“What happened in the Garden of Gethsemane?”……Answer: The garden at Gethsemane, literally "oil-press," is located on a slope of the Mount of Olives just across the KidronValley from Jerusalem. A garden of ancient olive trees stands there to this day. Jesus frequently went to Gethsemane with His disciples to pray (John 18:2). The most famous […]

“What is Ascension Day?”……Answer: Ascension Day is the celebration of Christ ascending into heaven after His death, burial and resurrection. Ascension Day is observed primarily in Catholics and Anglican churches, and it occurs on the Thursday 40 days after Easter. Ascension Day is also called the Feast of Ascension. ……The story of Jesus' Ascension is […]

“What are the origins of Easter?”…The origins of Easter are rooted in European traditions. The name Easter comes from a pagan figure called Eastre (or Eostre) who was celebrated as the goddess of spring by the Saxons of Northern Europe. …A festival called Eastre was held during the spring equinox by these people to honor […]

“What is Good Friday?”……Answer: Good Friday is the Friday immediately preceding Easter Sunday. It is celebrated traditionally as the day on which Jesus was crucified. If you are interested in a study of the issue, please see our article that discusses the various views on which day Jesus was crucified. Assuming that Jesus was crucified […]

“Where was Jesus for the three days between His death and resurrection?”……Answer: 1 Peter 3:18-19 states, “For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit, through whom also he went and preached […]

“Should Christians celebrate Passover?”……Answer: The celebration of Passover is in remembrance of the time in Israel's history when the angel of the Lord moved through Egypt destroying the firstborn of all people and animals (see Exodus 11 and 12.) This was the final of the ten plagues God visited upon Egypt designed to force Pharaoh […]

“Can the various resurrection accounts from the four Gospels be harmonized?”……Answer: The events surrounding Jesus' resurrection can be difficult to piece together. We must remember two things: first, the news of Jesus' resurrection produced much excitement in Jerusalem, and in the ensuing chaos many people were going many different directions. Groups were separated, and several […]