Jesus began as a myth and was later historicized

Richard Carrier in 2006

Did Jesus begin as a myth? or as an actual person?

One group of Jesus myth theories claims that Jesus was a spiritual being who some experienced in visions, or people pretended to have visions of Jesus. The gospels were an allegory of the spiritual person on Earth (i.e. Jesus was euhemerized). These myths were when taught as if they were true. Advocates for the theory include Richard Carrier, David Fitzgerald and Earl Doherty. It is one of many theories about the existence of Jesus.

"[The most plausible Jesus myth theory is] the earliest Christians preached a celestial being named Jesus Christ, then later this godlike figure was fictionally placed in a historical setting just as other gods were, and the original concept eventually forgotten, dismissed, or suppressed."

"Christianity, like all religious movements, was born from mythmaking; and nowhere is this clearer than when we examine the context from which Jesus sprang"

This theory claims that the mythical Jesus had followers who were later influenced by pagan religions and Greek influences rather than the other way around. The evidence available to historians in the years 64 to 95 CE is non-existent and it is difficult to chart the course of Christianity when we have no idea who was in charge, their areas of influence, items of deputes and how disputes were resolved.

Minimal facts

Richard Carrier argued that there are a set of minimal facts that must be supported for any Jesus myth theory to be valid.

• Jesus began as a celestial deity, similar to other religions.
• Followers of Jesus claimed they received visions or dreams that gave them divine knowledge.
• His followers believed that Jesus experienced a dying and rising ordeal in a supernatural plane.
• The story of Jesus was told to new followers in an allegory which placed Jesus in a historic setting.
• The story was eventually taken by his followers to be more literal than allegorical.

If any of these claims could be shown to be false, it would disprove mythicism (except for theories that claim Jesus began as a political allegory, deliberate hoax, etc).

Consensus of academic historians

Almost all scholars accept that some parts of the New Testament a myth. Many historians believe that most of the New Testament is myth. It has been generally assumed among historians that these myths originated in some historical event, partly because this was the traditional view.

Carrier points out that historians have refuted various implausible Jesus myth theories but calls for a re-evaluation of what he considers to be the most plausible myth theory without a hasty generalization that all myth theories are false.

Why did the myth of Jesus arise?

Previously, mythicism has been criticized for not explaining the origin of Christianity. Newer versions of the theory attempt to address this alleged problem.

Christianity grew out of Judaism in the 1st century CE in the western Levant region under Roman rule. Judaism of the time was very diverse in belief with disagreements on politics, theology and practices. At this stage, the Old Testament has not been edited to its current canonical version, so there was a wide variety of scriptures in circulation. There was an expectation of a messiah (a christ), possibly Elijah, to appear and liberate the Jews, often believed to be by a military victory. There were many messiah cults that appeared, possibly following an interpretation of existing Old Testament prophecy predicting an early first century messiah Daniel 12:11 . Many of these false messiahs were recorded by the contemporary historian Flavius Josephus. These messiahs where often suppressed by Roman authorities, which feared local uprisings. The region eventually rebelled in 66 CE leading to the First Jewish-Roman War, possibly fueled by messianic expectations. Jews at the time considered the Temple in Jerusalem, as the house of God, to be central to their religion. However, the temple administration was widely considered to be corrupt and as the reason God did not intervene to liberate the land believed by Jews to be promised by God. In Christianity, Jesus replaces the Temple as the means of salvation.

"It is reasonable to infer that once the literal, militaristic version of the [messiah] had been seen to fail (or indeed to be impossible, given the unstoppable might of the legions), it would not be unthinkable to adapt the same idea to being freed from the slavery not of the Romans or the corrupt Jewish elite, but the slavery of invisible demons (and death itself instead). [...] The only question is whether this Jesus was a real messianic pretender just like all these others [...] or whether Jesus was a spiritually conceived messiah right from the beginning."

According to various historians, some Jews expected the messiah to experience a dying-then-rising figure Isaiah 53  that would herald the end times and sins will be forgiven Daniel 9:24-27 . There is also a Old Testament story of Joshua son of Jozadak (which an equivalent name for Jesus son of God), being called Ἀνατολή meaning the East (where the sun rises or the Branch in other translations, possibly referring to the line of David), being proclaimed king and building the temple of the Lord and rule on his throne Zechariah 6:9-13 . This may have been the inspiration for the core doctrine of Christianity. Jews before Christianity and Christians of the early church were often searching scriptures, and the broader set of texts thought to be inspired by God, such as the Psalms of Solomon and other texts that have not survived, for clues about the messiah.

"The Christian religion could in a sense be explained as an attempt to explain away Daniel's failed prediction of a divinely supported military victory for Israel over its Gentile oppressors (which continually didn't happen), by imagining (unlike Daniel) a 'spiritual' kingdom instead of an actual one [...] Christianity is a syncretism of pagan and Jewish salvation ideology, and as such differs from each precisedly in what it borrows from the other."

