festival the name “Easter”
after the Anglo-Saxon and Teutonic
spring goddess of fertility, Eostre.
因為這個生產力的節慶活動，剛好在同時間(春天的時間)發生，其主要的動機(復活/新生命的開始)，
也和東方的猶太基督徒遵守的進化版的逾越節有點類似，
有些歷史學家就表示，在第二世紀的後半段時期，西方的教會就採納了這個節慶，用來紀念基督的復活，試圖想要去安撫那些改信基督教的外邦人。
教會感覺到，對異教徒而言，若他們可以被允許去繼續慶祝他們已經習慣的慶祝活動，他們就會比較容易來擁抱基督教。
有些資料來源會建議盎格魯撒克遜的基督徒，接下來就把這個已經被採用的活動一個名字"復活節"，依據盎格魯撒克遜和日耳曼條頓人春天生育女神的名字，伊奧斯特。
‧ There was no consensus
within the second century church
on when to celebrate Easter. The
early Christians followed the Jewish
calendar and observed Easter on the
Jewish Passover, which is fourteenth
of Nisan, regardless of the day of
the week. Others celebrated Easter
on the nearest Sunday after the
Passover. It is said that in his attempt
to syncretize the prevalent pagan
practices and the Christian religion,
Emperor Constantine, at the Council
of Nicaea in 325 A.D., set the date
for the celebration of Easter on the
first Sunday after the full moon that
follows the spring equinox.
．對於何時開始慶祝復活節，在第二世紀教會沒有一致的結論的。
早期基督徒依猶太歷法，在猶太逾越節的時候來慶祝復活節，也就是尼散月的14日，不管這周的那一天。
其他人在逾越節之後，在接下來的星期天慶祝復活節。
有人說，康士坦丁大帝，在西元325年尼西亞會議的時候，盡他的努力要把基督教和大多數的異教習俗融合起。
在春分之後第一個滿月的星期天，設立這一天來慶祝復活節。
‧ Easter supplanted the Jewish
Passover and became one of the
most important festivals of the
Roman Catholic Church. Some early
reformers were aware of the pagan
origin of Easter and tried to curb
its celebration. For example, John
Knox (c.1513–1572), a Protestant
Scottish leader, decreed that all pagan
festivals kept by the Catholic Church,
including Christmas, Easter, All Souls
Day, Candlemas, and Halloween were
“heretofore superstitiously used”
and were not to be observed by the
Protestant church. He and others
ultimately failed in their mission.
．復活節取代了猶太逾越節，並且成為羅馬天主教最重要的節慶之一。
有些早期改革派的人，有注意到復活節異教習俗的起源，試著想要制止它的慶祝活動。
例如：約翰．諾克斯，他是蘇格蘭新教的領導者，頒布教會的規條，
天主教所遵守的所有異教節慶，包含聖誕節，復活節，諸靈日，聖燭節，萬聖節，
"這些節日從以前到現在都帶有迷信色彩"，新教不用去遵守。
但他和其他人最後不能完這這個任候。
Why We Should Not Observe Easter 為什麼我們不應該去遵守復活節
‧ As in the case of Christmas,
the Lord Jesus never instructed
us to observe Easter. Rather, He
commanded us to commemorate His
death often, but without any fixed
time: “For as often as you eat this
bread and drink this cup, you proclaim
the Lord’s death till He comes” (1 Cor
11:26).
．就像是聖誕節的例子一樣，主耶穌從來沒有叫我們去遵守復活節。
祂反而是叫我們要時常記念祂的死，而且不用拘泥在特定的時間：
"26你們每逢吃這餅，喝這杯，是表明主的死，直等到他來。"(林前 11：26)
‧ The observance of Easter is not
found in the Bible. The King James
Version of the English Bible incorrectly
renders the Greek word pascha in
Acts 12:4 as “Easter.” However,
elsewhere in the Bible where the
same word is used, (e.g., Mt 26:2;
Mk 14:1; Lk 2:41, 22:1; Jn 2:13, 23
etc.), it is always faithfully translated
as “Passover.”
．聖經裡面沒有記載遵守復活節的指示。
英文聖經的欽訂本，在羅馬書十二章4節，錯誤翻譯希臘文的"逾越節"，成為"復活節"。
然而聖經其他地方也有同樣的字被使用，
(例如：太 25：2；可 14：1；路 2：41，22：1；約 2：13，23，其他經節)，
他們都被忠實地翻譯成為"逾越節"。
‧ Christians should not observe
Easter because it is essentially a
pagan festival dedicated to the spring
goddess of fertility, Ashtoreth. In the
Bible, God unequivocally condemns
the worship of this false deity (Judg
2:11–13; 1 Sam 12:10–11; 1 Kgs
11:4–6, 33; 2 Kgs 23:13).
