Origins of Heathen mythology
The myth makers of ancient Greece, Egypt and Rome were attempting to imitate the revelations of the Hebrew Prophets. The demons understood God was giving the holy Prophets of ancient Israel special understanding of the future of makind, but because the demons lacked the Spirit of God they could not understand the hidden meaning of the Prophecies of Israel. These demons inspired the false myth makers of pagan Greece, Rome, Egypt, etc. with wild specualtions based on the Hebrew prophecies. This is the origin of the myths of the pagan world.
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Origin of Heathen Mythology.
But those who hand down the myths which the poets have made, adduce no proof to the youths who
learn them; and we proceed to demonstrate that they have been uttered by the influence of the
wicked demons, to deceive and lead astray the human race. For having heard it proclaimed through
the prophets that the Christ was to come, and that the ungodly among men were to be punished by
fire, they put forward many to be called sons of Jupiter, under the impression that they would be able
to produce in men the idea that the things which were said with regard to Christ were mere
marvellous tales, like the things which were said by the poets. And these things were said both among
the Greeks and among all nations where they [the demons] heard the prophets foretelling that Christ
would specially be believed in; but that in hearing what was said by the prophets they did not
accurately understand it, but imitated what was said of our Christ, like men who are in error, we will
make plain. The prophet Moses, then, was, as we have already said, older than all writers; and by
him, as we have also said before, it was thus predicted: "There shall not fail a prince from Judah, nor
a lawgiver from between his feet, until He come for whom it is reserved; and He shall be the desire of
the Gentiles, binding His foal to the vine, washing His robe in the blood of the grape."115 The devils,
accordingly, when they heard these prophetic words, said that Bacchus was the son of Jupiter, and
gave out that he was the discoverer of the vine, and they number wine116 [or, the ass] among his
mysteries; and they taught that, having been torn in pieces, he ascended into heaven. And because in
the prophecy of Moses it had not been expressly intimated whether He who was to come was the
Son of God, and whether He would, riding on the foal, remain on earth or ascend into heaven, and
because the name of "foal" could mean either the foal of an ass or the foal of a horse, they, not
knowing whether He who was foretold would bring the foal of an ass or of a horse as the sign of His
coming, nor whether He was the Son of God, as we said above, or of man, gave out that
Bellerophon, a man born of man, himself ascended to heaven on his horse Pegasus. And when they
heard it said by the other prophet Isaiah, that He should be born of a virgin, and by His own means
ascend into heaven, they pretended that Perseus was spoken of. And when they knew what was
said, as has been cited above, in the prophecies written aforetime, "Strong as a giant to run his
course,"117 they said that Hercules was strong, and had journeyed over the whole earth. And when,
again, they learned that it had been foretold that He should heal every sickness, and raise the dead,
they produced Aesculapius.
Chapter LV.-Symbols of the Cross.
But in no instance, not even in any of those called sons of Jupiter, did they imitate the being crucified;
for it was not understood by them, all the things said of it having been put symbolically. And this, as
the prophet foretold, is the greatest symbol of His power and role; as is also proved by the things
which fall under our observation. For consider all the things in the world, whether without this form
they could be administered or have any community. For the sea is not traversed except that trophy
which is called a sail abide safe in the ship; and the earth is not ploughed without it: diggers and
mechanics do not their work, except with tools which have this shape. And the human form differs
from that of the irrational animals in nothing else than in its being erect and having the hands extended,
and having on the face extending from the forehead what is called the nose, through which there is
respiration for the living creature; and this shows no other form than that of the cross. And so it was
said by the prophet, "The breath before our face is the Lord Christ."118 And the power of this form is
shown by your own symbols on what are called "vexilla" [banners] and trophies, with which all your
state possessions are made, using these as the insignia of your power and government, even though
you do so unwittingly.119 And with this form you consecrate the images of your emperors when they
die, and you name them gods by inscriptions. Since, therefore, we have urged you both by reason
and by an evident form, and to the utmost of our ability, we know that now we are blameless even
though you disbelieve; for our part is done and finished.
Chapter LVI.-The Demons Still Mislead Men.
But the evil spirits were not satisfied with saying, before Christ's appearance, that those who were
said to be sons of Jupiter were born of him; but after He had appeared, and been born among men,
and when they learned how He had been foretold by the prophets, and knew that He should be
believed on and looked for by every nation, they again, as was said above, put forward other men,
the Samaritans Simon and Menander, who did many mighty works by magic, and deceived many,
and still keep them deceived. For even among yourselves, as we said before,120 Simon was in the
royal city Rome in the reign of Claudius Caesar, and so greatly astonished the sacred senate and
people of the Romans, that he was considered a god, and honoured, like the others whom you
honour as gods, with a statue. Wherefore we pray that the sacred senate and your people may, along
with yourselves, be arbiters of this our memorial, in order that if any one be entangled by that man's
doctrines, he may learn the truth, and so be able to escape error; and as for the statue, if you please,
destroy it.
