Tintoretto, Elisha Multiplies The Bread, 1578
There is nothing new under the sun. Is there a thing of which it is said, “See, this is new”? It has been already, in the ages before us. - Ecclesiastes 1:9-10
A rabbi once observed that there were some good things to be found in the New Testament, but what was good wasn't new and what was new wasn't good. The Gospels are a product of their time. Many similar teachings and narratives may be found in other works of ancient history, philosophy and literature. This is acknowledged by Justin Martyr late in the 2nd century:
"While we [Christians] say that all things have been produced and arranged into a world by God, we shall seem to utter the doctrine of Plato; and while we say that there will be a burning up of all, we shall seem to utter the doctrine of the Stoics: and while we affirm that the souls of the wicked, being endowed with sensation even after death, are punished, and that those of the good being delivered from punishment spend a blessed existence, we shall seem to say the same things as the poets and philosophers; and while we maintain that men ought not to worship the works of their hands, we say the very things which have been said by the comic poet Menander, and other similar writers, for they have declared that the workman is greater than the work." - First Apologia 1:20
But Justin insists that some Christian/pagan similarities are the work of demons:
"Before [Jesus] became a man among men, some, influenced by the demons...related beforehand, through the instrumentality of the poets, those circumstances as having really happened, which, having fictitiously devised, they narrated, in the same manner as they have caused to be fabricated the scandalous reports against [the Christians] of infamous and impious actions." - ibid. 1:23
A few decades later, Tertullian credited Satan with introducing the rite of baptism to pagan mystery cults.
Did the Evangelists borrow from earlier works? Did bronze age demons preemptively plagiarize Jesus? Let the reader decide.
PART I: SAYINGS
THE BEATITUDES
Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Mt5:5
The Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek. - Isaiah 61:1
The meek shall inherit the earth. - Psalm 37:11
Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. Mt5:7
It hath been told thee, O man, what is good, and what the Lord doth require of thee: only to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God. - Micah 6:8
Anyone who has compassion for God’s creatures will receive compassion from Heaven, and anyone who does not have compassion for God’s creatures will not receive compassion from Heaven. - Talmud, Shabbat 151b
Everyone who shows mercy, Heaven has mercy upon him. - Orchot Tzaddikim 17:8
The good have mercy upon all. - Hitopadesa 1:10
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Mt5:8
Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? or who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart. - Ps24:3-4
Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake. Mt5:10
It is pleasing to the righteous to suffer afflictions on account of God, for thus are they freed from this state of exile. - Synopsis Sohar p. 92
THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD
You are the light of the world. Mt.5:14
When Rabban Jochanan ben Zaccai was near death, he wept loudly. His disciples said to him, “Rabbi thou high pillar light of the world weighty hammer why dost thou weep?” -Aboth Rabbi Nathan c. 24
I am the light of the world. Jn.8:12, 9:5
[The Temple is] the light of the world. - Talmud, Bava Batra 4a:3
Alexander proclaimed: "Glycon am I, the grandson of Zeus, bright beacon to mortals!" - Lucian, Alexander the False Prophet
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. Mt.5:16
Good people shine from afar like the snowy mountains. - Buddha, Dhammapada 22:304
He whose evil deeds are covered by good deeds brightens up this world, like the moon when freed from clouds. - Ibid. 13:173
Great men rectify themselves, and others become rectified. - Mencius, Works 7:19
COMMANDMENTS
You have heard that it was said...‘You shall not kill; and whoever kills shall be liable to judgment.’ But I say to you that every one who is angry with his brother shall be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother shall be liable to the council, and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be liable to the hell of fire. Mt.5:21-22
Let not injustice be done in deed or in thought, nor a word be uttered that shall cause a fellow creature pain! - Institutes of Menu 2:161
Every one who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. Mt.5:28
If a woman whilst she is with her husband directs her heart to some one else whom she hath seen in the street there is no greater adultery. - Bammidbar Rabba sect. 9 fol. 203:3 and Tanchuma 61:2
If your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. Mt.5:30
If I have raised my hand against the fatherless, because I saw help in the gate; then let my shoulder blade fall from my shoulder, and let my arm be broken from its socket. - Job 33:21-22
Do not swear at all... (Mt5:34)
Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain. - Exodus 20:7
[The Essenes] lead a life of continued purity, unstained by oaths and falsehoods. - Philo, Every Good Man Is Free 12:84
Whatsoever [the Essenes] say also is firmer than an oath; but swearing is avoided by them, and they esteem it worse than perjury; for they say that he who cannot be believed without swearing by God, is already condemned. - Josephus, Jewish War 2:135
...either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King (Mt5:34-35)
God said to the Israelites, Think not that ye are allowed to swear by my name even though ye swear rightly. - Bamidbar Rabbah sect. 22
And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. (Mt.5:36)
Thou canst not make one hair black, nor canst thou whiten one hair; and yet in thy old age all thy hairs become white. - Sepher Raziel Haggadol 10:2
Let what you say be simply “Yes” or “No”; anything more than this comes from evil. (Mt.5:37)
Rabbi Huna said in the name of R. Samuel ben Isaac, “'The yea of the righteous is yea, and their no is no.'” - Ruth Rabbah 42:4
TURN THE OTHER CHEEK
“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, Do not resist one who is evil. But if any one strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also; and if any one would sue you and take your coat, let him have your cloak as well; and if any one forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles." Mt.5:38-41
Do not say, “I will repay evil”; wait for the Lord, and he will help you. - Proverbs 20:22
Do not say, “I will do to him as he has done to me; I will pay the man back for what he has done.” - Proverbs 24:29
Learn to receive suffering and forgive an offence against you. - Avot D'Rabbi Natan 41:11
Whoever is joyful in the suffering that comes upon him brings salvation to the world. - Talmud, Ta'anit 8a:17
If thy neighbor calleth thee [an] ass, place upon thyself a saddle. - Talmud, Bava Kama 92:2 tr. Mishna
Our Rabbins deliver to us, They who receive scorn, but scorn no man; who hear reproaches, and return them not; who shew love to men, and rejoice in tribulations, of them the Scripture saith, They shall love him, and be as the sun going forth in his might. - Schabbath, fol. 88, 3 (tr. Mishna)
If a known thief or usurer desires to make restitution, one should not accept it, and if he does accept it, he is devoid of wisdom and piety. - Midrash Tanchuma, Noach 4:4
He who returns evil for evil acts wrongly. He should have patience and God will give him help on this account. - Zohar 1:201a
SOCRATES: What of doing evil in return for evil, which is the morality of the many - is that just or not? [No?] Then we ought not to retaliate or render evil for evil to anyone, whatever evil we may have suffered from him... either injury nor retaliation nor warding off evil by evil is ever right. - Plato, Crito 49b-d.
The best way of avenging myself is to not become like the wrongdoer. - Marcus Aurelius, Meditations
Leave another's wrongdoing where it is. - Ibid.
Recompense injury with justice. - Confucius, Analetics 14:36
GIVE TO BEGGARS, LEND TO BORROWERS
Give to every one who begs from you. Lk.6:20
Do not refuse him who would borrow from you. Mt.5:42
If there is among you a poor man, one of your brethren, in any of your towns within your land which the Lord your God gives you, you shall not harden your heart or shut your hand against your poor brother, but you shall open your hand to him, and lend him sufficient for his need, whatever it may be... You shall give to him freely, and your heart shall not be grudging when you give to him; because for this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in all that you undertake. For the poor will never cease out of the land; therefore I command you, You shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor, in the land. - Deut. 15:7-8, 10-11
Do not avert your eye from the needy. - Sirach [Ecclesiasticus] 4:5
He who says “What is mine is thine and what is thine let it be thine;” - he is pious. But he who says “What is thine is mine and what is mine let it be mine;” - he is impious. - Pirkei Avot 5:10
Give, if thou art asked, from the little thou hast; thus wilt thou go near the gods. - Buddha, Dhammapada, 17:224
Lend, expecting nothing in return. Luke 6:35
Antigonus of Sokho would say: Do not be like the servants who serve the master on the condition of receiving a reward; rather, be like the servants who serve the master not on the condition that they receive a reward. - Talmud, Avodah Zarah 19a:4
The gift bestowed with right purpose on one who cannot repay it is called a real gift! - Hitopadesa, 1:14.
