Christianity Diverged at Council of Nicaea

2025 marks the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea. The Council of Nicaea is considered by some to be one of the greatest achievements of Christendom. And truly, celebrating the 1700th year of anything is a historic event.

The meetings began in May of 325 ad at the small town of Nicaea, in Asia Minor, in present-day Turkey. Over 300 bishops joined in the meetings. That year, 325 ad, is considered a benchmark by many in the history of the mainstream Christian church.

At the Council, the nature of Christ and His relationship to the Father was discussed and debated. But there was another issue, a very important issue, that was discussed as well.

How astounding that a conference held nearly two millennia ago is still relevant today. To commemorate such a momentous occasion, Pope Francis, before he died, planned to travel to the present-day city of Iznik in northwest Turkey, about 70 miles from Istanbul. This is the site of the ancient city of Nicaea. On November 28, 2024, Pope Francis was quoted as saying that the Council of Nicaea:

… Constitutes a milestone in the journey of the church and also of humanity because faith in Jesus, the Son of God made flesh for us and for our salvation, was formulated and professed as a light that illuminates the meaning of reality and the destiny of all history (“Pope Francis to join Orthodox patriarch in Turkey for Nicaea council anniversary,” Catholic News Agency, November 28, 2024).

Pope Francis was referring to the fact that the Council of Nicaea was convened to address questions related to the divinity of Christ, and the relationship between Jesus Christ and the Father. It’s not our purpose to delve into that issue on this program, nor is it our purpose to discuss the “Nicene Creed,” which came out of that gathering.

Passover vs. Easter Revealed a Big Problem

But as we think about the significance of the Council of Nicaea, let’s consider an issue that is often forgotten, but was causing deep divisions during that time—and maybe even has more importance for us today.

What is that issue? It’s the importance of Passover.

You might say, “Wait, that’s wrong. The Jews keep Passover. The church in the 300s kept Easter.” Well, there’s more to the story.

To begin our dive into this subject, let’s go into the writings of Eusebius of Caesarea. He was the bishop of Caesarea in Palestine from about 313 ad until his death in 339 ad. He is sometimes referred to as the “father of church history.” He played a prominent role at the Council of Nicaea and from his writings we have an in-depth and fascinating glimpse of what took place.

Let’s pick up the story in his book The Life of Constantine, Book III, Chapter 5. Eusebius wrote:

But before this time [the time of the Council of Nicaea] another most virulent disorder had existed, and long afflicted the Church; I mean the difference respecting the salutary feast of Easter… (Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Second Series, Vol. 1. Philip Schaff and Henry Wace eds. Christian Literature Publishing Co., 1890. newadvent.org, Accessed April 30, 2025).

Now, let’s stop there. When Eusebius says “Easter” we have to understand the word he actually used was the Greek word “Pascha.” That word is derived from the Hebrew “Pesach,” which is the word from which we get “Passover.” The word “Easter” was used later, as a result of the influence of the Germans and the Anglo-Saxons. The online Catholic Encyclopedia confirms this in the article under the heading “Easter.”

“The Greek term for Easter, pascha… is the Aramaic form of the Hebrew pesach (…passover)…” (newadvent.org/cathen).

Most people are only aware of the word “Passover” by its association with the Jews. But in reality, the church leaders that Constantine convened in 325 ad were all keeping something called “Pascha.” That might be a surprise to you.

Of course, if your native language is French, Spanish, or Italian, it’s not a surprise. In these languages, the word for “Easter” is still related to “Passover.” In French it’s “Paques.” In Spanish it’s “Pascua.” In Italian, it’s “Pasqua.” It all originally comes from the Hebrew “Pesach.”

Let’s re-read Eusebius’ account, this time substituting the word “Pascha,” for “Easter.”

“But before this time another most virulent disorder had existed, and long afflicted the Church; I mean the difference respecting the salutary feast of [“Pascha”]…. For while one party asserted that the Jewish custom should be adhered to, the other affirmed that the exact recurrence of the period should be observed, without following the authority of those who were in error [meaning, the Jews].”

Emperor Constantine Decreed Easter Over Passover

You see, at the time of Eusebius and Constantine, there were different opinions about the timing of the Christian Pascha. One was that it should be connected to the 14th day of the Hebrew month of Nisan. Others felt it should be kept on a Sunday, with some variation on how they determined which Sunday to keep. All these differences caused a major dispute among the churches.

Going on, Eusebius explains:

“Accordingly, the people being thus in every place divided in respect of this, and the sacred observances of religion confounded for a long period… no one appeared who was capable of devising a remedy for the evil, because the controversy continued equally balanced between both parties. To God alone, the Almighty, was the healing of these differences an easy task; and Constantine appeared to be the only one on earth capable of being his minister for this good end….”

What a statement. A major doctrinal dispute dividing the church, and the only person on earth that could resolve it was a politically shrewd, pagan Roman emperor?

