Greek Mystery Religions and their impact on Christianity

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Esoteric Christianity: The Greek Mystery Religions and Their Impact

on Christianity

 

From Andrew Benson's book The Origins of Christianity and the Bible.

 

 

The mysteries were cults into which a person was initiated (taken

in). The initiate was called " mystes, " the introducing

person " mystagogos " (leader of the mystes). The leaders of the cults

were the " hierophantes " (revealer of holy things) and

the " dadouchos " (torchbearer).

Several mystery religions existed before the Hellenistic era. Their

great period began when the Romans imposed peace upon the

Mediterranean world, during the reign of the Roman emperor Augustus,

towards the end of the first century BCE (a few decades before the

birth of Christianity). In the first century CE various mystery

religions existed side-by-side throughout the Roman empire. Almost

every city of the eastern Mediterranean had a temple dedicated to a

god or goddess of a mystery religion. These religions were so

widespread that many Roman officials and emperors participated in

them.

Here are some examples. In Alexandria Ptolemy IV Philopator (reigned

221-205 BCE) was a devotee of Dionysus. In Rome Emperor Augustus

(reigned 44 BCE to 14 CE) was an initiate of the Eleusinian Mysteries

and a devotee of Apollo. Under his rule, in 28 BCE, a splendid temple

of Apollo was built on the Palatine Hill. At about 34 BCE the Roman

general Mark Antony, after his successful expedition to Armenia,

entered triumphantly into Ephesus casting himself in the role of the

savior god Dionysus. He was received by ecstatic maenads (women

participants in orgiastic Dionysian rites). Gaius Caesar (Caligula),

the Roman emperor from 37 to 41 CE, instituted his own mystery

religion and was initiated in it. Isiac frescoes dating from the time

of the emperor Caligula were found in the ruins on the Palatine Hill

at Rome. Emperor Vespasian (reigned 69-79 CE) became a devotee of

Sarapis after he participated in a miracle (a cure of a lame hand and

a cure of a vision problem) in Alexandria (at 70 CE). Domitian

(reigned 81-96 CE) built a huge temple for Isis and adopted the

Egyptian dietary laws after the priests of Isis saved his life. The

Isis temple that the emperor Domitian erected on the Campus Martius

(the Field of Mars) in Rome at the end of the 1st century CE was a

stately building. Trajan (reigned 98-117 CE) is depicted on his

triumphal arch as sacrificing to Isis. The Roman emperors Septimus

Sevirus and Caracalla, who ruled jointly from 198 to 211 CE, were

devotees of Sarapis. Caracalla appeared on his coins as " Sarapis

Cosmocrator. " He called himself " Philosarapis " (lover of Sarapis).

The cults of the mystery religions were influenced uniformly by the

ideas of the Greek philosophers. A few of them existed before the

turn of the Era, but several more appeared at about the turn of the

Era. They reached their height of popularity during the times of

early Christianity. Christianity was born during a period of

proliferation. Christianity itself in the beginning consisted of many

cults that existed independently and had very diverse doctrines.

Because of such diversity, it is debatable whether Gnosticism was

just another cult of Christianity or whether it was a separate

religion.

The following features were common to all mystery religions.

Admission to the community was by a rite of initiation, a solemn

consecration. The initiation was held in secret, which explains why

they were called " mysteries. " The consecrated were joined by this

mystery and were separated from the unconsecrated world, just as

Christians set themselves apart from the world. (John 15:19) ... you

are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world ...

(KJV)

Plato indicated that the members of the mystery communities

considered each other brothers:

" Dion attached to himself two brothers ... men whose friendship was

not derived from philosophy, but from ... mutual entertaining and

sharing in religion and mystic ceremonies. " (Acts 15:7) After

much discussion, Peter got up and addressed them: " Brothers ... (NIV)

The mystery followers were bound by an oath to keep the mysteries

secret. The actual initiation was preceded by numerous rites of

purification such as fasting, baptism, and confession. The Christian

theologian Tertullian (ca. 155-220 CE) wrote, " In certain mysteries,

e.g. Isis and Mithra, it is by baptism [Latin: per lavarum] that

members are initiated ... " Clement of Alexandria (ca. 150-211 or 215

CE) wrote, " ... in the current Mysteries among the Greeks ceremonial

purifications hold the premier place. "

The mystery religions practiced baptism before Christianity. The

second century Christian apologist Justin Martyr did not want to

admit that the Christians copied the pagans. He explained the pagan

origin of baptism by claiming that the demons learned about baptism

from Isaiah and taught it to the pagans: " ... the demons prompted

those [the pagans] who enter their temples ... to sprinkle themselves

also with water; furthermore, they cause them to wash their whole

persons. "

Plutarch mentions the confession of sins by mystery initiates during

the ritual of initiation. " When Antalcidas was being initiated into

the mysteries at Samothrace, he was asked by the priest [to confess]

what especially dreadful thing he had done during his life ... " John

the Baptist preached confession of sins before baptism: (Mark 1:4-5)

John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of

repentance for the remission of sins. And there went out unto him all

the land of Judaea, and they of Jerusalem, and were all baptized of

him in the river of Jordan, confessing their sins. (KJV) Confession

of sins was a common practice among the early Christians: (James

5:16) Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another,

that you may be healed. (KJV) (1 John 1:9) If we confess our sins, he

is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from

all unrighteousness. (KJV)

After the preliminaries, there followed the delivery of the sacred

symbol or signal. (Christians, too, used symbols, such as the fish

and the anchor.) The initiation culminated in the vision of the

deity, in which the appearance of light played an important part.

During the ceremony of initiation at the greater mysteries of

Eleusis, the initiate would see a bright light and would receive the

revelation of the mysteries. Similarly, Paul saw a bright light on

the road to Damascus. He had a vision of a deity: Jesus. He received

the gospel of Jesus by revelation. (Ephesians 3:3) ... how the

mystery was made known to me by revelation ... (RSV) Thus, Paul was

initiated to the mysteries of Christ.

With this vision the initiate of the mystery religions attained union

with the deity and thus was endowed with eternal life. (Likewise,

after Paul saw the vision of Jesus, he attained union with him and

was endowed with eternal life.) Another symbolic rite was the vesting

of the robe of the deity. By putting on the robe, the initiate " put

on the deity. " Likewise, Paul " put on Christ. " (Galatians 3:27) For

as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

(KJV) The mystery initiates after their initiation adopted a new

name. Likewise, when Saul accepted Jesus he adopted a new name: Paul.

Also, Simon (a Jewish name) took the name Peter (a Greek name). (Mark

3:16) And Simon he surnamed Peter. (KJV) Revelation states that all

believers will receive new names. (Revelation 2:17) To him that

overcomes I will give ... a new name ... (KJV)

Initially, salvation from Hell through the Zoroastrian messiah was

introduced by the Zoroastrians. This idea slightly modified was

adopted by the mystery religions during the turn of the Common Era.

