What is the biblical basis for celebrating Easter?

Celebrate: to do something special or enjoyable for an important event, occasion, holiday, etc.: to praise (someone or something): to say that (someone or something) is great or important: to perform (a religious ceremony) [Merriam-Webster Dictionary]

Our celebration of Easter is a worldwide witness to Jesus, publicly revealing the sacrificial death and resurrection of Jesus that makes salvation for anyone possible. I see the following verse as a basis for celebrating Easter:

And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. (Mark 16:15)

The gospel Paul gave to his brethren, by which they were saved:

1 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; 2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. 3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; 4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: (1 Corinthians 4:1-4)

Great questions!+ + +

Question: What is the biblical basis for celebrating Easter?

Answer to introduction question is; Biblically speaking, NONE!

Actually the last supper was the evening “before The Passover / Jesus The Messiah on The Cross”! The evening and morning equals the totality of darkness; the night before the daylight hours, (we must think on Biblical days and nights) which are contrary to the accepted Gregorian calendar and non-Biblical thinking.

However there is a premise set forth in Scripture for us to learn:

Luke 22:45-46 (KJV) 45 And when he rose up from prayer, and was come to his disciples, he found them sleeping for sorrow, 46 And said unto them, Why sleep ye? rise and pray, lest ye enter into temptation.

With this reference; there is a test put forth to believers! With all the hoopla attributed to the referenced “Easter”; it is no more than a doctrine of men and is not supportable from any small study of scripture. If we just look at the numbers on a global scale; it does not appear well for many concerning the "temptations of Easter"! The Apostle Paul put it another way:

1 Corinthians 11:27-29 (KJV) (italics removed) 27 Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. 28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of bread, and drink of cup. 29 For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.

Additionally the KJV uses “Easter” in:

Acts 12:1-4 (KJV) 1 Now about that time Herod the king stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church. 2 And he killed James the brother of John with the sword. 3 And because he saw it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also. (Then were the days of unleavened bread.) 4 And when he had apprehended him, he put in prison, and delivered to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him; intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people.

Easter is mistranslated from; Greek Word: pasca, Transliteration: pascha, Phonetic Pronunciation: pas'-khah

One must also consider the political ramifications at the time of; a) The reference to The Passover (Luke 22:7-38), b) Acts 12:1-4, and c) the time of the translation of Textus Receptus to the KJV. And as an additional comparison; The New American Bible (1982) translates it correctly “Passover”! There has been a global assault opposing what scripture teaches and this also has implications:

Jude 4 (KJV) 4 For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.

Question: What is the biblical basis for celebrating the resurrection of Jesus?

To begin with; the celebration of The Resurrection has been observed in Synagogues for multiple millennia, in unbelief concerning Jesus The Messiah. However; today in Messianic believer groups they also see it as The Resurrection of Jesus The Messiah! There (depending on persuasion) they discuss the time in Egypt and the crossing of the sea “all the night”! The Apostle Paul did not have any problems with this celebration in Early Church days! This liturgy named Havdalah, which means “distinction” is directly referred to in the followings scripture! Note bold in text provided are direct reference to the very distinction they observed then and now! It was an End of Sabbath service; by the Gregorian calendar it would be Saturday evening until Sunday morning; the first weekly work day for the Hebrews!

Acts 20:7-12 (KJV) (italics removed) 7 And upon the first of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight. 8 And there were many lights in the upper chamber, where they were gathered together. 9 And there sat in a window a certain young man named Eutychus, being fallen into a deep sleep: and as Paul was long preaching, he sunk down with sleep, and fell down from the third loft, and was taken up dead. 10 And Paul went down, and fell on him, and embracing said, Trouble not yourselves; for his life is in him. 11 When he therefore was come up again, and had broken bread, and eaten, and talked a long while, even till break of day, so he departed. 12 And they brought the young man alive, and were not a little comforted.

Exodus 14:18-20 (KJV) (italics removed) 18 And the Egyptians shall know that I the LORD, when I have gotten me honour upon Pharaoh, upon his chariots, and upon his hors*m*n. 19 And the angel of God, which went before the camp of Israel, removed and went behind them; and the pillar of the cloud went from before their face, and stood behind them: 20 And it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel; and it was a cloud and darkness, but it gave light by night: so that the one came not near the other all the night.

The Exodus key wording in the timing of events is “removed” and "light by night'! Moses led The Children of Israel out of Egypt after the parting of the waters as The Angel of God became the distinguishing factor and rear guard protecting His people from the Egyptians! In like manner Jesus The Messiah “fulfilled” that same pattern of days during His Resurrection! His Resurrection is the believers peculiar Distinction; from all other peoples!