Questions on the origin of Jesus?

Question

I was doing some research on the history of the bible and I found a book titled "The Jesus Mysteries-Was the Original Jesus a Pagan God?" I was skeptic at first but I ordered it out of curiosity. Is it true that December 25th was also the date of birth of a similiar ancient greek god? Also that where the Vatican stands was once a Pagan Temple? This type of information really troubles me as a Christian. The writers of the book have lots of sources for their information so it doesnt just seem to be some crazy conspiracy theory. Anyone have any information that would discredit these claims?

Answer 1

There most likely was a historical figure that Jesus is based on, however much of the supernatural claims about him have many many parallels to pagan myths. You should also research Appolonius of Tyanna. He was a contemporary of Jesus who has a strikingly similar life story.

Answer 2

I would not take time to discredit the claims. However, let me explain that Jesus probably was not born in December. It would be too cold in the hills around Bethlehem for a new born to survive. Therefore, whoever was born (Greek God) could well have been pagan. Christmas celebrations the way it is done today is a Pagan ritual. The celebration of Jesus birth should not be so commercialized and full of tress, lights, etc. It should be a time of worship of the Messiah. The Vatican is still a Pagan temple as far as I know. Understand that the Bible they say they believe in states "..call no man on earth your father.." and also "..no man is Holy only god in Heaven..." and they violate both of these Biblical rules. Thus, Pagan for sure. Also the Bible says "..if you sin you have an advocate with the Father (God) through Jesus Christ the Lord. Not the priest. Why confess to him?? It is contrary to God's Word.
Next - there was more than one man called Jesus and still are named that today so what is to say the Jesus born in December was not Pagan. Note also there are two Bethlehem's. Be sure you identify which Jesus we speak of. The Son of God was Jesus of Nazareth.
Hope this helps you some. Study to show yourself approved!

Answer 3

December 25th is the birthday of the Greek sun-god Mithra. the pagans would celebrate that holiday every year with feasting and such, so when they became Christians it was hard to give up the holiday. a long time ago the Pope changed the day of the celebration of the birth of Jesus to December 25th to make it easier for pagans converts.

in the Bible it says that the angels called the shepherds to come and worship the baby born to the virgin Mary. well you have to take into mind that shepherds wouldn't be herding their sheep in December, so the birth of Jesus must've been sometime in July or August.

so yes, Christmas Day is ORIGINALLY the birthday of Mithra, but if you didn't know that, and you always thought it was the birthday of Jesus, then I don't really see the problem. Christmas is a celebration of the birth of Jesus - and as Jesus GAVE us something, it's also a celebration of giving. Christmas trees came from Germany, and are probably originally a pagan thing as well HOWEVER, it's just not viewed that way for most people.

Answer 4

I have no source. But I have an opinion. When Jesus was in the trial to be sentenced to the dead by Pilatus,the Rome's Governor of Judea (sorry I read in Indonesian, I am Indonesian)., there are interesting dialod between them.
P: So You are son of God?
J: Is that what You think, or there are some other people told so to you?

Well, that have one meaning, the Romans people that later become a christian maybe still considering Jesus as Son of Zeus, their old God. Coz in that age people intelligent wasn't looks like nowdays. So that where the story why Jesus was one of the Greeks (or Romans) Gods.

Btw, I am an Christian with a very poor knowledge about bible. But I can just said one thing: If Jesus was one of the Greeks Gods (and Jesus still have an REAL activities in this world), where is the other Greeks Gods?
Stupid question maybe. But I stay in my own path, let those books you read became a part of history in archeology or whatever, my Jesus is my God. Coz I was recognize His present in my life.

Answer 5

Sweetie, I can promise you this one thing. You can name any subject and any given opinion on that one subject will have a book or a study or a poll or research to back up two completely opposing views. Both sides will have "concrete" evidence to back up their beliefs. Just try it.

I'm not a Catholic but from what I know about the Catholic church that wouldn't surprise me at all about the Vatican. All pomp & circumstance & no substance.

Most Christians agree that we don't know the exact date Jesus was born. Perhaps we "stole" the date of December 25 from the pagans. If so, what's the harm in that? Taking something meant for bad and turning it into something good and holy is always a GOOD thing. Jesus was & IS the Son of God, not a Pagan God. The trouble with the pagans is that they try to claim everything is theirs since "they were here first." A real child-like mentality. What they fail to realize is that GOD was here long before they were and I believe He loves the fact that we honor the birth of His Son Jesus even if we get the date wrong.

