Introduction
What do Good Friday and Easter have to do with April Fools' Day? This article -- from the better two weeks late than never backlog -- answers the question. Always finish the good that you start.
Good Friday was on March 29th, followed by Easter Sunday. April Fools' Day was the day after Easter. For decades, I have called April Fools' Day Atheist Day. I prefer Resurrection Sunday over Easter.
Since 1900, Resurrection Sunday has fallen on March 31st seven times -- in 1907, 1918, 1929, 1991, 2002, 2013, and this year. Resurrection Sunday falls on March 31st again in 2086. Also, since 1900, Resurrection Sunday and April Fools' Day have both been on April 1st five times -- in 1923, 1934, 1945, 1956, and 2018. The next convergence will be in 2029. Source: “Easter Dates from 1600 to 2099,” United States Census Bureau, last revision 10/8/2021.
This 103rd entry, under the topic section Life (such as it is), focuses on the recent occasion when Atheist Day followed Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday. I hope that you like and are encouraged by this brief entry.
Good Friday
Why is it called Good Friday, when Jesus died? It was and is good news! “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16, NIV). God the eternal Word became God the Son, to save humanity from sin and give us everlasting life (John 1:1-5,14).
Gospel (Greek εὐαγγέλιον) means “good news.” The historical record of Jesus' vicarious suffering, crucifixion, and death is found in the Gospel of Mark chapters 14-15, Matthew chapters 26-27, Luke chapters 22-23, and John chapters 13-19. The pericopes begin with the plot against Jesus and conclude with Jesus' burial. To say that reading the inspired and historical record is spiritually and emotionally overwhelming is an understatement. The record both saddens and inspires a believer's spirit! God suffered and died for me! He sacrificed Himself for us all! He died for you too, dear reader.
Sufficient evidence concludes that Jesus was crucified on either Friday, April 7, AD 30, or Friday, April 3, AD 33. It is beyond the scope of this brief article to explain the reasoning. Instead, the following two sources are suggested: “Dating Jesus’ death: April 3, AD 33,” Evidence Unseen, by James M. Rochford, 8/23/2017, and “April 3, AD 33: Why We Believe We Can Know the Exact Date Jesus Died,” First Things, by Andreas J. Kostenberger, 4/3/2014.
Resurrection Sunday (Easter)
This section begins with the historical fact of Jesus' resurrection. It adds a brief commentary about the childish and ungodly worldview of the White House.
The Historical Fact
The historical record of Jesus' resurrection, on Sunday, the first day of the week, is found in the Gospel of Mark, chapter 16, Matthew, chapter 28, Luke, chapter 24, and John, chapters 20-21. The statement “It's Good Friday, but Sunday is coming!” is true. Jesus arose! Indeed, Jesus arose! The Christian's certain hope is in our risen Lord and Savior. All, who are in Christ, will rise from the dead and live with Him everlastingly! (See 1 Corinthians 15:20-26.)
Adequate grounds establish that Jesus rose from the dead on either Sunday, April 9, AD 30, or Sunday, April 5, AD 33. (See the two previously referenced sources.)
Annually, why does Easter (Resurrection Sunday) fall on different Sundays? In AD 325, the Council of Nicaea established that Easter would be observed on the first Sunday after the first full moon that occurred on or after March 21st (the ecclesiastical equinox).
The resurrection of Christ is celebrated annually on Easter, weekly on Sundays, and every day! The apostle Paul's inspired words have always motivated me. He proclaimed, “I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20, NIV). All that I can say is, “Amen, brother Paul!”
The Ungodly Worldview of the White House
The ungodly worldview of the White House seems childish, in contrast to the historical and inspiring truth of Jesus' resurrection. This subsection comments briefly on childish politics.
According to “Statement from President Joe Biden on Easter,” The White House, 3/31/2024, someone must have written a nice remark for the president; however, the name “Jesus,” the title “Christ,” nor the word “resurrection” appear in any of the following two web pages: “White House Announces Theme and Activities for the 2024 Easter Egg Roll,” The White House, 3/28/2024, and “White House Easter Egg Roll 2024: April 1, 2024,” White House Information. Do the Easter Bunny and Easter eggs trump the resurrection of Christ? “Come on, man! Get real!”
Sadly, the White House proclaimed that Resurrection Sunday (3/31/2024) was “Transgender Day of Visibility,” according to “A Proclamation on Transgender Day of Visibility, 2024,” The White House, 3/29/2024. Initially, I was shocked when I heard the news! I was not the only one. See “Conservatives shell long-standing White House Easter egg contest,” NBC News, by Elyse Perlmutter-Gumbiner & Alexandra Marquez, 3/31/2024. Apparently, “Transgender Day of Visibility” always falls on March 31st, which happened to be Easter Sunday this year. See “Fact Check: Transgender Day of Visibility falls annually on March 31, not always at Easter,” Reuters, by Reuters Fact Check, 3/29/2024. By the way, what is “transgender?” It is a biological impossibility! God created two and only two genders, male and female (Gen. 1:27).
Mr. President, “don't talk the talk, if you can't walk the walk.” Your lip service to the triumphant resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ, does not condone or approve your advocacy of an ungodly worldview. This article prays for your soul's salvation, Mr. President.
Atheist (April Fools') Day
This year, the day after Resurrection Sunday was April Fools' Day. The day has been observed for centuries, but its origin is not known. Source: “April Fools' Day,” Encyclopedia Britannica, by the Editors, last updated 4/1/2024.
The story is told about an atheist. He thought that he knew that God did not exist. To a Christian, he complained that Christians have two holidays, Christmas and Easter, but that atheists have no holiday. Pithily, the believer replied, “You have April Fools’ Day!”
Psalms 14:1 and 53:1 both state, in the NIV, “The fool says in his heart, 'There is no God.'” In the original Hebrew, “fool” refers to the morally deficient. An atheist affirms, in error, that God does not exist. That is his moral deficiency, even if he follows biblical morality. This type of fool is not the same as in Jesus' statement in Matthew 5:22. “Fool,” in the original Greek, is an expression of condemnation. Jesus did not prohibit righteous judgment of someone's foolishness (John 7:24). Rather, He warned that we cannot usurp God's role by condemning someone for his evil deeds.
Apparently, Atheist Day is on March 23rd annually. See “Atheist Day – March 23, 2024,” National Today. Oops! This year, I missed the celebration, on Saturday, 3/23/2024! I wish that I could have crashed a local atheist group's party! I could have helped them.
Conclusion
I am merely one former poor beggar, who found the Bread of Life. I am filled. I try to share the Bread that gives everlasting life.
More complete statements on this topic are found in the articles on 4/2/2021 and on 5/1/2022, under the section “4/1, Friday: National Atheists' Day.”
The ongoing Christian Evidences series answers the question of God's existence, in the following three articles: 11/4/2022 by the moral argument, 11/16/2022 by the teleological argument, and 11/26/2022 by the cosmological argument.
So, what do Good Friday and Easter have to do with April Fools' Day? The wise know. The searching and open-minded are able to know. The unwise cannot know.
If you are searching and open-minded, please use the Contact Form, to email me, if you would like to talk further. I would be glad to share the Bread of Life (John 6:35-40).
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