Bible Myths and their Parallels in other Religions Part 65

[239:1] Baring-Gould: Orig. Relig. Belief, vol. i. p. 407.

[239:2] See Mallet's Northern Antiquities.

[239:3] Humboldt: Amer. Res., vol. i. p. 91.

[239:4] Prescott: Con. of Mexico, vol. i. p. 60.

[239:5] Fergusson: Tree and Serpent Worship, p. 87. Squire: Serpent Symbol, p. 187.

[239:6] Acosta: Hist. Indies, vol. ii. p. 513.

[240:1] Over all the Higher Asia there seems to have been diffused an immemorial tradition relative to a second grand convulsion of nature, and the final dissolution of the earth by the terrible agency of FIRE, as the first is said to have been by that of WATER. It was taught by the Hindoos, the Egyptians, Plato, Pythagoras, Zoroaster, the Stoics, and others, and was afterwards adopted by the Christians. (II. Peter, iii.

9. Hist. Hindostan, vol. ii. pp. 498-500.)

[240:2] "And G.o.d made, in six days, the works of his hands, . . . the meaning of it is this; that in _six thousand years_ the Lord will bring all things to an end." (Barnabas. _Apoc._ c. xiii.)

[241:1] After the devotees and followers of the new gospel had in vain expected the _Holy One_ who was to come, they at last pitched upon St.

Francis as having been the expected one, and, of course, the most surprising and absurd miracles were said to have been performed by him.

Some of the fanatics who believed in this man, maintained that St.

Francis was "wholly and entirely transformed into the person of Christ"--_Totum Christo configuratum_. Some of them maintained that the gospel of Joachim was expressly preferred to the gospel of Christ.

(Mosheim: Hist. Cent., xiii. pt. ii. sects. x.x.xiv. and x.x.xvi.

Anacalypsis, vol. i. p. 695.)

[242:1] _Chiliasm_--the thousand years when Satan is bound.

CHAPTER XXV.

CHRIST JESUS AS JUDGE OF THE DEAD.

According to Christian dogma, "G.o.d the Father" is not to be the judge at the last day, but this very important office is to be held by "G.o.d the Son." This is taught by the writer of "The Gospel according to St.

John"--whoever he may have been--when he says:

"For the Father judgeth no man, _but hath committed all judgment unto the Son_."[244:1]

Paul also, in his "Epistle to the Romans" (or some other person who has interpolated the pa.s.sage), tells us that:

"In the day when G.o.d shall judge the secrets of men," this judgment shall be done "by _Jesus Christ_," his son.[244:2]

Again, in his "Epistle to Timothy,"[244:3] he says:

"_The Lord Jesus Christ_ shall judge the quick and the dead, at his appearing and his kingdom."[244:4]

The writer of the "Gospel according to St. Matthew," also describes Christ Jesus as judge at the last day.[244:5]

Now, the question arises, _is this doctrine original with Christianity_?

To this we must answer _no_. It was taught, for ages before the time of Christ Jesus or Christianity, that the Supreme Being--whether "Brahma,"

"Zeruane Akerene," "Jupiter," or "Yahweh,"[244:6]--was not to be the judge at the last day, but that their _sons_ were to hold this position.

The sectarians of _Buddha_ taught that he (who was the _Son of G.o.d_ (Brahma) and the Holy Virgin Maya), is to be the judge of the dead.[244:7]

According to the religion of the Hindoos, _Crishna_ (who was the _Son of G.o.d_, and the Holy Virgin Devaki), is to be the judge at the last day.[245:1] And _Yama_ is the G.o.d of the departed spirits, and the judge of the dead, according to the _Vedas_.[245:2]

_Osiris_, the Egyptian "Saviour" and son of the "Immaculate Virgin"

Neith or Nout, was believed by the ancient Egyptians to be the judge of the dead.[245:3] He is represented on Egyptian monuments, seated on his throne of judgment, bearing a staff, and carrying the _crux ansata_, or cross with a handle.[245:4] _St. Andrew's cross_ is upon his breast. His _throne_ is in checkers, to denote the good and evil over which he presides, or to indicate the good and evil who appear before him as the judge.[245:5]

Among the many hieroglyphic t.i.tles which accompany his figure in these sculptures, and in many other places on the walls of temples and tombs, are "Lord of Life," "The Eternal Ruler," "Manifester of Good," "Revealer of Truth," "Full of Goodness and Truth," &c.[245:6]

Mr. Bonwick, speaking of the Egyptian belief in the last judgment, says:

"A perusal of the twenty-fifth chapter of Matthew will prepare the reader for the investigation of the Egyptian notion of the last judgment."[245:7]

Prof. Carpenter, referring to the Egyptian Bible--which is by far the most ancient of all holy books[245:8]--says:

"In the 'Book of the Dead,' there are used the very phrases we find in the New Testament, _in connection with the day of judgment_."[245:9]

According to the religion of the _Persians_, it is _Ormuzd_, "_The First Born of the Eternal One_," who is judge of the dead. He had the t.i.tle of "The All-Seeing," and "The Just Judge."[245:10]

Zeruane Akerene is the name of him who corresponds to "G.o.d the Father"

among other nations. He was the "One Supreme essence," the "Invisible and Incomprehensible."[245:11]

Among the ancient _Greeks_, it was _Aeacus_--Son of the Most High G.o.d--who was to be judge of the dead.[245:12]

The Christian Emperor Constantine, in his oration to the clergy, speaking of the ancient poets of Greece, says:

"They affirm that men who are the _sons of the G.o.ds_, do judge departed souls."[246:1]

Strange as it may seem, "there are no examples of Christ Jesus conceived as judge, or the last judgment, in the _early_ art of Christianity."[246:2]

The author from whom we quote the above, says, "It would be difficult to define the _cause_ of this, though many may be conjectured."[246:3]

Would it be unreasonable to "conjecture" that the _early_ Christians did not teach this doctrine, but that it was imbibed, in after years, with many other heathen ideas?

FOOTNOTES:

[244:1] John, v. 22.

[244:2] Romans, ii. 16.

[244:3] Not authentic. (See The Bible of To-Day, p. 212.)

[244:4] II. Timothy, iv. 1.

[244:5] Matt. xxv. 31-46.