Chapter LVII.-And Cause Persecution.
Nor can the devils persuade men that there will be no conflagration for the punishment of the wicked;
as they were unable to effect that Christ should be hidden after He came. But this only can they
effect, that they who live irrationally, and were brought up licentiously in wicked customs, and are
prejudiced in their own opinions, should kill and hate us; whom we not only do not hate, but, as is
proved, pity and endeavour to lead to repentance. For we do not fear death, since it is
acknowledged we must surely die; and there is nothing new, but all things continue the same in this
administration of things; and if satiety overtakes those who enjoy even one year of these things, they
ought to give heed to our doctrines, that they may live eternally free both from suffering and from
want. But if they believe that there is nothing after death, but declare that those who die pass into
insensibility, then they become our benefactors when they set us free from sufferings and necessities
of this life, and prove themselves to be wicked, and inhuman, and bigoted. For they kill us with no
intention of delivering us, but cut us off that we may be deprived of life and pleasure.
Chapter LVIII.-And Raise Up Heretics.
And, as we said before, the devils put forward Marcion of Pontus, who is even now teaching men to
deny that God is the maker of all things in heaven and on earth, and that the Christ predicted by the
prophets is His Son, and preaches another god besides the Creator of all, and likewise another son.
And this man many have believed, as if he alone knew the truth, and laugh at us, though they have no
proof of what they say, but are carried away irrationally as lambs by a wolf, and become the prey of
atheistical doctrines, and of devils. For they who are called devils attempt nothing else than to seduce
men from God who made them, and from Christ His first-begotten; and those who are unable to
raise themselves above the earth they have riveted, and do now rivet, to things earthly, and to the
works of their own hands; but those who devote themselves to the contemplation of things divine,
they secretly beat back; and if they have not a wise sober-mindedness, and a pure and passionless
life, they drive them into godlessness.
Chapter LIX.-Plato's Obligation to Moses.
And that you may learn that it was from our teachers-we mean the account given through the
prophets-that Plato borrowed his statement that God, having altered matter which was shapeless,
made the world, hear the very words spoken through Moses, who, as above shown, was the first
prophet, and of greater antiquity than the Greek writers; and through whom the Spirit of prophecy,
signifying how and from what materials God at first formed the world, spake thus: "In the beginning
God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was invisible and unfurnished, and darkness
was upon the face of the deep; and the Spirit of God moved over the waters. And God said, Let
there be light; and it was so." So that both Plato and they who agree with him, and we ourselves,
have learned, and you also can be convinced, that by the word of God the whole world was made
out of the substance spoken of before by Moses. And that which the poets call Erebus, we know
was spoken of formerly by Moses.121
Chapter LX.-Plato's Doctrine of the Cross.
And the physiological discussion122 concerning the Son of God in the Timoeus of Plato, where he
says, "He placed him crosswise123 in the universe," he borrowed in like manner from Moses; for in
the writings of Moses it is related how at that time, when the Israelites went out of Egypt and were in
the wilderness, they fell in with poisonous beasts, both vipers and asps, and every kind of serpent,
which slew the people; and that Moses, by the inspiration and influence of God, took brass, and
made it into the figure of a cross, and set it in the holy tabernacle, and said to the people, "If ye look
to this figure, and believe, ye shall be saved thereby."124 And when this was done, it is recorded that
the serpents died, and it is handed down that the people thus escaped death. Which things Plato
reading, and not accurately understanding, and not apprehending that it was the figure of the cross,
but taking it to be a placing crosswise, he said that the power next to the first God was placed
crosswise in the universe. And as to his speaking of a third, he did this because he read, as we said
above, that which was spoken by Moses, "that the Spirit of God moved over the waters." For he
gives the second place to the Logos which is with God, who he said was placed crosswise in the
universe; and the third place to the Spirit who was said to be borne upon the water, saying, "And the
third around the third."125 And hear how the Spirit of prophecy signified through Moses that there
should be a conflagration. He spoke thus: "Everlasting fire shall descend, and shall devour to the pit
beneath."126 It is not, then, that we hold the same opinions as others, but that all speak in imitation of
ours. Among us these things can be heard and learned from persons who do not even know the
forms of the letters, who are uneducated and barbarous in speech, though wise and believing in mind;
some, indeed, even maimed and deprived of eyesight; so that you may understand that these things
are not the effect of human wisdom, but are uttered by the power of God.
From the First Apology of Justin Martyr (115-165 A.D.)
Justin was born approx. 83 years after Jesus's Ascension. Justine was trained by disciples of the original Apostles. |