LOVE YOUR ENEMIES
You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, Mt.5:43-44
He is a hero who maketh his enemy a friend. - Aboth R. Nathan c. 23
If thou seest an Israelite who rejoices in the adversity of his enemy he is perfectly impious. - Siphra 174.1
Even [the] wicked should still be treated as God’s children. - Simchat HaRegel on Pesach Haggadah, Magid, Four Questions 2:7
Honour all men; love him who reproves you and hate him who honours you. - Talmud, Kallah Rabbati 4:4
It is prohibited to rob or defraud even a heathen, an idolater. If a man did rob or defraud him, he must make restitution. - Mishneh Torah, Robbery & Lost Property 1:2
Our rabbis have taught: "We support the poor of the heathen along with the poor of Israel, the sick of the heathen along with the sick of Israel, and bury the poor of the heathen along with the dead of Israel, in the interests of peace." - Talmud, Gittin 61a:5
It is permitted to help their poor, visit their sick, bury their dead, eulogize them, and console their mourners, for the purpose of maintaining peaceful relations with them. - Kitzur Shulchan Arukh 167:16
Your life is now a tale that is told...Recall the fair sights you have seen...the unkindly men to whom you have shown kindness. - Marcus Aurelius, Meditations
It does not divert the Almighty from being still gracious, though we proceed daily in the abuse of his bounties. ... How many bad men have good crops when better than themselves have their fruits blasted? Such a man we say has treated me very ill. Why, what should we do but that very thing which is done by God himself; that is to say, give to the ignorant and persevere to the wicked. - Seneca
He who hates vice hates mankind. - Thrasea, quoted by Pliny the Younger, Epistle 8:22
...so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; Mt.5:45a
God said to the Israelites, If ye wish to be known as being my children, attend to the law and to good works, then all shall know that ye are my children. - Rabbi Jehuda ben Sallum, Debarim Rabba sect. 7 fol. 259:3
By forgiveness of injuries the wise is purified. - Institutes of Menu, 107
...for he makes his sun to rise on the evil and the good; and sends rain on the just and the unjust. Mt5:45b
Rabbi Abbahu said: The day of rain is greater than the resurrection of the dead. The reason is that while the resurrection of the dead benefits only the righteous, rain benefits both the righteous and the wicked. - Talmud, Ta'anit 7a
The wisdom of Heaven does all things with a regard to the good of the universe; and the blessings of nature are granted in common to the worst as well as to the best of men. - Seneca
DISCRETION IN ALMSGIVING
Beware of practicing your piety before men in order to be seen by them; for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. Thus, when you give alms, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by men. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your alms may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you. Mt.6:1-4
All alms and mercy done by the heathens are sins to them since they do them only to obtain glory thereby. - Talmud, Bava Bathra 10:2 tr. Mishna
Whosoever lendeth to any one in public with him God dealeth according to justice. But he who does it secretly, with him dwelleth the divine blessing. - Tr. Sohar 4:1
What are the alms which free from the second death? Those which the giver knows not to whom he gives. - Talmud, Bava Bathra 10:1
[Rabbi Eleazar said] A man who gives charity in secret is greater than Moses himself. - Talmud, Bava Bathra 9
God said, Ye are able to testify of things done openly but I of things done in secret. - Bereschith Rabba sect. 85 fol. 84:1
By proclaiming a gift, its fruit perishes. - Institutes of Menu 4:237
PRAYER INSTRUCTION
When you pray, you are not to be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners so that they may be seen by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you. Mt.6:5-6
It is not needful that a man pray aloud but he ought to pray in a low tone so that his words may not be heard. - Tr. Sohar Genes. fol. 114 col. 454
Through Hannah we learn that one must not raise the voice too high: "Now Hannah she spake in her heart" (1Sam.i.13); on the other hand, one must not reduce prayer to a simple meditation, for it is written: "her lips moved" (1Sam.i.13). How, then, is one to act? Speak with the lips. R. Jose bar Hanina says: ... Hannah spake in her heart, therefore prayer requires attention; her lips moved, therefore the prayers must be spoken; her voice was not heard, therefore one must not raise the voice too high. - Jerusalem Talmud, Berakhoth ch. IV
And when you are praying, do not use meaningless repetition as the Gentiles do, for they suppose that they will be heard for their many words. So do not be like them; for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him. Mt.6:7-8
Do not prattle in the assembly of the elders, nor repeat yourself in your prayer. - Sirach [Ecclesiasticus] 7:14
Let the words of a man always be few before the face of God. - Talmud, Berachoth, 61:1
In vain will any one multiply idle words in his prayers. - Rabbi Elijahu the Kareite, Triglandius de Secta Karaeorum, p. 168
This is a prayer of the Athenians: “Rain, rain, dear Zeus, on the plains and ploughlands of the Athenians.” Man should pray after this frank and simple fashion, or not pray at all. - Marcus Aurelius, Meditations, 5:7
LORD'S PRAYER: DOXOLOGY
Thy kingdom come. Mt.6:10, Lk.11:2
[R. Jehuda & R. Seira said] Prayers which say nothing concerning the kingdom do not deserve the name of prayers. - Talmud, Sanhedrin 28:2
Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Mt.6:10
God wills that his name be glorified on earth as it is glorious in heaven. - Tr. Sohar Exod. 28:110, 111
When the Israelites approached Mount Sinai angels came to them; these are the angels in heaven and the Israelites are the angels on earth; they hallow the divine name in heaven the Israelites hallow it on earth. - Ibid. 33:131
Give us this day our daily bread. Mt.6:11
All the children of the world look up and raise their eyes to God - nay even all the believers seek every day their food from God, and on that account pour forth their prayers to God. What is the reason? This, - he who calleth on God for his food, he causeth the world every day to receive a blessing. Wherefore a man ought not to cook his food for the next day, nor to reserve any thing from today for the morrow. But he who asketh food only for to day, he is called a man of faith. - Tr. Sohar Exod. 26:102
LORD'S PRAYER: FORGIVENESS & DELIVERANCE
Forgive us our debts, as we have forgiven our debtors. Mt.6:12
A man borrowed from another and fixed a time for repayment before the king, and swore by the life of the king. When the time was past, and he could not pay his debt, he came as a suppliant to the king, who said, “What thou hast done against me is forgiven thee; but go to thy creditor, and seek forgiveness also of him.” The same proceeding is held with respect to the sins committed by a man against God, and those which he commits against his neighbor. - Talmud, Rosh Hashana 17:2
It is a rule...which we should upon all occasions, both private and public, most religiously observe, to be inexorable to our own failings while we treat those of the rest of the world with tenderness not excepting even those who forgive none but themselves. - Pliny the Younger, Epistle 8:22
...Lead us not into temptation,
Lead me not into error, nor into iniquity, nor into temptation nor into disgrace. - Talmud, Berakhot 60b:3
...but deliver us from evil,
Let no iniquity get dominion over me. Redeem me from man's oppression. - Psalms 119:133-134
...for thine is the power and the glory forever. Mt.6:13
Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, indeed everything that is in the heavens and the earth; Yours is the dominion, O Lord, & You exalt Yourself as head over all. - 1Chron.29:11
FORGIVE AND BE FORGIVEN
If you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father also will forgive you but if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. Mt.6:14-15
He that takes vengeance will suffer vengeance from the Lord, and he will firmly establish his sins. Forgive your neighbor the wrong he has done, and then your sins will be pardoned when you pray. Does a man harbor anger against another, and yet seek for healing from the Lord? - Sirach [Ecclesiasticus] 28:1-3
Whosoever hath mercy on men, on him will God have mercy; but he that showeth no mercy to men, neither to him will God show mercy. - Talmud, Shabbat, 883
A man ought every night to forgive the fault of him that offendeth him. - Synopsis Sohar p 90 n 79
When a person returns a stolen article to its owner, the owner must forgive the guilty one lest he regret having repented. - Midrash Tanchuma, Noach 4:4
TREASURE ON EARTH VS. TREASURE IN HEAVEN
Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. Mt.6:19
The brethren of King Mombazus reproached him for dilapidating the treasures of his ancestors, to which his fathers had always added. He replied, “My fathers collected treasures on the earth but I in heaven; my fathers laid up treasures in a place where the hand of man could rule them but I lay up in a place whither no hand can reach.” - Talmud, Bava Bathra 11.1
ANXIETY
Do not be anxious about your life, what you shall eat or what you shall drink, nor about your body, what you shall put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? ...Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Let the day’s own trouble be sufficient for the day. Mt.6:25, 34
Grieve not about tomorrow’s trouble, because you know not what a day may bring. - Talmud, Sanhedrin 100b:10
He who created the earth created the food thereof, whosoever hath whereof to eat today, and saith "But shall I eat tomorrow?" he is of little faith. - Talmud, Shabbat 131
Don't fear the future, you will meet it carrying the same weapons of reason from which you arm yourself against the present. - Marcus Aurelius, Meditations
That which is peculiar to the good man [is] to be pleased & content with what happens, & with the thread which is spun for him. - Ibid.
Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? Mt.6:26
Hast thou ever seen a lion carrying burdens, a stag gathering the summer fruits, a fox planting, or a wolf selling olives? And yet they are fed without labour. - Kidduschin, Buxtorf's Lexicon col. 2028
If God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O men of little faith? Mt.6:30
Whosoever hath whereof to eat for today and saith, But what shall I eat tomorrow? - he is of little faith. - Mekhilta d'Rabbi Eliezer 32.l
Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Mt.6:33
When a man goeth to bed first of all he ought to take unto himself the kingdom of heaven. Afterward, let him recite one or another kind of prayer. - Tr. Sohar Genesis 103:409
JUDGING OTHERS
Judge not, that you be not judged. Mt.7:1; Lk.6:37
One who is not subject to judgment may not judge others. - Talmud, Sanhedrin 19a:15
The measure you give will be the measure you get. Mt.7:2
As one metes it out to others, so is it meted out to him. - Mekhilta d'Rabbi Yishmael 13:19:3
One who judges another favorably is himself judged favorably. - Talmud, Shabbat 127b
Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye. Mt.7:3-5
It was a generation that judged its judges. If the judge said to a person: "Remove the mote from thy eye," he answered: "Take the beam out of thine own eyes." - Talmud, Bava Batra 1:32
R. Nathan used to say: Do not taunt your neighbour with the blemish which you yourself have. - Tr. Gerim 4:1
First correct thyself, then correct others." - Talmud, Sanhedrin 2:1
Adorn yourself first, and then adorn others. - Ibid. 19a:15
In Treat. Baba Bathra, fol 15, b, we find the translation of the first verse of chapter i, of the Book of Ruth, "In the days when the Judges were ruled," with the following commentary: "For they were then so wicked that, when they should have admonished any one to remove the mote from his eyes, they could be answered, to take the beam from their own." From this we may learn that the figure used by Christ [Mt7:3] was not originally used by him, but lived as a proverb in the mouth of the people." - Kalisch, p. 96
How ridiculous not to flee from one's own wickedness, which is possible, yet endeavor to flee from another's, which is not. - Marcus Aurelius, Meditations 7:71
When another's fault offends you, turn to yourself and consider what similar shortcomings are found in you. - Ibid. 10:30
To assail one's own wickedness, and not assail that of others, is not this the way to correct cherished evils? - Confucius, Analetics 12:21
Not the failures of others, not their sins of commission or omission, but his own misdeeds and negligences should the sage take notice of. - Buddha, Dhammapada, 54:80
THE GOLDEN RULE
Whatever you wish that men would do to you, do so to them. Mt.7:12
What you hate, do not do to anyone. - Tobit 4:15
Whatever you would not wish your neighbor to do to you, do it not to him. - Rabbi Hillel
As a man wisheth himself to be honored, so let him show the same honor to others. - Avot R. Nathan, c. 15
What ye do not wish done to yourselves, do not do to others. - Confucius, Analetics 15:23
What a man dislikes in his superiors, let him not display in the treatment of his inferiors; what he dislikes in inferiors, let him not display in the service of his superiors; what be hates to receive on the right, let him not bestow on the left. This is the principle with which, as with a measuring square, to regulate one's conduct. - Confucius, Great Learning, Sect. 10.
In the way of the superior man there are four things, to not one of which have I as yet attained: To serve my father as I would require my son to serve me; to serve my prince as I would re quire my minister to serve me; to serve my elder broth er as I would require my younger brother to serve me; to set the example in behaving to a friend as I would require him to behave to me. - Ibid., Doctrine of the Mean, XIII
The same is said by Tobit iv, 15: "Do that to no man which thou hatest." And Hillel the Sage, gave the same lesson to a heathen who wished to be converted to Judaism: "Whatever is not pleasing unto thee, do not unto thy brother; this is the substance of the Law and the Prophets; all the rest is but the commentary thereon." (Talmud, Treat. Sabbath, fol. 31, b.)
- Kalisch p. 97
For this is the law and the prophets. Mt.7:12
The whole law is contained in this one rule. - Rabbi Hillel
THE NARROW GATE
The gate is narrow and the way is hard, that leads to life, and those who find it are few. Mt.7:14
Rabbi Jeremias said from the mouth of Rabbi Simeon ben Jochai, “I saw the sons of the feast (the blessed), who were very few in number. If there are a thousand, I and my son are of the number if a hundred, I and my son are of the number if two, I and my son are they.” - Talmud, Sukkah 45:2
"LORD LORD"
“Not every one who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you evildoers.’" Mt.7:21-23
And the Lord said: “Because this people draw near with their mouth and honor me with their lips, while their hearts are far from me, and their fear of me is a commandment of men learned by rote." - Isaiah 29:13
BUILDING ON SOLID FOUNDATION
Everyone...who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house upon the rock; and the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat upon that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And every one who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house upon the sand; and the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell; and great was the fall of it. Mt.7:24-27
It is a tradition of Rabbi Chija, “We learn the law that we may do it. He who hath learned, and doeth not, it would have been better if he had not been created.” - Vajikra Rabba, sect. 35 fol. 179:4
Rabbi Jochanan said, “He who hath learned, and doeth not, it would have been better if he had not seen the light of this world.” - Ibid.
He who hath learned the words of the law and doeth them not is more guilty than he who hath learned nothing. - Rabbi Simeon ben Chelpatha, Debarim Rabba sect. 7 fol. 259:2
He whose knowledge is greater than his works, to whom is he like? - to a tree, whose branches are many, but his roots few, and the wind rushing upon it teareth it up. But he whose works are greater than his knowledge, to whom is he like? - to a tree whose branches are few and his roots many, against which if all the winds in the world should beat, they cannot move it from its place. - Rabbi Eleazar ben Azariah, Pirkei Avoth 3:17
DINING WITH SINNERS
The Pharisees...said to [Jesus'] disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” But when [Jesus] heard it, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.” Mt.8:11-12
“If the king, for some offense, had deprived his son of food and drink, and a person had prevented the prince from dying of hunger, would the king be wroth with that person? Certainly not, neither will God be displeased with those who dispense charity to His children, even to the fallen and the sinful.” - Rabbi Akiba in the Talmud
SON OF MAN HAS NOWHERE TO LAY HIS HEAD
Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man has nowhere to lay his head. Mt.8:20; Lk.9:58
I [Socrates] am in utter poverty by reason of my devotion to God. - Plato, Apology of Socrates
THE SABBATH
The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. Mark.2:27
The Sabbath is given to you, but you are not servants of the Sabbath. - Mekhilta Shabbata 1
WHO IS JESUS' FAMILY?
