Bible Myths and their Parallels in other Religions Part 52

The Hindoo Saviour _Crishna_ was called the "Royal Good Shepherd."[203:5]

We have seen, then, on the authority of a Christian writer who has made the subject a special study, that, "there seems no just grounds at present for a.s.signing an earlier date," for the "earliest instances of the crucifixion" of Christ Jesus, represented in art, than the _eighth_ or _ninth_ century. Now, a few words in regard to _what these crucifixes looked like_. If the reader imagines that the crucifixes which are familiar to us at the present day are similar to those early ones, we would inform him that such is not the case. The earliest artists of the crucifixion represent the Christian Saviour as _young and beardless_, always without the crown of thorns, alive, and erect, apparently elate; no signs of bodily suffering are there.[203:6]

On page 151, plate 181, of Jameson's "History of Our Lord in Art" (vol.

ii.), he is represented standing on a foot-rest on the cross, alive, and eyes open. Again, on page 330, plate 253, he is represented standing "with body upright and arms extended straight, with _no nails_, _no wounds_, _no crown of thorns_--frequently clothed, and with a regal crown--a G.o.d, young and beautiful, hanging, as it were, without compulsion or pain."

On page 167, plate 188, are to be seen "the thieves _bound_ to their _cross (which is simply an upright beam, without cross-bars)_, with the figure of the Lord _standing_ between them." He is not bound nor nailed to a cross; no cross is there. He is simply standing erect in the form of a cross. This is a representation of what is styled, "_Early crucifixion with thieves_." On page 173, plate 190, we have a representation of the crucifixion, in which Jesus and the thieves are represented crucified on the Egyptian _tau_ (see Fig. No. 12). The thieves are _tied_, but the man-G.o.d is _nailed_ to the cross. A similar representation may be seen on page 189, plate 198.

On page 155, plate 183, there is a representation of what is called "Virgin and St. John at foot of _cross_," but this _cross_ is simply _an upright beam_ (as Fig. No. 13). There are no cross-bars attached. On page 167, plate 188, the thieves are _tied_ to an upright beam (as Fig.

13), and Jesus stands between them, _with arms extended in the form of a cross_, as the Hindoo Crishna is to be seen in Fig. No. 8. On page 157, plate 185, Jesus is represented crucified on the Egyptian cross (as No.

12).

Some ancient crucifixes represent the Christian Saviour crucified on a cross similar in form to the Roman figure which stands for the number _ten_ (see Fig. No. 14). Thus we see that there was no uniformity in representing the "cross of Christ," among the early Christians; even the cross which Constantine put on his "Labarum," or sacred banner, was nothing more than the monogram of the Pagan G.o.d Osiris (Fig. No.

15),[204:1] as we shall see in a subsequent chapter.

[Ill.u.s.tration: No. 12, No. 13, No. 14, No. 15]

The dogma of the _vicarious atonement_ has met with no success whatever among the Jews. The reason for this is very evident. The idea of vicarious atonement, in any form, is contrary to Jewish ethics, but it is in full accord with the _Gentile_. The _law_ ordains that[205:1]

"every man shall be put to death for _his own_ sin," and not for the sin or crime committed by any other person. No ransom should protect the murderer against the arm of justice.[205:2] The principle of equal rights and equal responsibilities is fundamental in the law. If the law of _G.o.d_--for as such it is received--denounces the vicarious atonement, viz., _to slaughter an innocent person to atone for the crimes of others_, then G.o.d must abhor it. What is more, Jesus is said to have sanctioned this law, for is he not made to say: "Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pa.s.s, one jot or one t.i.ttle shall in no wise pa.s.s from the law."[205:3]

"Salvation is and can be nothing else than learning the laws of life and keeping them. There is, in the modern world, neither place nor need for any of the theological 'schemes of salvation' or theological 'Saviours.'

No wrath of either G.o.d or devil stands in man's way; and therefore no 'sacrifice' is needed to get them out of the way. Jesus saves only as he helps men know and keep G.o.d's laws. Thousands of other men, in their degree, are Saviours in precisely the same way. As there has been no 'fall of man,' all the hundreds of theological devices for obviating its supposed effects are only imaginary cures for imaginary ills. What man does need is to be taught the necessary laws of life, and have brought to bear upon him adequate motives for obeying them. To know and keep G.o.d's laws is being reconciled to him. This is health; and out of health--that is, the perfect condition of the whole man, called holiness or wholeness--comes happiness, in this world and in all worlds."

FOOTNOTES:

[181:1] Monier Williams: Hinduism, pp. 36-40.

[182:1] Monier Williams: Hinduism, p. 36.

[182:2] See Prog. Relig. Ideas, vol. i. p. 303.

[182:3] Kenrick's Egypt, vol. i. p. 443.

[183:1] Herodotus: bk. ii. ch. 39.

[183:2] In the trial of Dr. Thomas (at Chicago) for "_doctrinal heresy_," one of the charges made against him (Sept. 8, 1881) was that he had said "the BLOOD of the Lamb had nothing to do with salvation."

