Jesus Christ In Comparative Mythology Essay
Jesus Christ in comparative mythology is the examination of Jesus’ life in Christian theology as it relates to other religions. During the second and third centuries, Christian views of Jesus can be found in various other religions such as Greco-Roman and Egyptian mythology and the pagan religion (Wikipedia Contributors). The common promise was an afterlife, not just for the elite but for everyone as well as the reoccurring theme of a god dying and rising again (Humphreys). Later in the fourth century, Christianity became a State wide religion throughout the Roman Empire; it was also successful in Egypt (Humphreys). Jesus has even appeared in recreations of earlier artworks with him as the focal point (Humphreys). Although he has appeared in
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The first is the symbolism of wine in both Dionysus’ mythology and Jesus. Dionysus was the god of fertility but also the god of wine. In the Gospel of John, as well as the story of the marriage at Cana, Jesus turns water into wine; this story was clearly based off of Dionysus’ own miracles (Wikipedia Contributors). Those who drink Dionysus’ wine are freed from whatever troubles them and are empowered by the god himself (Wikipedia Contributors). This can be seen as a parallel with Christianity’s idea of transubstantiation—a ceremonial meal involving bread and wine (Wikipedia Contributors). Also, there is a connection between how Dionysus stands before King Pentheus on trial because he claimed divinity like how Jesus stood in front of Pontius Pilate in the New Testament (Wikipedia Contributors). While Dionysus and Jesus’ had similar stories, Jesus and Apollo share similar pieces of artwork. Apollo was not the only was shown as shown as a young man that was beardless with short hair (Humphreys). Jesus essentially took over as the sun god with a fiery chariot throughout artwork. Originally, Apollo was depicted with a sun behind his head, but around the third century Jesus got a sun behind him too (Humphreys). Jesus also became the “Good Shepard,” which was initially Apollo
The first is the symbolism of wine in both Dionysus’ mythology and Jesus. Dionysus was the god of fertility but also the god of wine. In the Gospel of John, as well as the story of the marriage at Cana, Jesus turns water into wine; this story was clearly based off of Dionysus’ own miracles (Wikipedia Contributors). Those who drink Dionysus’ wine are freed from whatever troubles them and are empowered by the god himself (Wikipedia Contributors). This can be seen as a parallel with Christianity’s idea of transubstantiation—a ceremonial meal involving bread and wine (Wikipedia Contributors). Also, there is a connection between how Dionysus stands before King Pentheus on trial because he claimed divinity like how Jesus stood in front of Pontius Pilate in the New Testament (Wikipedia Contributors). While Dionysus and Jesus’ had similar stories, Jesus and Apollo share similar pieces of artwork. Apollo was not the only was shown as shown as a young man that was beardless with short hair (Humphreys). Jesus essentially took over as the sun god with a fiery chariot throughout artwork. Originally, Apollo was depicted with a sun behind his head, but around the third century Jesus got a sun behind him too (Humphreys). Jesus also became the “Good Shepard,” which was initially Apollo