The promise of salvation from the cycle of reincarnation and the

escape to a heavenly world was the main characteristic of all the

mystery religions. Only the soul that had lived a pious life three

times could be liberated from that cycle. These religions emphasized

individual salvation (an idea emphasized in Christianity).

Christianity adopted salvation from Hell, not from the cycle of

reincarnation.

Within the mystery communities the class distinctions of the secular

world, such as differences in nationality, race, or economic and

social position, were null and void. Free men and slaves, the

important and the insignificant, all were brethren within the

community. The early Christians adopted this practice. (Galatians

3:28) There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free,

there is neither male nor female: for you are all one in Christ

Jesus. (KJV) Except for Mithraism (which was a man's religion), the

women of the mystery religions associated freely with men.

There is a distinct difference between the words " secret "

and " mystery. " A secret is usually knowledge that is hidden. A

mystery is a truth that can be understood only by revelation from

God. The mystery is more like an enigma, a riddle, or a puzzle. The

words " secret " and " secrets, " which appear in all the books of the

Old Testament (except in Daniel), refer to lack of knowledge, not to

lack of understanding. Daniel was completed during the Hellenistic

era, when mysteries were popular. In Daniel God gave a dream to

Nebuchadnezzar that included a mystery, whose explanation was

revealed to Daniel by God.

The word " mystery " (Gr. mystirion) is a key word in Christianity. It

appears in the New Testament 22 times in the singular and 5 times in

the plural. The following verses indicate that Christianity was

established as a mystery religion. (1 Timothy 3:16) Without any

doubt, the mystery of our religion is great. (NRSV) (1 Timothy 3:9)

they [the deacons] must hold fast to the mystery of the faith ...

(NRSV) (Luke 8:10) The mysteries of the kingdom of heaven. (KJV)

(Ephesians 3:9) ... the mystery, which from the beginning of the

world has been hid in God ... (KJV) (Ephesians 5:32) This mystery is

great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church.

(NASB) (Colossians 4:3) ... so that we may speak forth the mystery of

Christ ... (NASB) Hellenistic Christianity was " the mystery of

Christ, " like " the mystery of Dionysus " or " the mystery of Isis. "

More than once Paul mentions " the mystery of Christ. " (Ephesians 3:4)

When you read this you can perceive my insight into the mystery of

Christ. (RSV) In the following verse Paul makes it clear that

Christianity is a mystery religion. (1 Corinthians 4:1) This is how

one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the

mysteries of God. (RSV) Paul wrote that resurrection was a mystery.

(1 Corinthians 15:51) Lo! I tell you a mystery. (KJV) His gospel was

a mystery. (Ephesians 6:19) ... that I may open my mouth boldly, to

make known the mystery of the gospel ... (KJV) (Colossians 1:26) the

mystery hidden for ages and generations but now made manifest to his

saints [the Hellenist Christians]. (KJV) (1 Corinthians 2:7) But we

speak the wisdom of God in a mystery. (KJV) (Ephesians 1:9) Having

made known to us the mystery ... (KJV)

In accordance to Paul, the Christian church father Clement of

Alexandria invited pagans to be initiated in the mysteries of

Christianity. He wrote, " Then you will have the vision of my God, and

will be initiated in those holy mysteries, and will taste the joys

that are hidden away in heaven ... " He describes Christianity

as " sacred mysteries. " He talks about initiation and Jesus marking

the initiates with his seal. " O Truly sacred mysteries! O pure light!

In the blaze of torches I have a vision of heaven and of God. I

become holy by initiation. The Lord [Jesus] reveals the mysteries; he

marks the worshipper with his seal ... " The Dionysians were marked

with the seal of Dionysus, the sign of ivy leaf.

Ignatius of Antioch, (died ca. 110), bishop of Antioch, Syria, in his

letter to the Ephesians wrote, " ... you are ... fellow-initiates with

[apostle] Paul ... "

The mystery religions did not promise their believers a universal

resurrection. The belief that the dead will rise and will live on

this planet with their god is almost unique to Judeo-Christianity.

The mystery followers believed in reincarnation. When a wicked person

dies his or her soul leaves the body and goes to the underworld to be

punished and purified. After that, it returns to the world and enters

the body of a newborn animal or human. On the other hand, when a

truly righteous person dies his or her soul leaves the body and joins

the eternal company of his or her god. As we mentioned elsewhere in

this book, the doctrine of reincarnation found its way into the

Wisdom of Solomon and into the Gospel of John.

Judaism was unpopular because it promised rewards only to the Jews.

But the gods of the mystery religions were popular because they

offered salvation from sin and the promise of eternal life to

everyone regardless of their nationality. So did Christianity.

(Romans 10:12) For there is no difference between the Jew and the

Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich to all that call upon him.

(KJV)

The gods of the mystery religions died and rose. So did the god of

Christianity. The mystery initiates secured immortality for

themselves by physically reenacting the death and resurrection of

their god. Paul wrote that the Christian initiates symbolically die

and rise with Jesus. (Romans 6:3, 5-6, 8) ... so many of us as were

baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? For if we

have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we will be

also in the likeness of his resurrection. ... our old man is

crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed ... if we

are dead with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.

(KJV)

Several mystery religions (such as the religion of Isis, Sarapis,

Mithra, and various Gnostic sects ) originated in Egypt, Syria, and

Persia. They emphasized personal salvation. They promised to bridge

the gap between man and god, so that man would be elevated to the

rank of deity. Thus, an initiate would become sinless like his god.

Paul wrote (Romans 8:29) ... to become conformed to the image of his

son [Jesus]. (NASB)

In contrast to the Old Testament, which pointed out the gap between

God and humankind, those religions promised their believers union

with the gods. So did Christianity. (Galatians 2:20) It is no longer

I that lives, but Christ lives in me. (KJV) After his death the

mystery initiate would live in the presence of his god. Plato

wrote, " ... whoever goes uninitiated and unsanctified to the other

world will lie in the mire, but he who arrives there initiated and

purified will dwell with the gods. " Likewise, for Christian

believers. In the other world they will dwell with God. (Revelation

21:3) ... He [God] will dwell among them, and they will be His

people, and God himself will be among them ... (NASB) (2 Corinthians

5:8) I ... prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home

[in the other world] with the Lord. (NASB)

In the mystery religions this personal relationship with the deity

was also attained by the initiate through a sacred meal. The initiate

ate " holy food, " and it was as though he ate the deity and thereby

became a deity. The chief ritual in the mysteries of Dionysus, Attis,

Isis, Mithra, and Orphism was this sacred meal. The meal was

shared " in association. "

The Qumran Essenes (many of whom joined the Jewish Christians, the

original followers of Jesus imitated the pagan associations and their

sacred meals in common. They centered many of their meetings around

their meals. The early Christian called these meals " agape meals "

or " feasts of charity. " (Jude 1:12) ... in your feasts of charity,

when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear. (KJV) The

following meals are probably agape meals. (Acts 6:1-2) ... their

widows were being overlooked in the daily serving of food. ... It is

not desirable to neglect the word of God in order to serve the [meal]

tables. (NASB)

The rest of the Jews, too, were influenced by the Greeks. They

adopted sacred meals, which are mentioned in the Mishnah (Berakot 8).

