Stephen S. Ahokas
Author

Stephen Ahokas grew up as a pastor’s son. While growing up
in his father’s home and church, he acquired a basic understanding of how to explain the
meaning of Christ’s birth and death to others. Meanwhile, from the world outside his father’s
home and church, he acquired an understanding of how the world tries to explain away the
meaning of the birth and death of Christ. Ahokas studied music education, wildlife
management, and pre-veterinary medicine at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He obtained
his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree at The Ohio State University. While in veterinary
school, he acquired a more experiential understanding of how to explain the meaning of the
birth and death of Christ through involvement in a campus ministry called Campus Crusade for
Christ. Since then, he has been an avid student of the Bible, especially of the Passover and the
circumstances surrounding the birth and death of Christ.
My Story
Stephen S. Ahokas, DVM, is excited to announce the release of his enlightening book, 'Twas
Christmas to Passover: God’s Graphic Image of a Savior Who Would Die for His People. This
compelling read offers a deep exploration and profound understanding of the connection
between the Jewish Passover and Christ’s birth and death as the ultimate fulfillment of the
Passover—a connection that has been virtually missed and underappreciated by both Jews and
Gentiles throughout the centuries since His birth and death took place.
Ahokas says the inspiration for the book came to him over forty years ago, while he was
studying at The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine. While he was there, he
began to see that God doesn’t write just words. He writes word pictures. “That is when I first
began to see in a very rudimentary way that the circumstances surrounding Christ’s birth
presented a sign or word-picture for the Jewish people (His people) that He was born to be the
Savior Who would one day die for them . . . and for all mankind,” says Ahokas.
For Ahokas, the urgency for searching for and finding a more complete understanding of this
also came to him during his veterinary studies. Ahokas goes on, “While a few of us were in
equine anesthesiology clinics, we overheard one of our clinical professors say to some of his
colleagues and students that, because he is Jewish, he can’t place his faith in Christ. That made
me sad, and from that moment on, I have sensed a commissioning by God to find the true
understanding that my professor—and virtually all mankind, theologians included—have
missed for over two thousand years.”
Ahokas continues, “Now, having acquired a much deeper understanding of God’s word-picture,
I finally realize that one cannot fully understand the meaning of the Passover by studying the
Old Testament and Torah, alone. Likewise, one cannot fully understand the meaning of Christ’s
birth by studying His birth, alone. Finally, one cannot fully understand the meaning of Christ’s
death by studying His death, alone. We can walk into any cemetery on any given date and see
two dates on every tombstone; a date of birth and a date of death. For Christ’s time on earth,
the dates were Christmas and Passover. By studying the circumstances surrounding His birth
and the circumstances surrounding His death together, and by superimposing them over the
puzzle of Old Testament Passover traditions, we can finally understand Who it really was that
was born, and how He was the only One Who can—and ultimately did—fulfill the Passover. And
from that, we can finally see with crystal clear understanding the connection between Old
Testament Judaism and New Testament Christianity. Finally, we can see, with great conviction,
that Jews and Gentiles alike can have the same heritage in God.”
Although ‘Twas Christmas to Passover: God’s Graphic Image of a Savior Who Would Die for
God’s People contains deep and thoughtful insight into Old Testament Judaism and New
Testament Christianity, don’t let that lead you to believe it will go over your head and can’t be
an enjoyable read. Its deep insight comes not from deep theology, but from its vivid word
pictures right out of the Old and New Testaments. Philip Van Heusen, a man with over forty
years of experience as a pastor, and who serves as a literary critic as well, has reviewed and said
this about ‘Twas Christmas to Passover. Can a book be filled with theological ideas and
teachings while still being readable and enjoyable? If we are talking about ‘Twas Christmas to
Passover by Stephen S. Ahokas, the answer is a resounding “YES!!”
For more information, to request a copy, or to invite me for speaking engagements or book signings, please visit my official web site, www.TwasChristmas2Passover.com.