The Proliferation Of Resurrection Myths

What do Tammuz, Osirus, Dionysus, Adonis, Attis, and Ba’al have in common? They all are used as examples that Jesus’ death and resurrection was merely another myth created and perpetuate by men. The argument goes as follows:

“All these gods came from regions that were close enough to the crossroads of Israel (Mesopotamia, Egypt, Greece, and Asia Minor) for the ideas to have plausibly made it there, were worshipped well before the time of Jesus, and were of the dying-and-rising sort. This is strong evidence either that the gospel writers knew of (and could have been influenced by) resurrecting god stories from other cultures or that these stories influenced the Jesus story when it was told from person to person.” Bob Seidensticker

In other words, “Jesus’ story can’t be true”. I won’t rehearse here the evidence for the resurrection of Jesus, but, If, however, Jesus was resurrected from the dead then how, and why do these other stories exist? C.S. Lewis, who said, “The story of Christ is simply a true myth; a myth working on us in the same way as the others, but with this tremendous difference, that it really happened, and one must be content to accept it in the same way, remembering that it is God’s Myth where the others are men’s myths.” By using the term myth, C.S. Lewis has laid himself open for criticism.

“So you admit that the Jesus story indeed has many characteristics of mythology but demand that I just trust you that it’s true? Sorry, I need more evidence than that.” Bob Seidensticker 

Forget about the abundant historical evidence for the resurrection of Jesus, C.S. Lewis uses the term myth in a technical way:

Marian Webster Dictionary, Definition of myth

1a : a usually traditional story of ostensibly historical events that serves to unfold part of the world view of a people or explain a practice, belief, or natural phenomenon.

This definition explains Lewis’ use in regard to different religions. Stories of a resurrection have existed from the beginning of time because the scripture says that God had prepared a remedy for sin since before the foundations of creation. Like the idea of God, or of sin, the resurrection story has been warped by people groups through time and sin. When in the course of time Jesus came to become the propitiation of our sin and to be resurrected from the dead, the true nature of resurrection was revealed for all to see. The power of God was on display.

People will use all kinds of reasons to dismiss the resurrection. That was true in Jesus day. “23 The same day Sadducees came to him, who say that there is no resurrection, and they asked him a question, 24 saying, “Teacher, Moses said, If a man dies having no children, his brother must marry the widow and raise up offspring for his brother.’ 25 Now there were seven brothers among us. The first married and died, and having no offspring left his wife to his brother. 26 So too the second and third, down to the seventh. 27 After them all, the woman died. 28 In the resurrection, therefore, of the seven, whose wife will she be? For they all had her.” 29 But Jesus answered them, “You are wrong, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God.” Matthew 21. 

The gospel is the power of God for salvation, the resurrection is the power of God over sin and death. Doubt and disbelief will persist. For us who believe it is life, for those who disbelieve it is death. I’m just saying…