Their meals included hand washing, lighting lamps, blessing and

breaking of the bread and blessing a cup of wine. However, the bread

and wine of the Jewish meals did not symbolize the body and the blood

of their god. Likewise, the last supper mentioned in Mark 14:22-24

was a common Jewish sacred meal.

As mentioned earlier, the gods of the mystery religions, such as

Osiris, Adonis, Attis, and Zagreus-Dionysus, had died and were

resurrected. The idea of a god dying and rising is much older than

Christianity. It existed among the Canaanites several centuries

before the Hellenistic era. The Canaanites believed that their god

Baal (son of the god Dagon)] was being murdered each spring by Mot

and coming to life in the Fall.

Here is an interesting version of the myth of Baal, which contains

parallels to the passion of Jesus. The Babylonian-Canaanite god Baal

(also known in the Hellenistic era as Bel or Marduk) died and rose

again. In the Ugaritic text The Baal Epic there is a passage where

Baal fell under the power of Mot (death), so he died. The goddess

Anath found him, buried him, and mourned him. Anath seized Mot, who

personified death, and destroyed him. Because of her victory over

death, Baal revived and returned to his throne.

According to another version, Baal was arrested (like Jesus). He was

sentenced, chastised, and was sent away to die with a criminal (Jesus

was crucified with two robbers), while another criminal was freed

(Barabbas was freed in place of Jesus). According to this version, a

woman cleansed away the blood that was oozing from the heart of

Baal , which had apparently been pierced by a spear or a javelin.

Afterward, Baal was found in a mountain, where he was being watched

over. The goddess Anath prepared a nest for him and cared for him.

(Women went to the grave of Jesus to care for his body.) Finally,

Baal, or Bel-Marduk, came back alive and well from the mountain. Such

myths circulated before the birth of Christianity.

Christianity Identified as a Mystery Religion

The following quotation reveals how similar Christianity was to the

Greek mystery religions. Justin Martyr wrote, " When we say that God

created and arranged all things in this world, we seem to repeat the

teaching of Plato; when we announce a final conflagration [of the

world], we utter the doctrine of the Stoics; and when we assert that

the souls of the wicked ... after death, will be ... punished, and

that the souls of the good ... will live happily, we believe the same

things as your poets and philosophers ... When ... we assert that the

Word, our ... Jesus Christ, who is the first-begotten of God the

Father, was not born as the result of sexual relations, and that He

was crucified, died, arose from the dead, and ascended into Heaven,

we propose nothing new or different from that which you say about the

so-called sons of Jupiter. " Justin wrote these lines to win pagans to

Christianity. He tried to tell them that Christian beliefs were not

much different from their pagan beliefs. The Greek mystery religions

preceded Christianity.

In the following passage Porphyry accuses Origen for copying from the

Stoics the figurative interpretation, which was the interpretation

also used by the Greek mystery religions. " ... He [Origen] used the

books of Chaeremon the Stoic and Cornutus, from whom he learned the

figurative interpretation, as employed in the Greek mysteries ... "

The Greek mystery religions used allegorical interpretation before

Christianity.

Some pagans laughed at the Hellenist Christians for adopting the

ideas of Plato and the mystery religions. Tertullian wrote, " ... we

are laughed at for proclaiming that God will judge, for just so the

poets and philosophers set up a tribunal in the world below. "

Further on in this passage Tertullian mentions the river

Pyriphlegethon, originally mentioned by Plato. He acknowledges the

striking similarities between the pagan descriptions of eternal life

and the corresponding descriptions in the New Testament. Twice he

refers to Christianity as " our mysteries. " He claims that the

religious ideas of Christianity are older that their pagan parallels.

He falsely accuses the Greek philosophers and poets for borrowing

from Christianity.. " Now whence, I ask you, do the philosophers and

poets find things so similar? Whence indeed, unless it be from our

mysteries [Christianity]. And if from our mysteries which are the

older, then ours are truer and more credible when the mere copies of

them [your mysteries] win credence. If they invented these things out

of their feelings, then our mysteries must be counted copies of what

came later, a thing contrary to nature. For the shadow never exists

before the body, nor the copy before the truth. "

Justin Martyr and Tertullian claimed that the similarities between

Mithraism and Christianity were due to Mithraism's demonic imitation

of Christianity. They denied that it was Christianity who imitated

the mystery religions. Clement of Alexandria suggested that

Christianity was indeed the mystery religion with " truly sacred

mysteries. " These mysteries offer the pure light and vision of the

only true God. The pagan mysteries he called shameless and corrupt.

Celsus, considered Christianity as one of the mystery religions. In

his discussion of Christianity, he mentions " the other mysteries, "

that is, the mystery religions besides Christianity. Referring to

Christianity Origen wrote " ... we call them our mysteries. "

Christianity was essentially one of the mystery religions of the

first century. Clement of Alexandria claimed it was the best, and

rightly so because it managed to wipe out its competitors and

forerunners.

The Eleusinians

More than five centuries before the arrival of Christianity, at

Eleusis (a small town outside Athens) the people established the

Eleusinian mysteries.There they reenacted the myth of Demeter's

search and her reunion with her daughter Persephone. Every year two

Eleusinian ceremonies were held: the Greater mysteries, in honor of

Demeter and Kori, and the Lesser mysteries, in honor of Kori alone.

The Lesser mysteries were a preparation for the Greater ones. They

were performed at Agrae on the river Ilissus (outside Athens) in the

month of Anthesterion (February-March). Because of the oaths for

secrecy we have sparse testimony of what exactly took place in the

initiation ceremony. Something was recited, something was revealed,

and acts were performed. Also, the initiates took an oath of secrecy

before preparing for the Greater mysteries. The penalty for revealing

the mysteries to outsiders was death. The initiates of the Lesser

mysteries waited at least one year until they could participate in

the Greater mysteries, which were held at Eleusis in the month of

Boedromion (September-October). The Greater mysteries included

baptism in the sea, three days of fasting, and the completion of the

mysterious central rite. These acts completed the initiation, and the

initiate was promised rewards in the life after death.

At first, the Eleusinian mysteries were restricted to the citizens of

Eleusis and Athens. But during the Hellenistic era (which began at

about 331 BCE) they became open to non-Greeks. In the 2nd century BCE

they spread throughout the eastern Mediterranean. The Greek historian

Diodorus of Sicily (1st century BCE) wrote, " ... the mysteries of

Eleusis, ... by reason of their very great antiquity and sanctity,

have come to be famous among all mankind. " They survived until the

end of paganism (sometime around the end of the 4th century CE). Many

prominent Romans, including Sulla, Anthony, Cicero, and Atticus, were

initiated in the Eleusinian mysteries.