Whoever does the will of God is my brother, and sister, and mother. Mark.3:35
To the noble, the whole world is a family. - Hitopadesa 1:64
BE WISE AS SERPENTS, INNOCENT AS DOVES
Be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. Mt.10:16
God said concerning the Israelites, Towards me they are harmless as doves, but towards the nations cunning as serpents. - Rabbi Jehuda, son of R. Simon, Schir Haschirim Rabba l5:3
FAMILY DIVISION
I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. Mt.10:35
A little before the coming of Messias, the son shall provoke the father, the daughter shall rise against her mother, the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; finally each shall have his enemies in his household. - Talmud, Sotah 49:2
Rabbi Nehorai says: During the generation in which the son of David comes, youths will humiliate elders and elders will stand in deference before youths, and a daughter will rebel against her mother, and a bride against her mother-in-law, and the face of the generation will be like the face of a dog, and a son will not be ashamed before his father. - Talmud, Sanhedrin 97a
SIGNS THE MESSIAH HAS COME
Go and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the poor have good news preached to them. Mt.11:4-5; Lk.7:22
The heavens and the earth will listen to His anointed one, and none therein will stray from the commandments of the holy ones. [The Lord] will glorify the pious on the throne of the eternal Kingdom. He who liberates the captives, restores sight to the blind [Is.35:5], straightens the bent [Is.35:6]... And the Lord will accomplish glorious things... For He will heal the wounded, and revive the dead and bring good news to the poor [Is.61:1]. - Dead Sea Scrolls 4Q521
FROM THE HEART THE MOUTH SPEAKS
Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. Mt.12:34
The tongue uttereth the hidden secrets of the heart, whether they be good or bad. - Sepher Rasiel Haggadol 10:1
From thy words it should be plain that everything in thee is simple and benevolent. - Marcus Aurelius, Meditations 3:4
PARABLE OF THE WEALTHY FOOL
The land of a rich man brought forth plentifully; and he thought to himself, ‘What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?’And he said, ‘I will do this: I will pull down my barns, and build larger ones; and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; take your ease, eat, drink, be merry.’ But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you; and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God. Lk.12:16-21
There is a man who is rich through his diligence and self-denial, and this is the reward allotted to him: when he says, “I have found rest, and now I shall enjoy my goods!” he does not know how much time will pass until he leaves them to others and dies. Stand by your covenant and attend to it, and grow old in your work. - Sirach [Ecclesiasticus] 11:18-20
A LEARNED SINNER IS WORSE THAN A FOOL
That servant who knew his master’s will, but did not make ready or act according to his will, shall receive a severe beating. But he who did not know, and did what deserved a beating, shall receive a light beating. Every one to whom much is given, of him will much be required; and of him to whom men commit much they will demand the more. Lk.12:47-48
He who hath learned the words of the law and doeth them not is more guilty than he who has learned nothing. - Rabbi Simeon, Debarim Rabba, sect. 7.
GAIN THE WORLD, LOSE YOUR SOUL
What shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Mt.16:26, Mk.8:36 (KJV, WYC, GNV, DRA)
[Rabbi Jabob used to say]: more precious is one hour in repentance and good deeds in this world, than all the life of the world to come; And more precious is one hour of the tranquility of the world to come, than all the life of this world. Tr. Perkei Avot 4:17
THE ONE REPENTANT & THE 99 RIGHTEOUS
There will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance. Lk.15:7
If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray? And if he finds it, truly, I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray. So it is not the will of my Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish. Mt.18:12-14
There is more joy in Heaven over one sinner who repenteth than over ninety and nine righteous persons, who need no repentance. - Talmud, Sanhedrin 99a
BECOME LIKE CHILDREN
Unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Mt.18:3
It is great glory to a young man when he becometh as little children. - Rabbi Ame, Tanchuma 36:4
Whoever humbles himself like this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Mt.18:4
Whosoever maketh himself little on account of the words of the law in this world, he becometh great in the world to come. - Talmud, Bava Mezia 84:2 tr. Mishna
WOE TO THE WORLD
Woe to the world for temptations to sin. Mt.18:7
Woe to the world for they have eyes and see not. - Sohar Genes. 37:146
LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR
Love your neighbor as yourself. Mt.19:19, 22:39, Mk.12:31
You shall not take vengeance or bear any grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself. - Leviticus 18:19
Let your fellow-man’s honour be as dear to you as your own. - Tr. Kallah Rabbati 4:4
SELL YOUR POSSESSIONS & GIVE TO THE POOR
Go, sell what you possess & give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Mt.19:21, Mk.10:21
Let the wise man give up his goods for the sake of his neighbor; for the sake of the good, let him even give his life. - Hitopadesa 1:38
APOSTLES ENTHRONED
Truly, I say to you, in the new world, when the Son of man shall sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. Mt.19:28
[The Lord] will glorify the pious on the throne of the eternal Kingdom. - Dead Sea Scrolls, 4Q521
BECOME EACH OTHER'S SERVANTS
Whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave. Mt.20:26-27
They have no slaves among them but all are free and all in their turn administer to others. - Philo on the Essenes.
GIVE CAESAR WHAT IS CAESAR'S
Render to Caesar the things which are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God’s. Mt.22:21
Give to [God] of his own since whatsoever things thou hast are his. - Rabbi Eleazar Bartolensis, Pirkei Avot 111:7
NO WEDDINGS AFTER THE RESURRECTION
In the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage. Mt22:30a
In the world to come they will neither eat nor drink, nor beget children, nor carry on trade; neither envy, nor hatred, nor strife, is there; but the just will sit encircled with crowns, and will rejoice in the splendor of the divine majesty. - Talmud, Berachoth 17.l
...but are like angels in heaven. Mt22:30b
All the souls of the just are in the seventh heaven and become ministering angels and celebrate God. - Sohar Chadasch 20:1
THE FIRST COMMANDMENT
One of the scribes...asked [Jesus], “Which commandment is the first of all?” Jesus answered, “The first is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one; and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ The second is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” Mk12:28-31
“With what shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before God on high? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my first-born for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?” He has showed you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? - Micah 6:6-8
BALBUS: The most sacred and pious worship of the gods is to reverence them always with a pure, perfect, and unpolluted mind and voice. - Cicero, On the Nature of the Gods 2:28
PRACTICE WHAT YOU PREACH
The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat; so practice and observe whatever they tell you, but not what they do; for they preach, but do not practice. Mt.23:2-3
Have you never observed a sort of people who, though they are themselves the abject slaves of every vice, show a kind of malicious indignation against the immoral conduct of others; and are most severe to those whom they most resemble? - Pliny the Younger, Epistle 8:22
PARABLE OF THE RICH MAN & LAZARUS
There was a rich man, who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. And at his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus, full of sores, who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man’s table; moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried; and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes, and saw Abraham far off and Laz′arus in his bosom. And he called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy upon me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am in anguish in this flame.’ But Abraham said, ‘Son, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner evil things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.’ And he said, ‘Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father’s house, for I have five brothers, so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.’ But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.’ And he said, ‘No, father Abraham; but if some one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ He said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced if some one should rise from the dead. Lk.16:19-31