The best thing you can do is pray to find peace about it. God will honor your seeking.

Answer 6

Jesus never celebrated the 25th of December.

M’Clintock and Strong’s Cyclopædia says: “The observance of Christmas is not of divine appointment, nor is it of N[ew] T[estament] origin. The day of Christ’s birth cannot be ascertained from the N[ew] T[estament], or, indeed, from any other source.”—(New York, 1871), Vol. II, p. 276.

Luke 2:8-11 shows that shepherds were in the fields at night at the time of Jesus’ birth. The book Daily Life in the Time of Jesus states: “The flocks . . . passed the winter under cover; and from this alone it may be seen that the traditional date for Christmas, in the winter, is unlikely to be right, since the Gospel says that the shepherds were in the fields.”—(New York, 1962), Henri Daniel-Rops, p. 228.

The Encyclopedia Americana informs us: “The reason for establishing December 25 as Christmas is somewhat obscure, but it is usually held that the day was chosen to correspond to pagan festivals that took place around the time of the winter solstice, when the days begin to lengthen, to celebrate the ‘rebirth of the sun.’ . . . The Roman Saturnalia (a festival dedicated to Saturn, the god of agriculture, and to the renewed power of the sun), also took place at this time, and some Christmas customs are thought to be rooted in this ancient pagan celebration.”—(1977), Vol. 6, p. 666.

The New Catholic Encyclopedia acknowledges: “The date of Christ’s birth is not known. The Gospels indicate neither the day nor the month . . . According to the hypothesis suggested by H. Usener . . . and accepted by most scholars today, the birth of Christ was assigned the date of the winter solstice (December 25 in the Julian calendar, January 6 in the Egyptian), because on this day, as the sun began its return to northern skies, the pagan devotees of Mithra celebrated the dies natalis Solis Invicti (birthday of the invincible sun). On Dec. 25, 274, Aurelian had proclaimed the sun-god principal patron of the empire and dedicated a temple to him in the Campus Martius. Christmas originated at a time when the cult of the sun was particularly strong at Rome.”—(1967), Vol. III, p. 656.

Answer 7

Those are bogus writers. There is an original Bible called The Gospel of the Nazirenes, Edited and Restored with Historical documentation by Alan Wauters and Rick Van Wyhe. King Constantine misconstrued the Bible most are reading in the over 500 different Christian religions today. The christian Essenes are the original Christians who went into hiding at the time of Christ because they where being killed by non Christians like Paul. Paul never even met Christ yet most of the Bible are his teachings. The Essenes say he was not a real Christian and his teachings are bogus. go to thegospelofthenazirenes. for the truth of Christ and his teaching.

Answer 8

It is possible to start a religion with an interesting book. Ron Hubbard did it and now Dan Brown's novel "The DiVinci Code" is being touted as partial truth. We will probably see the developement of a cult around that book of fiction. Jesus said He was the way to the Father in the Word. That you can believe! As to the location of the Vatican, is it really important. A muslim temple now is on the site of Solomon's Temple in Jerusalem. Does that disprove Solomon as a Jew? I don't think so.

Answer 9

Pope Liberius (352-66) Made Dec 25th Christs' birthday.

The reason was simple, winter solstice, celebration was the biggest pagan Holiday.

It was easier to make there holiday, a christian Holiday, than to try to forbid the practice of the celebration.

(or if you can't beat them join them)

Rome as you should know was a totally pagan city, empire- everything IN Rome was pagan, except for a few Christians who just refused to die out- until 311 AD and Constantine (who was more pagan than christian) - so I have to say SO?

Answer 10

you need to choose your sources...

check those two books out on Amazon.com:

1) "The Gospel and the Greeks: Did the New Testament Borrow from Pagan Thought?" by Ronald H. Nash

2.) "Jesus Under Fire: Modern Scholarship Reinvents the Historical Jesus" by Mr. Michael J. Wilkins (Editor), J.P. Moreland (Editor)

Answer 11

Christanity was around before the Catholic Church. The only reason it got so big was the emproer Constatine became a christian, and made it the official religin of the roman empire. Dec. 25, is a myth about his birth. The onlything that can be pinpointed is his death.