Constantine Used Christianity for Power

As my fellow presenter and colleague, evangelist Wallace Smith writes in the Tomorrow’s World article “1,700 Years After Nicaea”:

The council in ad 325 was not convened under the authority of a religious leader, as one might expect, but the Roman emperor Constantine. In fact, Constantine’s fingerprints can be found all over it (“1,700 Years After Nicaea,” Wallace Smith, Tomorrow’s World, May–June 2025, p. 5–6).

Let’s talk about Constantine for a few moments. Was he a real, true follower of Jesus Christ? Or was he an astute worldly king who saw that backing the mainstream Christian church would be a golden political opportunity?

Historian Will Durant asks and answers that question in The Story of Civilization: Part III, Caesar and Christ.

Was his conversation sincere—was it an act of religious belief, or a consummate stroke of political wisdom? Probably the latter…. A real believer would have been a Christian first and a statesman afterward; with Constantine it was the reverse. Christianity was to him a means, not an end (p. 655–656).

Constantine started out his rule fully immersed in the pagan practices of a typical Roman emperor. Toward the end of his rule, he was favoring the mainstream Christian church and weakening the pagan practices he had previously taken part in. So, what caused this change?

In the book A Short History of Christianity, the authors give some background on how this happened. On page 33 we read:

Constantine believed that the Christian God had assisted him in winning his battles for control of the Empire, and he therefore desired a continuance of whatever divine help the Christian religion might afford in maintaining the peace and welfare of his rule. The political wisdom of his policy was amply vindicated in the extravagant devotion and loyalty which he received from his Christian subjects. Constantine’s own personal religion is a subject of speculation. He was not baptized until his deathbed. This much can be said with assurance: (1) his intervention in religious affairs was in large measure dictated by what he considered to be politically expedient and (2) from the beginning of his reign he increasingly identified himself with the church… (A Short History of Christianity, pp. 33–34).

Constantine Guided Nicaea More Than Jesus

So, this pagan emperor, who was gradually seeing the value of professing allegiance to the Christian God, found this new religion of his to be in a doctrinal crisis in 325 ad. That’s when he called the bishops to the Council of Nicaea. He personally presided over the meetings and guided the discussion. In fact, he had so much influence over what took place there that author H.G. Wells made this shocking statement:

A very important thing for us to note is the role played by the emperor in the fixation of Christianity…. It is very manifest that in much of the history of Christianity at this time [that is, in the 300s ad] the spirit of Constantine the Great is as evident as, or more evident than, the spirit of Jesus (“The Outline of History,” H.G. Wells, P. 552–553).

What an astonishing thing to say.

Teachings of Jesus Christ Discarded

For a church calling itself Christian to have a council to discuss doctrinal disagreements, you’d think having it guided by the spirit of Christ would be a priority. But it wasn’t.

So what happened at the Council? In particular, what happened in the matter of the Pascha? Would it remain tied to the Passover that Jesus observed, or would it be disconnected from Christ’s teaching and practice?

To answer the question, let’s go back to Eusebius. He sums up the debate this way in Chapter 14 of The Life of Constantine:

The result was that they were not only united as concerning the faith, but that the time for the celebration of the salutary feast of [“Pascha”] was agreed on by all… (Chapter 14).

In truth, it was a forced unity, a standardization by coercion. That’s what was accomplished.

After the Council, Constantine himself wrote a letter to all the churches, and this is what he said:

At this meeting the question concerning the most holy day of [“Pascha”] was discussed, and it was resolved by the united judgment of all present, that this feast ought to be kept by all and in every place on one and the same day…. Let us then have nothing in common with the detestable Jewish crowd; for we have received from our Saviour a different way…” (Life of Constantine,” Eusebius. Chapter 18).

And that was it.

Jesus Is the Way, the Truth, and the Life—Not the Roman Empire

With contempt and derision, it was declared that the Christians should have nothing in common with the Jews. But what if what was declared to be in common with the Jews was actually something God commanded in Scripture? What if it was part of Christ’s teaching in the New Testament that was banned?

Now why was this important?

Following Jesus Christ Means Worship in Truth

Well, a little background: Even by the 4th century ad there were some Christians, especially in the east, who still had a connection with the observance of Passover on the 14th day of the Jewish month of Nisan. And those who were keeping the Passover on the 14th were following the teachings that had been handed down to them, all the way back to the Apostle John.

The testimony of Polycarp, a direct disciple of the Apostle John, attests to this. Polycrates, Polycarp’s disciple, also kept Passover in this way (“Are You a Quarto-Deciman? Should You Be?”).

You see, these faithful disciples, Polycarp and Polycrates, were simply following the biblical Christian Passover.

