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Jesus, Mithras and Ancient Roman Cults: Separating Fact from Fiction

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Welcome to the next instalment of my series looking at the ancient mythological gods and how they compare to the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. Mithras is yet another popular ancient god that people like to compare with Jesus and make wild claims about, proposing that they are the same deities with different names. But is this even remotely true?

This article has ended up being a bit longer than anticipated as it’s one of the few ancient religions that was contemporary to the birth of Christianity which was seen as somewhat of a rival belief system, so there’s a lot of interesting things to cover!

The Origins

Mithras has his roots in ancient Persia, where he was known as Mithra, a god associated with the sun and light. The Romans adopted and adapted Mithras into their own religious pantheon, creating the secretive cult of Mithras, which was particularly popular among Roman soldiers, who admired his association with bravery, strength, and the sun. The idea of the blood sacrifice of the bull feeding the earth also played a role in the minds of the soldiers shedding their own blood on the battlefields.

The earliest literary references we have to Mithraism are between AD 80–100 from Latin poet Statius, and also from Plutarch, a Greek philosopher and priest. Ulansey’s hypothesis (The Origins of the Mithraic Mysteries: Cosmology and Salvation in the Ancient World.) suggests that Mithraism was introduced around 60 BC by captured pirates from Asia Minor, where it was associated with the Perseus myth. This idea highlights the idea that Mithraism was a fusion of numerous diverse beliefs and symbols.

Birth Stories

The birth of Mithras is quite intriguing; he was born from a rock or stone, fully formed and wearing a Phrygian cap, often holding a torch or a dagger. This miraculous birth is known as the “petra genetrix” or the “rock-born.” Jesus’ birth is celebrated by Christians as a divine miracle, with the virgin Mary giving birth to him in a humble stable in Bethlehem after being overshadowed by the Spirit of God (Luke 1:34-35), but still being born in the flesh like everyone else from a woman. Nothing like how Mithras supposedly came about.

Central Acts and Teachings

Mithras is best known for the tauroctony, where he slays a bull to release life-giving forces that ensure the Earth’s fertility. The name comes from the Greek word tauroktonos (ταυροκτόνος) meaning “bull killing”. This act represents Mithras’ divine intervention in the natural world as the blood from the bull was believed to release life-giving forces, ensuring the Earth’s fertility and the continuation of life. Jesus, in contrast, is known for his teachings of love, compassion, and forgiveness. His miracles, such as healing the sick, command over nature and turning water into wine, demonstrate his divine power and connection to God as Lord and creator of the world.

Another key difference is the fact that women were excluded from the Mithraic cult, which lies in stark contrast to Christianity which, in many ways, elevated the status of women. Jesus openly had women disciples and included them in his ministry and witness, as well as financial and other support (Luke 8:1–3) which went against the grain of society at the time (and later, even hosting churches in their homes!).

For example, the scholarly view of Mary sitting at Jesus’ feet acknowledges that it was unusual for a woman to take on the role of a disciple in this way, as religious education and discipleship were often reserved only for men. However, this scene in Luke 10:38–42 is significant because it highlights Jesus’ inclusive attitude towards women in his ministry. Similarly, in John 4:4–42 where Jesus speaks with the woman at the well, Jesus demonstrates his willingness to cross social and cultural boundaries. Jesus, as Jewish man, engaging in a conversation with an unrelated Samaritan woman in public broke several cultural and religious barriers. And lastly, the women who were first to witness the resurrection report the account is important because the testimony of women wasn’t considered as reliable as that of a man. This actually lends to the authenticity of the Gospel accounts because if the Gospel writers were fabricating the story, they would have been more likely to choose male witnesses (possibly the more prominent disciples like Peter, James or John) to make the account more credible. The fact that women are the primary witnesses indicates more that the writers were faithfully reporting the events as they occurred.

The fact that women (and other outcasts of society) were so included can be seen in critical ancient witnesses to Christianity, one well-known example coming from Celsus, a 2nd-century Greek philosopher and critic of the faith. He wrote that Christianity “attracted ignorant and foolish people, including women and children” (Contra Celsus, 3.44).

A typical atheist meme with factually incorrect history to try and mock Christianity
Typical atheist meme with incorrect “facts”

The Mithraic Mysteries

Now, this is where things start to get a bit intriguing. The cult of Mithras was what you might call a secret society, complete with its own set of initiation rituals and beliefs that were only shared with members. The kind of thing to give the Da Vinci Code a run for its money! Unfortunately, due to the secretive nature of the cult, many aspects of the Mithraic mysteries remain unknown to this day, though we do have some insights we can glean from the early church fathers who interacted with these cultists.

