Was The Story of Jesus Copied From Pagan Myths?

QUESTION:

ANSWER:

Though many allege that Jesus was copied from ancient myths, careful examination reveals that these legends are symbolic and fictional—while Jesus Christ is a real, historical figure whose life, death, and resurrection are grounded in eyewitness testimony and historical evidence.

Introduction: Truth or Tradition? Myth or Messiah?

In every generation, the story of Jesus Christ is questioned. While many attack His divinity or resurrection, perhaps the most deceptive allegation is this: that Jesus is simply another myth—His life borrowed from ancient pagan gods and recycled legends.

Skeptics claim that Christianity copied its core beliefs—virgin birth, miracles, death, and resurrection—from deities like Horus, Osiris, Mithras, and others. But is there any truth to this?

As believers, we are not called to follow blindly. The Bible encourages examination:

“Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves.” – 2 Corinthians 13:5

In this article, we expose the allegations that Jesus is a myth by comparing them with the actual content of ancient pagan stories. The truth becomes clear: while myths fade with time, the historical Jesus remains unshakable.

Allegation 1: Jesus Was Copied from Horus (Egyptian Deity)

What Critics Claim:

Born of a virgin (Isis)
His birth was announced by a star and visited by wise men
Baptized at age 30 by “Anup the Baptizer”
Had 12 disciples
Performed miracles
Was crucified and resurrected

The Truth: Horus was the son of Isis and Osiris. His conception came after Isis magically reassembled Osiris’ dismembered body. This is far removed from the concept of a virgin birth as found in the Gospels.

There are no ancient Egyptian texts that mention:

A baptism by “Anup”
12 disciples (Horus had four semi-divine followers at most)
A crucifixion
A resurrection like that of Jesus

These claims originated from 19th and 20th-century conspiracy theorists, not from archaeology or historical Egyptology. When held against primary sources, the parallels fall apart.

Allegation 2: Jesus Was Copied from Osiris (Egyptian God)

What Critics Claim:

Called “King of Kings” and “Lord of Lords”
Born under a star and visited by three wise men
Died and rose again

The Truth: Osiris was a vegetation god, representing the cycle of life and death. His myth involves being murdered by his brother Set, dismembered, and reassembled by Isis, after which he becomes the ruler of the underworld, not a resurrected Savior walking among men.

The titles “King of Kings” and “Lord of Lords” are later interpretations, not terms used in Egyptian religion. There is no star, no wise men, and no bodily resurrection in the Osiris myth comparable to the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Jesus rose bodily from the grave and appeared to over 500 eyewitnesses (1 Corinthians 15:6). Osiris, by contrast, became a symbol of the afterlife—not a victorious conqueror of death.

Allegation 3: Jesus Was Copied from Mithras (Persian/Roman Deity)

What Critics Claim:

Born on December 25 of a virgin
Had 12 disciples
Performed miracles
Died and rose again after three days
Instituted a sacred meal

The Truth: The story of Mithras was part of the Roman mystery religions, popular among soldiers and elites. The origins of Mithraism predate Christ, but the Roman version postdates the New Testament.

Key points:

Mithras was not born of a virgin—he emerged fully grown from a rock.
There is no mention of 12 disciples—this assumption is likely drawn from zodiac imagery.
There is no documented death or resurrection of Mithras in ancient texts.
Sacred meals were part of many pagan rituals, but they bear no theological resemblance to the Lord’s Supper in purpose or meaning.

Simply put, Mithras is not a prototype of Christ, but a mystery religion with its own distinct symbols, unconnected to the Gospel of salvation.

Allegation 4: Jesus Was Copied from Dionysus (Greek God of Wine)

What Critics Claim:

Born of a virgin
Turned water into wine
Died and came back to life

The Truth: Dionysus, son of Zeus and Semele, was not born of a virgin. His story varies, but in all versions, his birth involves divine impregnation, not miraculous virgin conception.

The connection to wine is also vague. Dionysus is associated with madness, ritual frenzy, and drunkenness. His “miracles” are symbolic myths related to fertility and agriculture—not historical, moral, or redemptive acts like those of Jesus.

And while some myths say he “died,” Dionysus’s “resurrection” is symbolic of the harvest—not a literal, witnessed return from the dead.

Allegation 5: Jesus Was Copied from Krishna (Hindu Deity)

What Critics Claim:

Virgin birth
Star at his birth
Miracles and a divine mission

The Truth: Krishna was born to Princess Devaki and her husband Vasudeva—not a virgin. Though Hindu texts describe miraculous elements, they emerged over centuries, often symbolizing broader cosmic truths, not historical events.

There is no ancient reference to a star, no crucifixion, and no resurrection from the dead. Krishna’s story is vastly different in context and theology. His role in Hinduism is rooted in karma, reincarnation, and cosmic order, not forgiveness of sin and eternal salvation.

Allegation 6: Jesus Was Copied from Attis (Phrygian God)

What Critics Claim:

Born of a virgin
Died and was resurrected

The Truth: Attis was born when Nana, a river nymph, conceived by placing a sacred almond or pomegranate on her womb—a symbolic tale, not a biological virgin birth. Attis later castrated himself and died, after which his body was preserved, but not restored to life in the way Jesus was.

The “resurrection” of Attis is tied to seasonal cycles—a myth about spring renewal, not historical resurrection.

Final Thought: Myths Fade—But Jesus Remains

Across all these mythologies, the patterns are clear:

The stories are symbolic, not historical.
Their “resurrections” are cyclical, not physical.
Their births are metaphorical, not miraculous virgin conceptions.
And most importantly, none of them are rooted in documented history or supported by eyewitness testimony.

Jesus is not like them.

Jesus is not a myth. Jesus is not a legend. Jesus is real.

His life is documented not only in the Gospels, but corroborated by Jewish, Roman, and secular sources. His crucifixion under Pontius Pilate, His radical teachings, and the explosive growth of Christianity—all point to a man who truly lived, died, and rose again.

The claims that Jesus is copied from myths are themselves modern legends—easily debunked and historically baseless.

“These are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.” – John 20:31

Myths are born in shadows.
But Jesus walked in the light.
He was seen, heard, touched, crucified—and raised to life.

He is not one of many. He is the One and Only.

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