As mentioned earlier, the secret observances of the Eleusinian

rituals included things recited, things shown, and things performed.

According to Hippolytus (ca. 170-235 CE), a leader of the Roman

Church, in certain Eleusinian mystery rites among the things shown to

the initiates was a single head of grain. This grain was beheld in

silence as a manifestation of the life in it, which symbolized the

life in all. Paul compared the mystery of death and resurrection to

the planting and the sprouting of a seed. (1 Corinthians 15:36-37)

What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. And what you sow

is not the body which is to be, but a bare kernel, perhaps of wheat

or of some other grain. (RSV) (John 12:24) ... unless a grain of

wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it

dies, it bears much fruit. (NASB)

The Eleusinian initiates were crowned with wreaths. Likewise, the

twenty-four elders in Heaven have crowns of gold. (Revelation

4:4) ... [they] had on their heads crowns of gold. (KJV)

The writers of the New Testament did not only borrow ideas and themes

from the Eleusinians but they also used the Eleusinian lingo. (2

Peter 1:16) ... but were eyewitnesses of his majesty ... (KJV) The

word " eyewitnesses " in the Greek text

is " epoptae. " " Epoptes " (singular) was a key term in the Eleusinian

mysteries. On a visit to the Greater mysteries the initiate reached

the grade of " epoptes, " that is, " one who has seen. " After that,

being endowed with " good hope, " he looked to a brighter future in the

next world. The mystery religions used such expressions as " the

assembly (ekklesia), " " the voyage of life, " " the ship, " " the

anchor, " " the port, " " the wreath " of the initiate, etc. The

Christians adopted most of such terminology.

To avoid the place of punishment after death and go to the better

world, the Eleusinian initiates (also the Dionysians and the Orphics)

wore white garments, avoided sex indulgence, and practiced

asceticism. The white garments were not common in pre-exilic Judaism.

The Essenes were known to wear white garments, emphasize celibacy,

and live an ascetic life style. During the Hellenistic era white

garments were the " blue jeans " of the righteous. They were popular in

the New Testament. During his transfiguration Jesus' clothes

became " as white as the light. " According to Revelation, the elders

in Heaven wear white garments.

During the initiation ceremony at the Eleusinian mysteries in the

dark room of initiation the priest would produce a crown of light

with tongues of fire around his head. First they shaved the head of

the priest and covered it with a protective ointment. Then, they

attached to the top of his head a circular metal container with

alcohol, which was set aflame in the dark and would shine for a brief

time. The crown of flame on the head of the priest was like a tongue

of fire. This imagery was borrowed by the writer of Acts. (Acts 2:3)

They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to

rest on [the head of] each of them. (NIV)

A short history of Baptism: From the Eleusinians to Christianity

Long before Christianity the Eleusinians instituted the ritual of

baptism as part of initiation into the mystery. The initiates were

required to undergo a preparatory purification; they marched in a

procession to the sea and washed their sins away by baptism. The

Roman historian Livy (64/59 BCE to 17 CE) mentions that ceremonial

washing preceded initiation into the mysteries of Dionysus. Through

baptism they secured glorious immortality in the afterlife. Their

message was " new life grows out of every grave. "

For the Eleusinians being born again and securing forgiveness of sins

by submersion in water was a mystery. Baptism symbolized the

purification of the soul. Tertullian wrote, " ... in the Apollinarian

and Eleusinian rites they are baptized, and they imagine that the

result of this baptism is rebirth and the remission of the penalties

of sins ... "

The mystery religion ritual of baptism was adopted first by the

Essenes and then by the Christians. The Essenes borrowed the ritual

of baptizing either from the Eleusinians or the Pythagoreans. During

their initiation they made a covenant with God, which included

baptizing and repentance. The Manual of Discipline (a.k.a. Rule of

the Community) required sincere repentance before baptism and

entering the covenant. (1QS 5:13-14) " Those [candidates] will not

enter into the water [of baptism] ... for they are not purified

except they repent from their wickedness. " The Manual describes the

procedure of entering the covenant. (1QS 3:8-9, 12 ) " ... through the

submission of his soul to all God's ordinances ... he may purify

himself with the water-for-impurity and sanctify himself with

rippling water ... this will become for him a covenant of eternal

Communion [with God]. "

Ritual purification with water was part of early Judaism. For the

most part it involved ceremonially washing the hands, while in a few

instances it required washing the whole body. It was done to remove

uncleanness after touching something unclean, such as a corpse. There

are distinct differences between the Hebrew rituals and the Essene

rituals of baptism. The Hebrews washed their bodies whereas the

Essenes practiced total immersion. The Damascus Document forbade

baptism in bodies of water insufficient for immersion. The Hebrews

did not perform such ritual for those who entered Judaism whereas the

Essenes did. Sometime during the first century CE proselyte baptism

was introduce to Judaism.

The Essenes and John the Baptist practiced baptism before the early

Christians. John was in many ways was an Essene. He lived like the

Essenes of Qumran and preached similarly. Mark indicates that he did

not baptize " in the name of Jesus Christ. " John was not a Christian,

yet Mark implies that the sins of his converts were forgiven. (Mark

1:4) John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of

repentance for the remission [forgiveness] of sins. (KJV) Josephus,

too, wrote that John the Baptist urged the Jews to baptize for the

remission of sins and the purification of the soul. Baptism for the

forgiveness of sins was an established practice before Jesus. The

early Christians borrowed baptism from John the Baptist.

Like the mystery followers, early Christians conducted baptizing at

the time of initiation. Peter ordered baptizing as soon as they

repented. (Acts 2:38) Then Peter said to them, Repent, and be

baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the

remission of sins ... (KJV)

Christianity was a continuation of pre-existing beliefs. As we will

further examine, it was created by the fusion of Judaic and Greek

beliefs. Such syncretism was common during that era. Religions were

put together using elements of other religions. All mystery religions

shared common beliefs. People were not offended by such inter-

borrowing. The mystery religions were not competing with one another.

They got along harmoniously. People belonged to several mystery

religions simultaneously. Only Christianity prohibited its converts

from belonging to other religions. This was not a problem in the

beginning. However, when Christians grew in numbers (in the second

century CE) the other religions became offended by Christianity's

competitiveness and its lack of sharing. As a result, they started

persecuting the Christians.