The one visit to the Duat [Hades] of which a record remains was paid by Se-Osiris, the wonderful child magician...and his father Setna, the son of Pharaoh Rameses the Great. They stood one day... watching two funerals... The first was that of a rich man... The second funeral was that of a poor laborer... 'Well,' said Setna... 'I hope that my fate will be that of the rich noble and not of the poor laborer.' 'On the contrary,' said Se-Osiris, 'I pray that the poor man's fate may be yours and not that of the rich man!... Whatever you may have seen here matters little compared with what will chance to these two in the Judgement Hall of Osiris... I know the words of power that open all gates...our souls...can then fly into the Duat, the world of the dead, and see all that is happening there. Then you will discover how different are the fates of this rich man who has worked evil during his life, and this poor man who has done nothing but good.' … [the dead plead their case - “I am not a sinner” - and Anubis weighs their hearts against the Feather of Truth; the rich man's heart sinks & is marked by Thoth] Then the evil-doer was driven forth into the thick darkness of the Duat to dwell with Apep the Terrible in the Pits of Fire. But with the good man the Feather of Truth sank down and his heart rose up, and Thoth cried aloud to Osiris and the gods, 'True and accurate are the words this man has spoken. He has not sinned; he has not done evil towards us. Let not the Eater-up of Souls have power over him. Grant that the eternal bread of Osiris be given to him, and a place in the Fields of Peace with the followers of Horus!' Then Horus took the dead man by the hand and led him before Osiris, saying, 'I have come to thee, oh Unnefer Osiris, bringing with me this new Osiris. His heart was true at the coming forth from the Balance. He has not sinned against any god or any goddess. Thoth has weighed his heart and found it true and righteous. Grant that there may be given to him the bread and beer of Osiris; may he be like the followers of Horus!' Then Osiris inclined his head, and the dead man passed rejoicing into the Fields of Peace. - Anonymous, The Journey to the Land of the Dead
THE WIDOW'S OFFERING
“This poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the treasury. For all of them have contributed out of their abundance; but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.” Mark.12:43-44; Lk.21:3-4
A poor man's sacrifice is by far the most pleasing to God, for he offereth two sacrifices; one, the sacrifice itself; the other, inasmuch as he offers his own nourishment and blood; for he hath nothing to eat, and yet he offereth sacrifice. - Tr. Sohar 3.l
HUMILITY & EXALTATION
Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted. Mt.23:12
Anyone who humbles himself, the Holy One, Blessed be He, exalts him, and anyone who exalts himself, the Holy One, Blessed be He, humbles him. - Talmud, Eruvin 13b:13
ONE TAKEN, ONE LEFT
Two men will be in the field; one is taken and one is left. Mt24:40
Like ears of corn the lives of men are reaped, this one is left to stand, and that cut down. - Euripides, Hypsipyle, Frag 757
THE LEAST OF THESE
The King will say to those at his right hand, ‘Come, O blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see thee hungry and feed thee, or thirsty and give thee drink? And when did we see thee a stranger and welcome thee, or naked and clothe thee? And when did we see thee sick or in prison and visit thee?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me.’ Mt.25:34-40
“If the king, for some offense, had deprived his son of food and drink, and a person had prevented the prince from dying of hunger, would the king be wroth with that person? Certainly not, neither will God be displeased with those who dispense charity to His children even to the fallen and the sinful.” - Rabbi Akiba in the Talmud
BE KIND TO STRANGERS: THEY MIGHT BE ANGELS
Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. Hebrews 13:2
Nearby is a marsh which once was habitable land but is now famous as a haunt for coots and divers. Jupiter came here in human form; and with his father came Mercury. ...They visited a thousand houses, looking for a place to sit and rest; and a thousand households barred their gates against them. Nevertheless one house received them: a wicker hut thatched with reeds from the marsh. Pious old Baucis and her equally aged husband Philemon had lived there since they were married in youth. They had grown old together in this cottage, accepting their poverty and thus reducing it, bearing it with untroubled minds. ...The gods reclined for dinner. ...Meanwhile, whenever the winebowl emptied, it refilled of its own accord–the wine seemed to well up from below. The couple astonished, when they noticed the marvel, abased themselves in fear, pressing their palms to the floor. Baucis and trembling Philemon babbled prayers and begged pardon for not having a worthy banquet prepared. They had one lone gander, the guardian of their miserable hut. They prepared to kill it for the gods, their guests, but it, flapping away, wore out their age-slowed bodies. Eluding them, it seemed to take refuge with the gods themselves. The high ones forbade that the goose be slain. “We are gods,” they said. “Your impious neighborhood will justly pay for its evil, but you have gained immunity from this catastrophe. Leave your house now and come with us up the the trail to the heights of this hill. ” Both obeyed, leaning on their staffs as they struggled up the long slope in the gods’ footprints. Finally they had come within bow-shot of the peak. Turning around, they saw everything below them had sunk into a swamp save for their house alone. - Ovid, Metamorphosis
JOHN'S “I AM” DECLARATIONS
I am the Bread of Life [Jn6:35]
I am the Light of the World [8:12]
I am the door [10:9]
I am the good shepherd [10:11]
I am the resurrection [11:25]
I am the way, the truth and the life [14:6]
I am the true vine [15:1]
I [Zeus] am the artificer and father, my creations are indissoluble, if so I will. - Plato, Timaeus
I [Isis] am Nature... It is I who govern [the heavens]. - Apuleius, Metamorphosis
I am Isis queen of Egypt... I am the wife of Osiris... I am the mother of king Horus. - Anonymous, Inscription on an ancient column.
The Jews then said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?” Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.” Jn8:57-58
ARJUNA SAID: But you [Krishna] were born countless eons later than the god of the sun, How, then, is it possible that you taught this doctrine to him?
THE BLESSED LORD SAID: Many times I have been born, and many times you have, also. All these lives I remember; you recall only this one. - Bhagavad Gita 4:4-5
I [Krishna] know all beings who have passed, and all who live now... and all who are yet to be. - Ibid. 7:26
JOHN 3:16
For God so loved the world, he gave his only son Jn3:16a
Although I am unborn, deathless, the infinite Lord of all beings, through my own wondrous power I come into finite form. Whenever righteousness falters and chaos threatens to prevail, I take on a human body and manifest myself on earth. In order to protect the good, to destroy the doers of evil, to ensure the triumph of righteousness, in every age I am born. - Bhagavad Gita 4:6-8
...that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. Jn3:16b
Whoever knows, profoundly, my divine presence on earth is not reborn when he leaves the body, but comes to me. - Bhagavad Gita 4:9.
THE WORLD HATES US
If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. John 15:18-19
The envy and detraction of the world...has been the death of many good men, and will probably be the death of many more; there is no danger of my being the last of them. - Socrates, Plato's Apology of Socrates
Foolish people despise me [Krishna] in the human form that I take, blind to my true nature as the Lord of all life and death. - Bhagavad Gita 9:11
GIVING AND RECEIVING
It is more blessed to give than receive. Acts 20:35
It is better to give alms than to treasure up gold. - Tobit 12:8
RESPECT AUTHORITY
Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, & those that exist have been instituted by God. Romans 13:1
On every occasion a man should say, “this comes from God, & this is according to the apportionment & spinning of the thread of destiny.” - Marcus Aurelius, Meditations 3:11
Accept then, and be pleased with whatsoever doth happen, though otherwise harsh and un-pleasing, as tending to that end, to the health and welfare of the universe, and to Jove's happiness and prosperity. For this whatsoever it be, should not have been produced, had it not conduced to the good of the universe. For neither doth any ordinary particular nature bring anything to pass, that is not to whatsoever is within the sphere of its own proper administration and government agreeable and subordinate. - Ibid. 5:8
DESIRE FOR WEALTH
If we have food and clothing, with these we shall be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and hurtful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. - 1Tim.6:8-9
A dog was carrying a piece of meat in his mouth to eat it in peace at home. On his way he had to cross a bridge across a brook. As he crossed, he looked down and saw his own reflection in the water. Thinking it was another dog with another piece of meat, he made up his mind to have that also. So he made a snap at the shadow in the water, but as he opened his mouth the piece of meat fell out, dropped into the water and was lost. - Aesop
HUSBANDS AND WIVES
Husbands, love your wives as Christ loved the church [Eph.5:2]; Husbands, love your wives, do not be harsh with them [Col.3:19]; Husbands, live considerately with your wives, bestowing honor on the woman as the weaker sex [1 Peter 3:7]
Blessing is found in a person's house only because of his wife. - Talmud, Bava Metzia 59a:11
A DAY IS A THOUSAND YEARS
Do not ignore this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. 2 Peter 3:8
If you know that one single day or one single night of Brahma lasts more than four billion years, you understand day and night. - Bhagavad Gita 8:20
BOOK OF LIFE
The Book of Life. Philip.4:3, Rev.3:5, 13:8, 17:8, 20:12, 20:15, 21:27
May they be blotted out of the book of life. And may they not be recorded with the righteous. - Ps.69:28
WITHOUT FAITH...