Justin Martyr was an early Christian apologist who wrote about the similarities between Christianity and pagan religions, including the cult of Mithras, around AD 155. In his First Apology, Justin Martyr addresses the parallels he sees between Mithras and Christianity, particularly in terms of the rituals practised by Mithraists. Although he does not provide an extensive account of Mithraism, he does make a few references that highlight similarities to Christianity. Here is the relevant quote from Justin Martyr’s “First Apology” (Chapter 66) so you can see it for yourself:

For the apostles, in the memoirs composed by them, which are called Gospels, have thus delivered unto us what was enjoined upon them; that Jesus took bread, and when He had given thanks, said, “This do ye in remembrance of Me, this is My body;” and that, after the same manner, having taken the cup and given thanks, He said, “This is My blood;” and gave it to them alone. Which the wicked devils have imitated in the mysteries of Mithras, commanding the same thing to be done. For, that bread and a cup of water are placed with certain incantations in the mystic rites of one who is being initiated, you either know or can learn.

In this passage, Justin Martyr claims that the Mithras cult imitated the Christian Eucharist (the ritual involving bread and wine representing the body and blood of Jesus Christ) by using bread and a cup of water in their initiation rites. It’s debated whether the cult did get inspiration from Christian practice, or if Justin is vilifying the similar practices as a way to defend and promote Christianity. Though there is some evidence to suggest much of the Mithraic practices we do know about come from post-New Testament times. Nonetheless, these quotes provide insight into how early Christians viewed the Mithras cult and its perceived similarities with Christianity.

It is entirely possible the Mithras cult did incorporate similar Christian practices, as they were seen as a rival religion, especially as the earliest literary references we have to Mithraism are between AD 80–100 from Latin poet Statius, and Plutarch, a Greek philosopher, decades after Christianity’s practices were established.

The cult of Mithras was a secret society, with initiation rituals and beliefs only shared among its members. This exclusivity and mystery made it appealing to some, but it also limited its reach. Christianity, on the other hand, was more accessible, with Jesus preaching to the masses and welcoming people from all walks of life. Even though rituals like the Eucharist were closed to the non-baptised, this general openness played a significant role in the rapid spread of Christianity throughout the Roman Empire and beyond.

Hierarchy and Spiritual Growth

The Mithraic cult had seven grades of initiation, each associated with a planetary deity. Devotees would ascend these grades in pursuit of passing through the minor planetary deities and reaching the point of the fixed stars. The rising of the initiate through these stages prefigured the ascent of the soul after death. In contrast, spiritual growth in Christianity is achieved through developing a personal relationship with Jesus, following his teachings, being filled with the Holy Spirit, and participating in sacraments like baptism and communion (Eucharist).

While both belief systems value spiritual growth, their approaches differ, especially in that with Christianity all the work for salvation is achieved by and through Jesus, we don’t work or do things to attain that salvation.

We also know what the seven grades of initiation into Mithraism were called, thanks to Jerome listing them out in chapter two of his letter To Laeta:

Those I mean by which the worshippers [of Mithras] were initiated as Raven, Bridegroom, Soldier, Lion, Perseus, Sun, Crab, and Father?

It’s not unusual for religions to have special rites and rituals, but since we know very little about Mithraism, it’s really impossible to make any proper claims that it is similar to Christianity in any meaningful way.

Death and Resurrection

While there are no explicit accounts of Mithras’ death and/or resurrection, the theme of cyclical renewal or regeneration may have been associated with him, especially considering his connection to the sun (many Mithraic depictions show a banquet with the god Sol, the Sun).

Jesus’ crucifixion, death, and resurrection are central to the Christian faith, as Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15:14, “if Christ has not been raised, then our proclamation is in vain and your faith is in vain”. Jesus was crucified by the Romans, and after his death, he was buried in a tomb. Three days later, he was resurrected, conquering death and sin, and ultimately providing salvation to humanity and reconciliation to God. This is something the Mithraic cult doesn’t touch on or really have any comparable beliefs or doctrines that we know of, so any claims to the contrary are factually incorrect.

The Decline and Disappearance

The cult of Mithras spread throughout the Roman Empire, especially in the western provinces, and left behind numerous temples and artefacts. However, as Christianity gained prominence in the late Roman Empire, the cult of Mithras faced some stiff competition and began to decline and Christianity eventually overtook the cult.

The two religions have a few things in common on the surface — both involve initiation rituals, a focus on salvation, and a central deity figure. But that could be said of many religions, and none of the core beliefs of Christianity or Jesus are the same as Mithras.

Christianity was more accessible to the masses and eventually overtook the secretive Mithraic cult. Mithras gradually faded from memory, leaving behind a mysterious legacy that continues to captivate scholars and history enthusiasts alike to this day, whereas Churches can be found in nearly every town and city across this country (the UK), and in many other parts of the world, because the truth of Jesus has only grown stronger and spread globally over the last 2000 years.

 

Further Reading

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