The Dionysians

Related to the Eleusinian mysteries were the cults of Dionysus (the

Greek god of fertility) and the Orphics. In the Dionysiac mystery the

initiates would go into a temporary sacred madness and their soul

would wing its way to unite with the god Dionysus. The soul would

be " with god " or " in god. " The initiates became " ƒÕ ƒÞ ƒáƒÕƒßƒÙ " (enthei),

that is, they dwelled " in god. " The idea of dwelling " in god " appears

in John's letter. (1 John 4:15) Whosoever will confess that Jesus is

the Son of God, God dwells in him, and he in God. (KJV) Paul often

used the expression " in Christ. " (Galatians 3:28) for you are all one

in Christ Jesus. (KJV) (Romans 16:7) ... my fellow prisoners ... who

also were in Christ before me. (KJV) (2 Corinthians 5:17) Therefore

if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature. (KJV) " In Christ " is

equivalent to " dwell in Christ. " It reflects the Mystic Union or the

Mystic Communion, which was practiced in the mystery religions of

that period.

Plato wrote that during the initiation, the initiates " search eagerly

within themselves to find the nature of their god, they are

successful, because they have been compelled to keep their eyes fixed

upon the god ... they are inspired and receive from him character and

habits, so far as it is possible for a man to have part in God. " The

mystery initiates believed that through the secret rituals they would

gain secret knowledgeand thus accomplish a mysticalunion with the

divine.This idea is clearly reflected in the following verses. (John

6:56) Whosoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and

I in him. (NIV) This is not something that the historical Jesus would

have said. Even in a symbolic way, this statement is contrary to the

law of Moses, which Jesus upheld.

Uniting with God was also an idea shared by the Stoics of that era.

Seneca (ca. 4 BCE to 65 CE) wrote, " God is near you, he is with you,

he is within you. " Paul wrote (Colossians 1:27) ... Christ in you ...

(KJV)

Here is a parallel between the mysteries of Dionysus and

Christianity. The account where God miraculously loosened the fetters

of Paul and Silas and opened the doors of their prison resembles an

episode of Euripides' play Bacchae where Dionysus miraculously freed

his followers (the Bacchae) by undoing their fetters and opening the

doors of their prison:

" The captured Bacchae you [Pentheus] did put in ward, and in common

prison bind with chains, they have fled to the meadows, loosed from

bonds ... the fetters from their feet self-separated fell; doors,

without mortal hand unbarred themselves. Yes, loaded with many

miracles this man [Dionysus] ... " (Acts 16:26) And suddenly

there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison

were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every

one's bands were loosed. (KJV)

Even the places of worship were similar. The Dionysians worshipped in

caverns. Early Roman Christians worshipped in catacombs, subterranean

cemeteries.

The idea of God placing seals on the bodies of his followers did not

come from the Old Testament. Yet it appears in the New Testament. It

came from the Greek mystery religions. At the time of Antiochus the

followers of Dionysus carried the seal of Dionysus on their bodies.

The seal of Dionysus

(3 Maccabees 2:29) those who are registered are also to be branded on

their bodies by fire with the ivy-leaf symbol of Dionysus ... (RSV)

The seal of God

(Revelation 9:4) ... those men which have not the seal of God in

their foreheads. (KJV) (John 6:27) ... on Him the Father, God, has

set His seal. (NASB) (2 Corinthians 1:21-22) But it is God who ...

has put his seal upon us ... (RSV)

(Psalms of Solomon 15:6) " For God's seal is on the righteous for

their salvation. " This book was influenced by the Greek culture. It

was revered by the early Church.

The transfer of the Dionysian beliefs into Christianity was

accomplished partly by Philo and the Alexandrian Jews who joined

Christianity, partly by the Essenes, and partly by those who before

joining Christianity worshipped Dionysus. As we will see further on,

the religion of Dionysus was popular in Palestine before the advent

of Christianity. Justin Martyr wrote, " ... we [Christians] who, from

every nation, once worshipped Bacchus [the Roman name for Dionysus],

the son of Semele, and Apollo ... and Proserpine [Persephone] and

Venus [Aphrodite] (... whose mysteries you also celebrate), and

Aesculapius [or Asclepius], or any one of the other so-called gods,

now, through Jesus Christ, even under the threat of death, [we] hold

these [gods] in contempt ... "

The Orphics

The Orphics worshipped the infant god Zagreus-Dionysus, the son of

Zeus from a mortal woman named Semele. Hera, the wife of Zeus, being

jealous of her husband's infidelity, sent the Titans to slaughter and

cut to pieces the newborn Dionysus. In one version of the myth the

goddess Rhea gathered the limbs of the infant and Dionysus was

resurrected. The Orphics commemorated with yearly rites the passion

and resurrection of Dionysus, the son of God. Christians, too, have

been commemorating every Easter the passion and resurrection of their

god Jesus.

The Orphics (and the Dionysians) practiced the mystery of communion

long before Jesus. They had sacramental communion with their god,

Zagreus-Dionysus, who had suffered, died, and arose. Justin Martyr

reported that they used wine and bread in their communion: " For when

they say Dionysus was born of Zeus' union with Semele, and

narrate ... that he was torn to pieces and died, he arose again and

ascended to heaven, and when they use the wine in his mysteries, is

it not evident that the Devil has imitated the previously quoted

prophecy ...? " Justin Martyr acknowledged that the Dionysians were

practicing communion before the Christians, but, he explained, they

did so because the Devil imitated an ancient prophecy of the Old

Testament.

Through the mystery of communion, the Orphics became one with their

god. The Christian communion is almost identical to the Orphic

ritual. (John 6:55-56) For my flesh is real food, and my blood is

real drink. Whosoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in

me, and I in him. (NIV)

The Orphics spread the idea that the world under the power of evil

and that the body is a burden and a bondage for the soul, whose

destiny is to escape this bondage and arrive at eternal and blessed

life. They also promoted the belief that man's efforts to win

salvation were powerless without divine assistance.This idea appears

in the following verse of John. (John 6:44) No one can come to me

unless the Father who sent me draws him. (NIV)

There are further parallels between the Orphics and the Hellenist

Christians. The Orphics believed that Dionysus, being born from the

divine Zeus and the mortal woman Semele, had a two-fold nature.

Likewise, Jesus had a two-fold nature, divine and human. Dionysus was

persecuted and murdered, yet was resurrected and became victorious.

Jesus was persecuted, murdered, and was victorious through his

resurrection.

Late texts reflecting Orphic eschatology put an emphasis on the role

of Dionysus as king of the New Age. When Jesus returns he will be the

king of the New Age. Though a child, Dionysus was made to reign over

all the kings in the universe. Jesus is the king of kings.Dionysus

was called " Lord. " Jesus, too, was called " Lord. " (Acts 2:36) God has

made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ. (NIV)

The Orphics abstained from meat. Their vegetarianism had a deep

religious justification. (They believed in reincarnation. They did

not want to eat their ancestors.) Plato wrote, " ... their offerings

to the gods consisted not of animals but of cakes of meal and

grain ... and other such bloodless sacrifices, and from flesh they

abstained as though it were unholy to eat it ... those ... men ...

lived what is called an 'Orphic life,' keeping wholly to inanimate

food and ... abstaining wholly from things animate. " By refusing to

eat meat the Orphics (and the Pythagoreans) abstained from blood

sacrifices, which were obligatory in the official cult of the Greeks.