Without faith it is impossible to please [God]. For whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. Hebrews11:6
Those who are without faith in my teaching, cannot attain me; they endlessly return to this world, shuttling from death to death. - Bhagavad Gita 9:3
BE SLOW TO ANGER
Be slow to anger. James 1:19
He who is slow to anger has great understanding, but he who has a hasty temper exalts folly. - Proverbs14:29
He who is slow to anger quiets contention. - Proverbs15:18
One should be patient in his dealings and not quick to anger. - Avot D'Rabbi Nathan 1:4
GOD CLEANSES SINS
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just, and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9
It is godhead that purifies, sanctifies and cleanses us from the greatest and most impious of our sins. - Hippocrates, The Sacred Disease
DESTRUCTION OF JERUSALEM FORETOLD
Now when [the Judean rebels, 68 CE] were slaying [Niger of Perea], he made this imprecation upon them, that they might undergo both famine, and pestilence, in this war; and besides all that, they might come to the mutual slaughter of one another: all which imprecations God confirmed against these impious men: and was what came most justly upon them, when not long afterward they tasted of their own madness in their mutual seditions one against another. - Josephus, Wars 4:6
THE MILLENNIUM
I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom judgment was committed. Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their testimony to Jesus and for the word of God, and who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life, and reigned with Christ a thousand years. Rev.20:4
[The Lord] will glorify the pious on the throne of the eternal Kingdom. - Dead Sea Scrolls, 4Q521
NEW HEAVEN, NEW EARTH
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Rev21:1
Only a little while, and Nature, the universal disposer, will change everything you see, and out of their substance will make fresh things, and yet again others from theirs, to the perpetual renewing of the world's youthfulness. - Marcus Aurelius, Meditations 7:25
ALPHA AND OMEGA
“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty. Rev.1:8
I am whatsoever was, is, and shall be, and no mortal as yet hath drawn off my veil. - Anonymous, Inscription in the Temple of Neith at Sais, Egypt.
I am the Alpha & the Omega, the first and the last. Rev.22:13
Zeus, the lofty thunderer, is the first and the last. - Aristotle, De Mundo
PART II: GOSPEL NARRATIVE
JOHN'S PROLOGUE
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God; all things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. John 1:1-5
This is the sacred rite for acquiring [a supernatural] assistant. It is acknowledged that he is a god; he is an aerial spirit which you have seen...the gods will agree to everything, for without him nothing happens. - Anonyous, On Acquiring a Supernatural Assistant, from the Papyri Graecae Magicae
God being one yet has many names...We call him...Zeus...“him through whom we live”...He is called the son of Kronos and of Time, for he endures from eternal age to age...He is...in very truth the Savior and God of Freedom... God of Heaven and of the World Below, deriving his names from all natural phenomena and conditions inasmuch as he is himself cause of all things. - Aristotle, De Mundo 7:401a
Zeus...is the first, and the last, and the middle; all things proceed from him... Hiding all things within himself, he at length sent forth divine productions from his bosom into the cheerful light. - Ibid.
Whatever has been, or will be, is produced within Zeus. - Orpheus
To thee, goddess Isis, who art one and all things. - Anonymous, Inscription in marble; Capua, Italy.
Although I am unborn, deathless, the infinite Lord of all beings, through my own wondrous power I [Krishna] come into finite form. - Bhagavad Gita 4:6
I [Krishna] am the source of all things, and all things emerge from me; knowing this, wise men worship by entering my state of being. - Ibid. 10:8
I [Krishna] am the divine seed within all beings... nothing, inanimate or animate, could exist for a moment without me. - Ibid. 10:39
ANNUNCIATION & BIRTH OF JESUS
[Gabriel]: “Do not be afraid.” Lk1:13, 30
[Raphael]: “Do not be afraid.” - Tobit 12:17
The angel Gabriel was sent from God...to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph...and the virgin's name was Mary. And he came to her and said... “Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High...and of his kingdom there will be no end." And Mary said to the angel, "How shall this be, since I have no husband?" And the angel said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God. Lk1:26-35
“An angel of the Lord appeared to [Joseph] in a dream, saying, 'Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit; she will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.'” Mt1:20-21
To [Apollonius'] mother, just before he was born, there came an apparition of Proteus, who changes his form so much in Homer, in the guise of an Egyptian demon. She was in no way frightened, but asked him what sort of child she would bear. And he answered : "Myself." "And who are you?" she asked. " Proteus," answered he, "the god of Egypt." - Philostratus, Life of Apollonius of Tyana 2:4
To Tarchetius...king of Alba...a most wicked and cruel man, there appeared in his own house a strange vision, a male figure that rose out of a hearth, and stayed there for many days. There was an oracle of Tethys in Tuscany which Tarchetius consulted, and received an answer that a virgin should give herself to the apparition, and that a son should be born of her, highly renowned, eminent for valor, good fortune, and strength of body. - Plutarch, Life of Romulus
An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear. And the angel said to them, “Be not afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which will come to all the people; for to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a babe wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom he is pleased!” - Luke 2:9-14
The Company of the Gods rejoiced, rejoiced, at the coming of Horus, the son of Osiris, whose heart was firm, the triumphant, the son of Isis, the heir of Osiris. - Hymn to Osiris, Papyrus of Ani, Egyptian Book of the Dead
MESSIANIC PROPHECIES
“All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet.” Mt1:22
“About the same time, at Tegea in Arcadia, by the direction of some soothsayers, several vessels of ancient workmanship were dug out of a consecrated place, on which there was an effigy resembling Vespasian.” - Suetonius, Life of Vespasian 1:2-3
“When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, 'Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the East, and have come to worship him.'” - Mt2:1-2
“The people of the country say that just at the moment of [Apollonius'] birth a thunderbolt seemed about to fall to earth and then rose up into the air and disappeared aloft; and the gods thereby indicated, I think, the great distinction to which the sage was to attain, and hinted in advance how he should transcend all things upon earth and approach the gods, and signified all the things that he would achieve.” - Philostratus, Life of Apollonius of Tyana 1:5
An ambiguous oracle [was] found in their sacred writings, how, "about that time," one from their country "should become governor of the habitable earth." ...this oracle certainly denoted the government of Vespasian, who was appointed emperor in Judea. - Josephus, The Jewish War 4:5
In the ancient records of their priests was contained a prediction of how at this very time the East was to grow powerful, and rulers, coming from Judæa, were to acquire universal empire. These mysterious prophecies pointed to Vespasian and Titus. - Tacitus, Histories 5:13
An ancient superstition was current in the East, that out of Judea would come the rulers of the world. This prediction, as it later proved, referred to the two Roman Emperors, Vespasian and his son Titus. - Suetonius, Lives of the 12 Caesars 10:4
THIS IS MY SON
Lo, a voice from heaven, saying, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” Mt3:17, Mk1:11, Lk9:35
Rab Judah said in the name of Rab: Every day a Heavenly Voice is heard declaring, The whole world draws its sustenance because [of the merit] of Hanina my son, and Hanina my son suffices himself with a kab of carobs from one Sabbath eve to another. - Talmud, Ta'anith 24b
Rab Judah said in the name of Rab: Every day a divine voice goes forth from Mount Horeb and proclaims: The whole world is sustained for the sake of My son Hanina, and Hanina My son has to subsist on a kab of carobs from one week to the next. - Talmud, Berachoth 17b