And in a sermon preached in Boston, Sept. 2, 1881, at the Columbus Avenue Presbyterian Church, by the Rev. Andrew A. Bonar. D. D., the preacher said: "No sinner dares to meet the holy G.o.d until his sin has been forgiven, or until he has received _remission_. The penalty of sin is death, _and this penalty is not remitted by anything the sinner can do for himself_, but only through the BLOOD of Jesus. If you have accepted Jesus as your Saviour, you can take the blood of Jesus, and with boldness present it to the Father _as payment in full of the penalties of all your sins_. Sinful man has no right to the benefits and the beauties and glories of nature. _These were all lost to him through Adam's sin_, but to the blood of Christ's sacrifice he has a right; it was shed for him. It is Christ's death that does the blessed work of salvation for us. It was _not_ his life nor his Incarnation. His Incarnation could not pay a farthing of our debt, but his _blood_ shed in redeeming love, _pays it all_." (See Boston Advertiser, Sept. 3, 1881.)

[183:3] _Habet ergo Diabolus Christos suos._

[183:4] Huc's Travels, vol. i. pp. 326 and 327.

[184:1] Hinduism, p. 214.

[184:2] Ibid. p. 115.

[184:3] Vishnu Purana, p. 440.

[184:4] Ibid.

[184:5] Ibid.

[184:6] Aryan Mythology, vol. ii. p. 132.

[184:7] Pages 274 and 612.

[184:8] "On reconte fort divers.e.m.e.nt la mort de Crishna. Une tradition remarquable et averee le fait perir sur un bois fatal (un arbre), ou il fut cloue d'un coup de fleche." (Quoted by Higgins: Anacalypsis, vol. i.

p. 144.)

[185:1] See Higgins: Anacalypsis, vol. i. p. 499, and Mrs. Jameson's "History of Our Lord in Art," ii. 317, where the cross is called the "accursed tree."

[185:2] Chap. xxi. 22, 23: "If a man have committed a sin worthy of death, and he be to be put to death, and thou hang him on a tree: his body shall not remain all night upon the tree, but thou shalt in any wise bury him that day; (for he that is hanged is accursed of G.o.d;) that thy land be not defiled, which the Lord thy G.o.d giveth thee for an inheritance."

[185:3] Galatians, iii. 13.

[185:4] See Higgins: Anacalypsis, vol. i. p. 146, and Inman's Ancient Faiths, vol. i. p. 402.

"The crucified G.o.d Wittoba is also called Balu. He is worshiped in a marked manner at Pander-poor or Bunder-poor, near Poonah." (Higgins: Anacalypsis, vol. i. p. 750, _note_ 1.)

"A form of Vishnu (Crishna), called _Viththal_ or _Vithoba_, is the popular G.o.d at Pandharpur in Maha-rashtra, the favorite of the celebrated Marathi poet Tukarama." (Prof. Monier Williams: Indian Wisdom, p. xlviii.)

[185:5] See Lundy: Monumental Christianity, p. 160.

[185:6] This can be seen by referring to Calmet, Sonnerat, or Higgins, vol. ii., which contain plates representing Crishna.

[186:1] Monumental Christianity, p. 128.

[186:2] Ancient Faiths, vol. i. p. 411.

[186:3] Luke, xxiii. 39-43.

[186:4] Vasudeva means G.o.d. See Vishnu Purana, p. 274.

[186:5] Vishnu Purana, p. 612.

[187:1] See Prog. Relig. Ideas, vol. i. p. 72.

[187:2] "Si ita se res habet, ut existimat Beausobrius, _Indi_, et _Budistae_ quorum religio, eadem est ac Tibetana, nonnisi a Manichaeis nova haec deliriorum portenta acceperunt. Haenamque gentes praesertim in urbe Nepal, Luna XII. _Badr_ seu _Bhadon Augusti_ mensis, dies festos auspicaturae Dei _Indrae_, erigunt ad illius memoriam ubique locorum _cruces_ amictas _Abrotono_. Earum figuram descriptam habes ad lit. B, Tabula pone sequenti. Nam A effigies est ipsius _Indrae crucifixi_ signa Telech in fronte manibus pedibusque gerentis." (Alph Tibet, p. 203.

Quoted in Higgins' Anacalypsis, vol. i. p. 130.)

[188:1] "Ils conviennent qu'il a repandu son sang pour le salut du genre humain, ayant ete perce de clous par tout son corps. Quoiqu'ils ne disent pas qu'il a souffert le supplice de la croix, ou en trouve pourtant la figure dans leurs livres." (Quoted in Higgins' Anacalypsis, vol. ii. p. 118.)

[188:2] "Although the nations of Europe have changed their religions during the past eighteen centuries, the Hindoo has not done so, except very partially. . . . The religious creeds, rites, customs, and habits of thought of the Hindoos generally, have altered little since the days of Manu, 500 years B. C." (Prof. Monier Williams: Indian Wisdom, p. iv.)

[188:3] See Higgins: Anacalypsis, vol. i. pp. 147, 572, 667 and 750; vol. ii. p. 122, and note 4, p. 185, this chapter.

[188:4] See Max Muller's Science of Religion, p. 224.