(In this they differed from the Dionysians, who conducted public

sacrifices.) With this refusal, the Orphics expressed their decision

to detach themselves from the city (set themselves apart) and

renounce the world. They proclaimed their rejection of the Greek

religious system. Likewise, the Hellenist Christians abstained from

the Judaic blood sacrifices and renounced the world. (John 15:19) ...

you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world ...

(KJV)

Orpheus (from whom the Orphics received their name) and Dionysus went

to Hades and returned. Jesus did likewise. Plato wrote, " Orpheus ...

they sent back ... from Hades. " The 1st century BCE Greek historian

Diodorus of Sicily wrote " ... he [Orpheus] dared the amazing deed of

descending into Hades, where he entranced Persephone ... and

persuaded her ... to allow him to bring up his dead wife from Hades,

in this act resembling Dionysus; for the myths relate that Dionysus

brought up his mother Semele from Hades. " (Several demigods and

heroes, like Pollux, Theseus, and Hercules, went down to Hades and

came back. Jesus' story was modeled after them.)

The Belief of Praying for the Dead

The belief of praying for the dead is mentioned in the 12th chapter

of 2 Maccabees (written sometime around 104 to 63 BCE). As mentioned

earlier, this passage describes a number of Jewish soldiers who

supposedly had committed a mysterious sin, and who were killed. After

their death Judas Maccabeus ordered prayers on their behalf for

their salvation. Inspired by the verses of 2 Maccabees, the Catholics

believe that sins can be forgiven after death and that the prayers of

the living are an effective way to accomplish this.

The idea of saving people " on the other side " originated in the

mystery religion of the Orphics. Orphism exerted influence on the

Hellenistic culture of the eastern Mediterranean long before

Christianity. Although it was at its low point during the inception

of Christianity, Orphism goes back to the 6th century BCE.

In The Republic, Plato mentions the Orphic doctrine of expiating the

sins of the dead. He wrote, " ...that they by means of sacrifices and

incantations have accumulated ... power ... that can expiate and cure

with pleasurable festivals any misdeed of a man or his ancestors ...

they produce a bushel of books by Musaeus and Orpheus ... and these

books they use in their ritual, and make not only ordinary men but

states believe that there are really remissions of sins and

purifications for deeds of injustice by means of sacrifice and

pleasant sport for the living, and that there are also special rites

for the dead, which they call functions, that deliver us from evils

in that other world ... " " ... the rites for the dead have much

efficacy ... "

Diodorus of Sicily, while traveling in Egypt around 60 BCE, was

struck by the following funerary customs that depict praying for the

dead. As soon as the casket was placed on a floating bark, the

survivors called upon the infernal gods and beseeched them to receive

the soul of the deceased to the place reserved for pious men. The

rest of the funeral crowd added its own cheers to the pleas of the

survivors so that the deceased would be allowed to enjoy eternal life

in Hades, in the society of the righteous.

The Mysteries of Isis and Osiris

The religion of Isis had its roots in the Egyptian religion of

Osiris, which existed more than 2300 years BCE. According to the

Pyramid Texts (ca. 2350-2100 BCE), Isis mourned for her murdered

husband, the god Osiris. Osiris was a central deity of ancient Egypt.

He was the god of the dead and the underworld. With his sister-wife,

Isis, and their son, Horus, he formed the great Trinity of Abydos.

During the Hellenistic era Egypt fell under the rule of the Greek

kings, the Ptolemies, the successors of Alexander. To unite the

Greeks with the Egyptians the Ptolemies promoted the syncretism of

Greek and Egyptian religions. Consequently, the Egyptian religion of

Osiris was fused with the Greek mystery religions. The result of this

syncretism was the mystery religion of Isis and Osiris (better known

as the mysteries of Isis).

Frank C. Babbit wrote, " That the worship of Isis had been introduced

to Greece before 330 BC is certain from an inscription found in the

Peiraeus [the port of Athens], in which the merchants of Citium ask

permission to found a shrine of Aphrodite on the same terms as those

on which the Egyptians founded a shrine of Isis [in Peiraeus]. ... In

Plutarch's own town [Chaeronea, Boeotia] ... have been found two

dedications to Serapis, Isis, and Anubis ... " The mysteries of Isis

were established before the Christian era and became widespread

around the Mediterranean during the first century CE. Josephus

mentions that there was a temple of Isis in Rome at the time of

Pilate. In another account he mentions that Caesar Tiberius (reigned

14-37 CE) destroyed the temple of Isis and threw Isis's statue into

the river Tiber to punish the priests of Isis for something wrong

they had done. The fact that at about the time of the fall of

Jerusalem (70 CE) Isis appeared on Greek and Roman coins signifies

that this religion was widespread. Isis became identified with the

Greek goddess Artemis. When Paul preached in Ephesus she was popular

there. According to Acts, the Ephesian craftsmen who made miniature

temples of Artemis-Isis started a riot against Paul because Paul's

preaching was detrimental to their business.

During the formative years of Christianity the mysteries of Isis drew

converts from every corner of the Roman empire. Her priests were

dedicated missionaries, like soldiers crusading for her " hallowed

name. " " Isiswas tender hearted " as a mother. " The friend of slaves

and sinners ... and the downtrodden. " She was a savior goddess, like

Jesus.

Here is a miracle shared by Christianity and the mystery religion of

Sarapis. The historian Tacitus mentions that while Vespasian, the

Roman emperor (69-79 CE), was in Alexandria he was called to perform

a miracle in the name of Sarapis. He was given secret instructions by

the local medical experts to make a blind man see by moistening the

blind man's cheeks and eyes with his spittle. Vespasian did as he was

told and won a reputation as a wonder-worker. At about the time of

Vespasian Mark wrote the following. (Mark 8:23) ... when ... [Jesus]

had spit on his eyes, and put his hand upon him, he asked him if he

saw [anything]. (KJV) Using spittle to perform miracles was a common

technique of the current magicians. Because Jesus used this technique

the Jews accused him of being a magician. Tertullian

wrote, " confronted by his power, they [the Jews] counted him a

magician. " Justin Martyr wrote, " Yet, though they [the Jews]

witnessed these miraculous deeds with their own eyes, they attributed

them to magical art; indeed, they dared to call him a magician. "

Osiris (during the Hellenistic era was identified with Sarapis) was

the god and king of the underworld while his posthumous son Horus was

the god and king of the living. Osiris mummified represented

resurrection into eternal life. His body was customarily wrapped in

white funeral clothes. (As mentioned earlier, in the New Testament

white clothes are the clothes of the righteous.) The only complete

account of the Osiris myth occurs in Plutarch's Moralia: Isis and

Osiris. Egyptian fragments support much of Plutarch's version.