FASTING IN THE WILDERNESS
Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And he fasted forty days and forty nights. Mt4:1, cf. Lk4:1-2, Mk1:13
[Elijah] went a day’s journey into the wilderness... And he lay down and slept under a broom tree; and behold, an angel touched him, and said to him, “Arise and eat.” ...he arose, and ate and drank, and went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights to Horeb the mount of God. - 1Kings19:4, 8
Angels ministered to him. Mt4:11, Mk1:13
Then he arose and went after Eli′jah, and ministered to him. - 1Kings19:21
CALLING THE TWELVE
[Jesus] went up on the mountain, and called to him those whom he desired; and they came to him. And he appointed twelve, to be with him, and to be sent out to preach. Mk1:13-14
[Jesus] went out to the mountain to pray; and all night he continued in prayer to God. And when it was day, he called his disciples, and chose from them twelve. Lk6:12-13
[Elijah] departed from [Mount Horeb], and found Eli′sha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing, with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he was with the twelfth. Eli′jah passed by him and cast his mantle upon him. - 1Kings19:19-20
And immediately they left their nets and followed him. Mk1:18
And he left the oxen, and ran after Eli′jah, and said, “Let me kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow you.” - 1Kings19:20
THE BLIND MAN & THE WITHERED HAND
“They came to Bethsaida, and some people brought to him a blind man, and begged him to touch him. And he took the blind man by the hand, and led him out of the village; and when he had spit on his eyes and laid his hands upon him, he asked him, 'Do you see anything?' And he looked up and said, 'I see men; but they look like trees, walking.'” Mk8:22-24
“During the months while Vespasian was waiting at Alexandria...many marvels continued to mark the favor of heaven and a certain partiality of the gods toward him. One of the common people of Alexandria, well known for his loss of sight, threw himself before Vespasian's knees, praying him with groans to cure his blindness, being so directed by the god Serapis, whom this most superstitious of nations worships before all others; and he besought the emperor to deign to moisten his cheeks & eyes with his spittle.” - Tacitus, Histories 4:81
“[Jesus] entered the synagogue, and a man was there who had a withered hand. And they watched him, to see whether he would heal him...and [Jesus] said to the man, 'Stretch out your hand.' He stretched it out, and his hand was restored.” Mk3:1-2, 5
Another, whose hand was useless, prompted by the same god, begged Caesar to step and trample on it. Vespasian at first ridiculed these appeals and treated them with scorn...finally, he directed the physicians to give their opinion as to whether such blindness and infirmity could be overcome by human aid. Their reply treated the two cases differently: they said that in the first the power of sight had not been completely eaten away and it would return if the obstacles were removed; in the other, the joints had slipped and become displaced, but they could be restored if a healing pressure were applied to them. Such perhaps was the wish of the gods, and it might be that the emperor had been chosen for this divine service... So Vespasian, believing that his good fortune was capable of anything and that nothing was any longer incredible...did as he was asked to do. The hand was instantly restored to use, and the day again shone for the blind man. Both facts are told by eye-witnesses even now when falsehood brings no reward.” - Tacitus, Histories 4:81
“Vespasian, the new emperor, having been raised unexpectedly from a low estate, wanted something which might clothe him with divine majesty and authority...A poor man who was blind, and another who waslame, came both together before him, when he was seated on the tribunal, imploring him to heal them, and saying that they were admonished in a dream by the god Serapis to seek his aid, who assured them that he would restore sight to the one by anointing his eyes with his spittle, and give strength to the leg of the other, if he vouchsafed but to touch it with his heel. At first he could scarcely believe that the thing would any how succeed, and therefore hesitated to venture on making the experiment. At length, however, by the advice of his friends, he made the attempt publicly, in the presence of the assembled multitudes, and it was crowned with success in both cases.” - Suetonius, Life of Vespasian 1:2-3
Vespasian...healed two persons who had come to him because of a vision seen in dreams. One of them, who had a weak hand, he cured by treading upon that member, and the other one, who was blind, by spitting upon his eyes. His divine power herein shown gave him great repute, yet the Alexandrians, far from enjoying his society, detested him heartily. - Cassius Dio, Histories Bk. V
FAITH HEALING
Your faith has made you well. Mk5:34, 10:54, Lk17:19
Faith in [Jesus'] name, has made this man strong whom you see and know; and the faith which is through Jesus has given the man this perfect health in the presence of you all. - Acts3:16
He listened to Paul speaking; and Paul, looking intently at him and seeing that he had faith to be made well, said in a loud voice, "Stand upright on your feet." And he sprang up and walked. And when the crowds saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in Lycao′nian, "The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men!” - Acts14:9-11
“Those who first attributed a sacred character to this malady [epilepsy] were like the magicians, purifiers, charlatans and quacks of our own day, men who claim great piety and superior knowledge. Being at a loss, and having no treatment which would help, they concealed and sheltered themselves behind superstition, and called this illness sacred [said it was from the gods], in order that their utter ignorance [of medical science] might not be manifest... They used purifications and incantations... should the patient recover, the reputation for cleverness may be theirs; but should he die, they may have a sure fund of excuses, with the defense that they are not at all to blame, but the gods.” - Hippocrates, The Sacred Disease
CALMING THE STORM
A great storm of wind arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. But [Jesus] was in the stern, asleep on the cushion; and they woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care if we perish?” And he awoke and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. He said to them, “Why are you afraid? Have you no faith?” And they were filled with awe, and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even wind and sea obey him?” - Mark4:37-41
R. Hanina b. Dosa was walking along a road when rain came down upon him. He said: 'Lord of the Universe! All the world is comfortable and Hanina is afflicted!' The rain stopped. As he came home, he said: 'Lord of the Universe! All the world is afflicted and Hanina is comfortable! The rain came again. R. Joseph said: Of what use is the prayer of the high priest against R. Hanina b. Dosa! - Talmud, Yoma 53b
FEEDING THE MULTITUDE
But he answered them, “You give them something to eat.” And they said to him, “Shall we go and buy two hundred denarii worth of bread, and give it to them to eat?” And he said to them, “How many loaves have you? Go and see.” And when they had found out, they said, “Five, and two fish.” Then he commanded them all to sit down by companies upon the green grass. So they sat down in groups, by hundreds and by fifties. And taking the five loaves and the two fish he looked up to heaven, and blessed, and broke the loaves, and gave them to the disciples to set before the people; and he divided the two fish among them all. And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up twelve baskets full of broken pieces and of the fish. And those who ate the loaves were five thousand men. Mt.14:17-19, Mk.6:38-44, Lk.9:13-17
A man came from Ba′al-shal′ishah, bringing the man of God bread of the first fruits, twenty loaves of barley, and fresh ears of grain in his sack. And Eli′sha said, “Give to the men, that they may eat.” But his servant said, “How am I to set this before a hundred men?” So he repeated, “Give them to the men, that they may eat, for thus says the Lord, ‘They shall eat and have some left.’” So he set it before them. And they ate, and had some left, according to the word of the Lord. - 2Kings4:42-44
It once happened that [Akiba b. Joseph] and I [R. Eliezer] were walking together on a road, when he said to me, "My master, teach me about the planting of cucumbers." I made one statement, and the whole field [about us] was filled with cucumbers. - Talmud, Sanhedrin 68a