Jesus Kept Passover—So Should His Followers

This was plain instruction from Jesus Christ in the New Testament. Jesus kept the Passover, on the 14th day of Nisan, with His disciples the night before He died. During this observance He gave wine to the disciples to drink, as a symbol of His blood shed for them. And He gave bread to the disciples to eat, as a symbol of His body, which would be broken for them. And then He washed their feet, as a symbol of His humility.

“Do as I have done to you.”

Notice what He said at the conclusion of His last Passover observance in John 13:12–15.

So when He had washed their feet, taken His garments, and sat down again, He said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you? You call Me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you.”

A few years ago, there was a popular slogan “WWJD?” or “What Would Jesus Do?” Well, when it comes to doctrine and practice, we know what Jesus did. The Bible is a detailed record of what He did. And Jesus kept the Passover on the 14th of Nisan—the biblical record is very clear. And He told His followers to do so as well.

The Apostle Paul also kept the Christian Passover on the 14th of Nisan, to memorialize the suffering and death of Christ. And he taught the brethren in the church of Corinth to keep it as well. Notice what Paul said in 1 Corinthians 11:23–25.

For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”

Summing up what Paul taught and what he practiced, we read in 1 Corinthians 5:7–8,

For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us. Therefore let us keep the feast….

Council of Nicaea Did Not Consult Scripture

So why were some avoiding any connection to the 14th of Nisan Christian Passover by the 300s ad? In order to not look like the Jews. And they standardized the non-Jewish Paschal festival, fixing it on the Sunday following the first vernal full moon, supposedly commemorating the resurrection of Christ. That Sunday observance grew into what is known today as Easter.

By the way, Jesus was not resurrected on a Sunday. He was resurrected near the end of the Sabbath—Saturday—exactly three days and three nights after He had died on the stake. But that’s another story for another time.

Let’s be clear—the resurrection is extremely important. We base our hope of eternal life on it, as we find in Romans 8:11.

But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.

The resurrection is our hope and our future. But you can search the New Testament from beginning to end, and you will not find a single instruction or command to observe it as a feast day.

You see, Constantine really had very little interest in the truth—he just wanted everyone to be on the same page.

As the award-winning “History of Rome” podcast by Mike Duncan states:

… [t]he Emperor was not so much interested in which side was right, or which interpretation was best, so long as in the end, everyone agreed (“The History of Rome” podcast, by Mike Duncan, Episode 137, May 15, 2011).

So who will you follow? Constantine and the traditions he established to differentiate nominal Christians from the Jews?

Or Jesus Christ, who plainly outlined His clear teachings in our New Testament, for everyone to see?

Christian Unity—But Not at the Cost of Truth

We should have unity and cohesion in the body of Christ. The Apostle Paul explained that in 1 Corinthians 1:10.

Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.

But at the same time, Jesus Christ knows that in this age, because we are living in Satan’s world, there will be division. And the truth will sometimes be a source of that division, because not everyone will accept the truth.

Notice what Jesus said in Matthew 10:34, 36–37.

Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword… and “a man’s enemies will be those of his own household.” He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me.

The Council of Nicaea was not only convened to discuss the nature of Christ. It also was convened to settle the matter of the timing of the Christian Pascha.

The majority in the now state-religion went along with the edicts of Constantine. They kept a Sunday Pascha, which became Easter. It was now the religion of the empire, so it was the convenient thing to do.

But not everyone went along.

True Christians Keep God’s Holy Days in the Bible

Some held on to the biblical Christian Passover taught by Christ, as well as the other biblical holy days. We have proof of that in the preserved text of a sermon by a priest in Antioch named John Chrysostom. It was given in 386–387 ad. It was entitled, “Against the Jews.” Note how much he despised the Jews, but also note that his text shows there were still faithful Christians keeping the biblical Christian Passover well after Nicaea. He said this:

The festivals of the pitiful and miserable Jews are soon to march upon us one after the other and in quick succession: the feast of Trumpets, the feast of Tabernacles, the fasts. There are many in our ranks who say they think as we do. Yet some of these are going to watch the festivals and others will join the Jews in keeping their feasts and observing their fasts. I wish to drive this perverse custom from the Church right now… (John Chrysostom, “Against the Jews,” Homily I).

• The Feast of Trumpets
• The Feast of Tabernacles
• The Fast (called the Day of Atonement)
• And the New Testament Passover

These biblical feast days—forever established by the Creator God—were still being kept by faithful Christians 60 years after the Council of Nicaea.

Dr. Jerry Pillay is the general secretary of the World Council of Churches. He had this to say, speaking of the importance of the celebrations in 2025 to commemorate the Council of Nicaea:

It gives us the opportunity to ask afresh with others what Nicaea means for us today…. Then, as now, the call to unity was heard within the context of a troubled, unequal, and divided world (“WCC to celebrate 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea,” oikoumene.org, July 6, 2023).

This is a troubled, unequal and divided world. But let’s not forsake truth for the sake of unity. Let’s not follow Constantine—let’s follow Christ.

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