The wicked god Seth-Typhon managed to kill his brother, the good god

Osiris, and put his body in a coffin. He threw the coffin into the

river Nile. The coffin floated all the way to the Phoenician city of

Byblos. Isis, the wife of Osiris, searched for her dead husband,

found the coffin, and brought it back to Egypt. However, Seth managed

to get his hands on the coffin and cut Osiris' body into fourteen

pieces, which he scattered. Isis found all the pieces, put them

together, and resurrected him. This story has motifs that appear in

the New Testament: the baptism, the death, and the resurrection of a

good god, and the evil god (the devil), who tried to destroy the good

god.

Resurrection was the main theme of the religion of Isis. " Born again "

meant a mystical death that was followed by a spiritual birth (much

like the Christian idea of " born again " ). The Isiac followers

believed in the symbolism of the seed that has to be buried and has

to die for a new plant to spring up with more seeds. Plutarch wrote

that in Egypt wooden boxes in the shape of Osiris were filled with

earth and planted with seed of corn. The boxes were placed in tombs.

The sprouting corn in this funerary context represented new life.

(John 12:24) I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to

the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies,

it produces many seeds. (NIV)

The initiates of the mystery of Isis (a.k.a. mysteries of Isis) were

expected to confess their sins before their initiation. This was

commonly a part of the initiation ceremony. The candidates recounted

at length the misdeeds of their life (up to the time of their

baptism) in front of a community of devotees who listened to the

confession. Then they were baptized. They believed that the rite of

baptism would wash away all initiate's confessed sins. They believed

that from then on his or her life would be changed for the better

because he had enrolled himself in the service of the savior goddess

Isis. Apuleius (born ca. 124 CE, died probably after 170 CE), in his

book Metamorphoses, wrote, " the act of initiation was performed in

the manner of voluntary death and salvation obtained by favor. "

(Ephesians 2:8) For by grace you are saved through faith;

[salvation] ... is the gift of God. (KJV)

The followers of Isis practiced 10-day fasting and abstinence from

sex. Plutarch wrote, that the initiates practiced asceticism and

abstinence from " lusts of flesh. " Apuleius wrote, " the abstinence

required by the rules of chastity was quite strenuous. " Paul

recommended abstinence from sex. (1 Corinthians 7:1, 9) It is good

for a man not to touch a woman. But if they cannot contain, let them

marry: for it is better to marry than to burn. (KJV)

An interesting small statue found at Cyrene (modern Shanhat, Libya)

shows a female initiate of Isis. The bottom part of the woman is

wrapped like a mummy, but the upper part is free. The woman is

wearing the crown of Isis on her head. Thus, the statue portrays how

an initiate during the initiation would first die and then rise in

triumph. Likewise, Paul died through the law and rose through the

death of Jesus. (Galatians 2:19-20) For I through the law am dead to

the law, that I might live to God I am crucified with Christ. (KJV)

He told the Colossians that they were buried and risen with Jesus.

(Colossians 2:12) Buried with him in baptism, wherein also you are

risen with him through ... faith ... (KJV)

Themes on Christian caskets, like the figure of the Good Shepherd

carrying his lost sheep, were taken over from pagan craftsmanship.

(The Phrygian god Attis and the Canaanite god Baal were shepherds.)

Plutarch, in his book On Isis and Osiris, wrote that Horus

(corresponding to Jesus), trying to avenge the death of his father

Osiris (corresponding to God, the Father of Jesus), pursued Seth

(corresponding to Satan). Seth escaped capture by turning himself

into a crocodile (corresponding to the dragon, or serpent, of

Revelation). Plutarch wrote that Seth was the enemy of Horus. (Satan

was the enemy of Jesus.) He wrote that Seth was " the power of

darkness. " In Colossians the " power of darkness " is a term associated

with Satan. (Colossians 1:13) Who [Jesus] has delivered us from the

power of darkness ... (KJV) Plutarch wrote that Seth turned into a

fire-red colored ( " pyrrhos " ) crocodile. Diodorus, who lived in the

1st century BCE, concurs that Seth/Typhon was red. A fire-red dragon

appears in Revelation. (Revelation 12:3, 9) And there appeared

another wonder in heaven; and behold a great [fire] red [Gr.

pyrrhos ] dragon ... And the great dragon was cast out, that old

serpent, called the Devil, and Satan ... (KJV) In the 12th chapter of

Revelation the pregnant woman is fleeing to the desert to escape this

fire-red dragon. (Revelation 12:4, 6) ... the dragon stood before the

woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as

soon as it was born. And the woman fled into the wilderness ... (KJV)

These verses may have been inspired by the Alexandrian tradition of

the pregnant Isis fleeing into the marshes of the delta to escape

Seth. In Revelation the woman was given two wings of a great eagle so

she could escape to the desert from the dragon. (Revelation 12:14)

And to the woman was given two wings of a great eagle, that she might

fly into the wilderness ... from the face of the serpent. (KJV) Isis

is known to have two great falcon wings with which she blew air

into the nostrils of Osiris and resurrected him. Plutarch wrote that

Typhon (Seth) is the lord of the storm, who spits, roars in the sky,

and is associated with the desert. The woman in Revelation escaped to

the desert, and the dragon spit a river of water. (Revelation 12:15)

Then from his mouth the serpent spewed water like a river, to

overtake the woman and sweep her away with the torrent. (NIV) The

Greek text reads: to make her " potamophoreton. " The

word " potamophoretos " was a well-known title of Isis.

It is believed that Revelation was written somewhere in Asia Minor,

either at Ephesus or the island of Patmos, which is across from

Ephesus. Ephesus was a major center for the religion of Isis-Artemis.

Here is another parallel between the mystery of Isis and Revelation:

Isis

" In Sais the Statue of Athena, whom they believe to be Isis, bore the

inscription: 'I am all that has been, and is, and will be ... " God

(Revelation 1:8) I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending,

says the Lord, who is, and who was, and who is to come ... (KJV)

The legend of Horus has inspired Christian iconography. Saint George

was associated with Horus. He was often depicted winning a fight

against a crocodile-like dragon. A work in the museum of Louvre known

as Horus St. George, possibly of the 4th century CE, depicts a man

with the head of a hawk (Horus was portrayed in Egyptian frescoes

with the head of a hawk) piercing with his spear a crocodile (Typhon-

Seth) on whom his horse is trampling.

The Gnostic Christians mingled Horus with Jesus by blending several

symbols of Christianity with the symbols of Isis and Horus. A bas-

relief on the wall of an early Egyptian church belonging to the

Memmonium at Abydos portrays Jesus sitting on a throne with the

horned disc of Horus and holding a staff or crook similar to that of

Osiris.

The influence of Isis is found in non-biblical Christian writings as

well as in the New Testament. Paul's expression " I have become all

things to all men " is a slogan of the mystery religion of Isis. Isis

was known as " all things to all men. "

The Mysteries of Attis

The Phrygian (Anatolian) god Attis was identified with the

Phoenician god Adonis. God Adonis died and was resurrected.