Rab Judah said in the name of Rab: Every day a Heavenly Voice is heard declaring, The whole world draws its sustenance because [of the merit] of Hanina my son, and Hanina my son suffices himself with a kab of carobs from one Sabbath eve to another. Every Friday his wife would light the oven and throw twigs into it so as not to be put to shame. She had a bad neighbour who said, I know that these people have nothing, what then is the meaning of all this [smoke]? She went and knocked at the door. [The wife of R. Hanina] feeling humiliated [at this] retired into a room. A miracle happened and [her neighbour] saw the oven filled with loaves of bread and the kneading trough full of dough; she called out to her: You, you, bring your shovel, for your bread is getting charred; and she replied, I just went to fetch it. A Tanna taught: She actually had gone to fetch the shovel because she was accustomed to miracles. - Talmud, Ta'anith 24b-25a
THE TRIAL OF JESUS
[Pilate] said, “Why, what evil has he done?” But they shouted all the more, “Let him be crucified.” Mt.27:23
[The king] was much distressed, and set his mind to deliver Daniel; and he labored till the sun went down to rescue him. Then these men came by agreement to the king, and said to the king, “Know, O king, that it is a law of the Medes and Persians that no interdict or ordinance which the king establishes can be changed.” - Daniel 6:14-15
While [Pilate] was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent word to him, “Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for I have suffered much over him today in a dream.” Mt.27:19
Then the king went to his palace, and spent the night fasting; no diversions were brought to him, and sleep fled from him. - Daniel 6:18
DARKNESS OVER THE LAND
When the sixth hour had come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. Mt.27:45
[When Romulus died/vanished] the face of the sun was darkened, and the day turned into night. - Plutarch, Life of Romulus
JESUS' DYING WORDS
Father forgive them, for they know not what they do. Lk.23:34
I [Socrates] bear no resentment toward those who condemned me, or against my accusers. - Plato, Apology of Socrates 1:33
My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Mt27:46, Mk15:34
My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Why art thou so far from helping me, from the words of my groaning? O my God, I cry by day, but thou dost not answer; and by night, but find no rest. - Ps22:1-2
Into thy hands I commit my spirit. Lk.23:46
Into thy hands I commit my spirit, thou hast redeemed me. - Ps31:5
BURIAL OF JESUS
[Joseph] rolled a great stone to the door of the tomb, and departed… [soldiers] made the sepulchre secure by sealing the stone and setting a guard. Mt.27:60
And a stone was brought and laid upon the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet and with the signet of his lords. - Daniel 6:17
Now after the sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to the sepulchre. Mt.28:1
Then, at break of day, the king arose and went in haste to the den of lions. - Daniel 6:19
THE RESURRECTION
An angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone, and sat upon it. His appearance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow. Mt.28:2-3
As he was traveling on the road [Proclus] had seen Romulus coming to meet him, looking taller and comelier than ever, dressed in shining and flaming armor. - Plutarch, Life of Romulus
They were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground. Lk.24:5
They fell on their faces, for they were afraid. - Tobit 12:16
[Angel]: Do not be afraid. Mt. 28:5; Lk 24:5
[Raphael] Do not be afraid. - Tobit 12:17
[Cleopas to the risen Jesus], “Our chief priests and rulers delivered [Jesus] up to be condemned to death, and crucified him. But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel.” Lk.24:20-21
[Proclus to the risen Romulus], "Why, O king, or for what purpose have you abandoned us to unjust and wicked surmises, and the whole city [Rome] to bereavement and endless sorrow?" - Plutarch, Life of Romulus
And [Jesus] said to them, “Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” Lk.24:26
[Romulus] made answer, "It pleased the gods, O Proculus, that we, who came from them, should remain so long a time amongst men as we did; and, having built a city to be the greatest in the world for empire and glory, should again return to heaven. - Plutarch, ibid.
[Jesus] appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. 1Cor15:5-7
Having ourselves been eye-witnesses of [the violent death of Ignatius], and having spent the whole night in tears within the house, and having entreated the Lord, with bended knees and much prayer, that He would give us weak men full assurance respecting the things which were done, it came to pass, on our falling into a brief slumber, that some of us saw the blessed Ignatius suddenly standing by us and embracing us, while others beheld him again praying for us, and others still saw him dropping with sweat, as if he had just come from his great labour, and standing by the Lord. When, therefore, we had with great joy witnessed these things, and had compared our several visions together, we sang praise to God, the giver of all good things, and expressed our sense of the happiness of the holy [martyr]. - Anonymous, Martyrdom of Ignatius 1:7
THE ASCENSION
I am ascending to my Father. John 20:17
I am going to Him who sent me. John 16:5
I am ascending to Him who sent me. - Tobit 12:20
But there are also many other things which Jesus did; were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. - John 21:25
These are just a small number of my infinite manifestations; were I to tell you more, there would be no end to the telling. - Bhagavad Gita 10:40
PENTECOST
They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. Acts2:4
Shaking his long loose hair, like the fanatics who collect money in the name of Cybele, [Alexander] climbed on to a lofty altar and delivered a harangue, felicitating the city upon the advent of the God [Asclepus] now to bless them with his presence. In a few minutes nearly the whole population was on the spot, women, old men, and children included; all was awe, prayer, and adoration. He uttered some unintelligible sounds, which might have been Hebrew or Phoenician, but completed his victory over his audience, who could make nothing of what he said, beyond the constant repetition of the names Apollo and Asclepius. - Lucian of Samosata, Alexander the False Prophet
PLAGIARISM ON PATMOS
John the revelator borrows imagery from the following sources:
REVELATION 4:8
Throne with chorus of “Holy Holy Holy” from Isaiah 6:3
REVELATION 6:4
Colored horses from Zechariah 1:8
REVELATION 6:12
Black sun, blood moon from Joel 2:31
REVELATION 7:17
Living Water in New Jerusalem from Zechariah 14:8, referring to the cistern expanded by Simon I, c. 300 BCE.
REVELATION 10:9-10
Eating the scroll from Ezekiel 3:3
REVELATION 11:4
Olive trees and lampstands from Zechariah 4, referring to Zerubbabel and Joshua, c. 520 BCE
REVELATION 12:4
Stars cast down from Daniel 8:10
REVELATION 12:14
A time, times and half a Time from Daniel 7:25, 12:7, referring to the 3.5-year temple desolation from 167 to 163 BCE
REVELATION 12, 13, 17
Horned beasts from Daniel 7, referring to the Seleucid & Ptolemaic dynasties (312 to 175 BCE).
REVELATION 13, 14, 20
Marked foreheads from Ezekiel 9:4
REVELATION 21:1
New heavens and new Earth from Isaiah 65-66
REVELATION 21:23-22:5
No sun; the Lord provides light from Isaiah 60:19-20, describing (poetically) the new Jerusalem after the Babylonian exile.
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SOURCES
CHRISTIAN SOURCES: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, Romans, 1 Corinthians, Philippians, Hebrews, 1 Peter, 2 Peter, James, 1 John, Revelation, Martyrdom of Ignatius
JEWISH SOURCES: Leviticus, 2 Kings, Psalms, Proverbs, Micah, Daniel, 1 Chronicles, Tobit, Wisdom of Sirach, The Talmud, Dead Sea Scrolls, Philo of Alexandria, Josephus
GREEK SOURCES: Aesop, Aristotle, Euripides, Hippocrates, Orpheus, Philostratus, Plato, Socrates
ROMAN SOURCES: Apuleius, Cassius Dio, Cicero, Marcus Aurelius, Ovid, Pliny the Younger, Plutarch, Lucian, Seneca, Suetonius, Tacitus, Thrasea Paetus, Isaic inscription in Cupua
EGYPTIAN SOURCES: Book of the Dead, Journey to the Land of the Dead, Inscription in the Temple of Neith at Sais, Isaic inscription on an ancient column, Papyri Graecae Magicae
EASTERN SOURCES: Buddha, Confucius, Mencius, Bhagavad Gita, Hitopadesa, Institutes of Menu
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