．基督徒不應該去守復活節，因為它本質上是異教慶祝活動，用來慶祝有生育能力的春天女神，亞斯他錄。
在聖經裡，神明確的譴責去崇拜這個假神。(士 2：11-13；撒上 12：10-11；王上 11：4-6，33；王下 23：13)
CONCLUSION 結論
In conclusion, True Jesus Church
members should not celebrate
Christmas and Easter. Apostle Paul
says:
最後總結，真耶穌教會的信徒不應該去慶祝聖誕節和復活節，
使徒保羅說：
And what accord has Christ with
Belial? Or what part has a believer
with an unbeliever? And what
agreement has the temple of God
with idols? For you are the temple of
the living God. As God has said: “I
will dwell in them and walk among
them. I will be their God, and they
shall be My people.” Therefore
“Come out from among them and be
separate, says the Lord. Do not touch
what is unclean, and I will receive
you.” “I will be a Father to you, and
you shall be My sons and daughters,
says the Lord Almighty.”
(2 Cor 6:15-18)
15基督和彼列（彼列就是撒但的別名）有甚麼相和呢？信主的和不信主的有甚麼相干呢？
16神的殿和偶像有甚麼相同呢？因為我們是永生神的殿，就如神曾說：我要在他們中間居住，在他們中間來往；我要作他們的神；他們要作我的子民。
17又說：你們務要從他們中間出來，與他們分別；不要沾不潔淨的物，我就收納你們。
18我要作你們的父；你們要作我的兒女。這是全能的主說的。
(林後 6：15-18)
Indeed, what agreement has the
temple of God with idols? We are
the temple of God, how then can
we be involved in the celebration
and observance of these festivals
that are associated with these idols?
This is definitely not pleasing to God.
Instead, we should set ourselves apart
and not follow the world in keeping
these festivals.
是的，神的殿和偶像有甚麼相同呢？
我們是神的殿，那麼我們怎麼能牽涉到慶祝和遵守這些節慶的事情呢？那些是和偶像有關的事情啊！
這事絕對不會讓神喜稅。
相反地，我們應該自我隔離，不要追隨世界來遵守這些節慶。
Some have argued that, while
Christmas and Easter have pagan
origins, the festivals have evolved
into Christian festivals. Therefore, as
long as Christians worship the Lord
Jesus sincerely, there is nothing wrong
observing them.
有些人會爭議，雖然聖誕節和復活節有異教來源的成份，這些節慶已經進化成基督教的節慶了。
所以，只要基督徒虔心的敬拜主耶穌，去慶祝這些節慶是沒有關係的。
However, the Bible is clear that God
does not only forbid the worship of
false gods, but He also detests any
attempt on the part of believers to
worship Him after the forms and
manners of the pagans. Hence, He
gave detailed instructions to Moses on
the manner He wanted His children to
worship Him. Copying pagan forms
and manners is abhorrent to Him:
然而聖經很清楚的說，神不只禁示敬拜假神，
而且祂也憎惡任何有關一部份的信徒，用異教的形式和態度來敬拜神。
因此，祂給摩西詳細的指示，祂希望以色列百姓用什麼樣子的態度來敬拜祂。
複製異教的形式和方式是為神所憎惡的：
“Observe and obey all these words
which I command you … When …
you … dwell in their land, take heed
to yourself that you are not ensnared
to follow them … and that you do
not inquire after their gods, saying,
‘How did these nations serve their
gods? I also will do likewise.’ You
shall not worship the Lord your God
in that way; for every abomination
to the Lord which He hates they
have done to their gods … Whatever
I command you, be careful to
observe it; you shall not add to it nor
take away from it.”
(Deut 12:28–32)
28你要謹守聽從我所吩咐的一切話，行耶和華─你神眼中看為善，看為正的事。這樣，你和你的子孫就可以永遠享福。
29耶和華─你神將你要去趕出的國民從你面前剪除，你得了他們的地居住，
30那時就要謹慎，不可在他們除滅之後隨從他們的惡俗，陷入網羅，也不可訪問他們的神說：這些國民怎樣事奉他們的神，我也要照樣行。
31你不可向耶和華─你的神這樣行，因為他們向他們的神行了耶和華所憎嫌所恨惡的一切事，甚至將自己的兒女用火焚燒，獻與他們的神。
32凡我所吩咐的，你們都要謹守遵行，不可加添，也不可刪減。
(申 12：28-32)
1 Priests of the Celts who occupied the present day United
Kingdom, Germany, France, and Ireland.
1. 凱爾特人的祭司，他們大約居住在現成的英國，德國，法國和愛爾蘭
2 The Angles and Saxon tribes who migrated from
Germany to live in England before the Norman Conquest.
2. 盎格魯撒克遜人種族，在諾曼軍事征服的時候，從德國遷移到英國居住。
3 The Teuton tribe in Germany
3. 德國的日耳曼條頓人
4 The various tribes living in today’s Israel, Lebanon,
Jordan, and Syria before the invasion of the Hebrews under
Joshua.
4. 在約書亞帶領希伯人來入侵之前，住在今日以色列，黎巴嫩，約旦和敘利亞的各種種族。
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Manna 嗎哪 56 (1)