Theocritus (born ca. 300 BC, Syracuse, Sicily --died 260 BC) wrote

about this in his play the Idylls.

Attis was a very handsome shepherd (Jesus was portrayed as a

shepherd) with whom the goddess Cybele fell in love. Attis betrayed

her and entered into a love affair with a nymph. In her anger and

jealousy Cybele killed the nymph. This caused Attis to go insane and

kill himself. Cybele, who still loved Attis, mourned for him and

resurrected him. This legend was handed to us by a pagan, Firmicus

Maternus, who became a Christian in the 4th century CE.

The religion of Attis was first established in Phrygia, and in 204

BCE the goddess Cybele was formally welcomed into Rome. After that,

the worship of the Great Mother became prominent in the Roman world.

The worship of the Great Mother Cybele in Rome, along with the

worship of the goddess Isis (the mother of Horus) in Rome, played a

key role in inspiring the worship of Mary (the mother of Jesus) by

the Catholic Church of Rome.

According to the mysteries of Attis (as handed to us by Firmicus

Maternus), an initiate had to take part in the dying and rising of

the god Attis. He went to the sanctuary that was in a dark cavern. He

was symbolically slain and buried into the ground up to his neck.

Then the congregation of the cult sang songs of mourning over the

victim while in the dark. Suddenly, the cavern became illuminated by

a bright light and the mystic priest called in a low voice, " Rejoice

mystai! Lo, our god appears as saved! And we will find salvation,

springing from our woes [pains]. " By this ritual, the initiate who

was buried became the god Attis during his initiation and, like

Attis, the initiate symbolically suffered torments, was slain, and

rose again. Inscriptions found read: " en aeternum renatus, " that

is, " he rose to eternal life. " (Colossians 2:12) Having been buried

with him in baptism ... you were also raised up with him. (NASB)

(Galatians 2:20) I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet

not I, but Christ lives in me. (KJV) (Romans 8:17) we suffer with

him, that we may be also glorified together [with him]. (KJV)

We know that this religion preceded Christianity, but we do not know

whether the above mentioned rite did also.

The Mysteries of Mithra

Mithraism had connections with Zoroastrianism, but its exact origin

is not certain. It involved the worship of the ancient Indo-Iranian

god of light, Mithra (or Mitra). Herodotus mentions Mitra as a god of

the Persians. The Persian god Mithra was the chief ally of the

Zoroastrian god Ahura Mazda. However, the worship of Mithra west of

Anatolia had few connections with Zoroastrianism except for its

emphasis on the eternal struggle between good and evil (dualism).

Mithraism appeared in the eastern Mediterranean at about the same

time as Christianity. It did not become popular until after 100 CE

when it spread from Syria and Anatolia throughout the Roman empire,

reaching into Gaul and Britain. It became early Christianity's most

serious rival.

So far, we do not have any historical facts that establish Mithra's

influence on Christianity. To some extent the common beliefs of the

two religions may have been the result of interborrowing. But it is

important to note that such beliefs existed before the establishment

of either religion and were widespread in the eastern Mediterranean.

The study of Mithraism confirms the widespread religious syncretism

of the Roman era.

Mithraism was the official religion of Roman soldiers. They acquired

it during the 1st century BCE (before the time of Jesus) from the

Parthians during their campaigns in northeast Asia Minor. We do not

know how fast it spread in the beginning within the Roman army. It

seems that it was established at about the time of the fall of

Jerusalem (70 CE). Josephus recounted recounts the speech of Titus,

the Roman general (the son of Emperor Vespasian), during the siege of

Jerusalem. In his exhortation to his soldiers Titus spoke about life

after death: " ... the immortality of those men who are slain in the

midst of their martial bravery. ... those ... that ... die in time of

peace ... their souls are condemned to the grave, together with their

bodies. ... [on the other hand], those souls which are severed from

their fleshly bodies in battles by the sword ... are placed among the

stars. " The belief that the soldiers who died in battle became

immortal while the civilians were all condemned to the grave was

unique to Mithraism.

The mysteries of Mithra remained popular among the military (Mithra

personified such soldierly values as victory, courage, and loyalty)

and merchant classes. Women could not join Mithraism. By the 4th

century it became one of the most powerful religions of the Roman

empire. Along with other non-Christian sects, it suffered persecution

by Christianity and was gradually eliminated after Emperor

Constantine declared Christianity the state religion. (History shows

that Christianity was established mainly by Emperor Constantine's

power, by destroying its competitors, and by securing the monopoly of

religion in the Byzantine Empire and subsequently in the West.)

The completion of seven levels of Mithraic initiation conferred

immortality. The ritual usually mimed death and resurrection. It was

usually held in caves. It began in darkness and ended with torch

light. The darkness and the torch light signified death and

resurrection. In a certain ritual the initiates were buried or shut

inside a sarcophagus. In another ritual the heart of a victim,

supposedly a child, was roasted and distributed among the

participants for eating. This, again, is similar to the Christian

communion: eating the flesh of the god Jesus. The early second

century apologist of Christianity, Justin Martyr, claimed that the

Mithraists copied the Christians: " ... Jesus ... took bread and,

after giving thanks, said: 'Do this in remembrance of me ... In like

manner, he took the cup, gave thanks, and said: 'This is my

blood; ... The evil demons, in imitation of this, ordered the same

thing to be performed in the Mithraic mysteries. For as you know ...

bread and a cup of water, together with certain incantations, are

used in their mystic initiation rites. " This quotation confirms

that sometime in the beginning of the second century communion was a

widespread ritual among the followers of Mithra.

The followers of Mithra believed that Mithra will descend from Heaven

to conduct the final battle against Ahriman and his forces. The dead

will rise from their graves and Mithra will judge them, separating

the good from the evil. Ohrmazd (the Father God of Mithra) will send

down an annihilating fire upon the evil, upon Ahriman, and upon his

demons. An endless reign of happiness and goodness will follow. These

beliefs are similar to the teachings of Revelation.

The greatest festival of the Roman mystery religion of Deus Sol

Invictus was held on December 25, at the time of the winter solstice.

Also, Mithra's birthday was on December 25. He was the god of light.

After December 25 the length of each day begins to increase. Thus,

December 25 was regarded as the day of the rebirth of the god Sol

(Sun) and of the renovation of life. Hellenist Christians borrowed

this date and declared it as Jesus' birthday. (According to Luke,

Jesus was born during a night of warm weather; probably not in the

middle of winter. The shepherds were out in the fields keeping watch

over their flock.)

In the mysteries of Mithra, bread and wine gave the initiates

strength and wisdom in this life, and a glorious immortality in the

afterlife. Such was the Mithraic ritual of communion. In a rare

quotation that survived from an ancient text called the Liturgy of

Mithra there is a passage that has a parallel in Christianity:

" Today, having been born again be ... out of so many myriads. ...

Born again for rebirth of that life-giving birth. " (John 3:3)

Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see

the kingdom of God. (NASB)