Christianity began as an apocalyptic cult (or group of related cults) that taught that their messiah (Jesus) had achieved spiritual victory by his death 1 Corinthians 15:55-57 . According to many historians, the early Christians did not regard Jesus as identical to God. Judaism of the time was very diverse and, even though we only know a little about these groups, Christianity shows signs of being influenced by several of them, including the Pharisees, the Essens and the Baptists. The Beatitudes are of pre-Christian origin since a version is recorded in the Dead Sea Scrolls (4Q525).

Early Christianity has often been categorized a mystery religion, involving secret knowledge and ceremonies known only to initiates of the religion. Many other mystery religions existed throughout the Greek-Roman world. Christianity shares the concept of a savior god that experiences sufferings often including death and resurrection, salvation through rituals, baptism to wash away sins to be reborn, and ritual meals, with the other mystery cults. Richard Carrier agrees that Christianity is a mystery religion but points out it is not exactly like the other mystery religions.

Common trends in the Hellenistic period among the mystery cults fit early Christianity very closely:

• Hellenizing foreign deities. Mystery religious elements would be fused with a local religion to form a hybrid religious belief system. Christianity is a fusion of Hellenistic ideas with a Jewish/Palestinian cult, the Nazarenes. This process is called syncretism.
• Monotheism and henotheism.
• Changing fertility and agricultural gods into personal salvation god, while retaining the original myths and stories. This often features the passion (or struggle), death and resurrection of a god, such as Romulus, Osiris and Zalmoxis. They were generally euhemerized but never had an Earthly existence. Osiris had euhemerized stories for non-initiates, but the members of the religion told of Oriris' death and resurrection just below the moon. The same seems to have been believed of Jesus.
• Race and nationality were de-emphasized as it was believed that anyone could be initiated into a religion.

Dying-then-rising religions were common in the area around the time Christianity originated, e.g. the cult of Osiris. This idea is very likely to have been imported into Christianity from pagan religions. Early writers such as Justin Martyr recorded similarity between Christians and followers of Zeus. Osiris had euhemerized stories for non-initiates, but the members of the religion told of Oriris' death and resurrection just below the moon. The same seems to have been believed of Jesus. Christianity also imported concepts from philosophy at the time, particularly from Cynicism with ideas such as living a simple life and disavowing worldly desires. Common knowledge of cosmology was adopted that updated the Genesis model. Jewish theology already considered heaven to consist of a number of layers, some filled with angels, others with perfected copies of things that exist on Earth.

In its origin, Christianity is similar to Cargo cults in they arose in a society which was fragmented, experienced extreme inequality and experienced a series of military defeats. In situations, people seek a way to unify against threats in a non-military institutions outside the existing power structures.

Carrier points to the similarity of Paul the Apostle's revelatory experiences with Islam and Mormonism, in which a teacher experiences visions of a divine being which is then recorded in a holy book.

Many characters appear in legends, sometimes soon after their appearance, such as King Arthur, John, etc as a tool of social cohesion.

Early sources

As the Christian church began to formulate its orthodox belief, the writings that contradicted their view were not preserved because they had little interest in them. However, a few pieces of evidence survive.

Philo of Alexandria

Philo of Alexandria wrote of a celestial being that is the firstborn son of God, a high priest of God and an agent of creation. Richard Carrier argues that this is evidence of a belief in a celestial Jesus. The earliest Christian texts seem to be taking about the same Jesus, with the same theology.

"I have also heard of one of the companions of Moses having uttered such a speech as this: "Behold, a man whose name is the East!" [referencing Zech. 6:12 ] A very novel appellation indeed, if you consider it as spoken of a man who is compounded of body and soul; but if you look upon it as applied to that incorporeal being who in no respect differs from the divine image, you will then agree that the name of the east has been given to him with great felicity. For the Father of the universe has caused him to spring up as the eldest son, whom, in another passage, he calls the firstborn; and he who is thus born, imitating the ways of his father, has formed such and such species, looking to his archetypal patterns."

Ascension of Isaiah

For more information, see the Wikipedia article:

Ascension of Isaiah

The Ascension of Isaiah is an early Christian text (late 1st century CE to early 3rd century CE) that tells of the prophet Isaiah receiving a vision. In the vision God sends Jesus to save mankind from the Devil, which involves Jesus's death and resurrection - however, this happens "in the firmament" (outer space) but not on Earth. There is no mention of an earthly ministry apart from in a "pocket gospel" section that seems to have been inserted into the earlier text. The story is very similar to pre-Christian scriptures that describe a dying-then-rising god, often occurring in a celestial plane e.g. the Descent of Inanna.

What this text shows is that at least some early Christians held a mythic view of Jesus. How the text relates to the canonical New Testament is unclear.

Epistles genuinely written by Paul

Only seven of the epistles attributed to Paul the Apostle were actually written by him. Paul wrote that he received his knowledge by revelation "from the Lord" and/or Jesus, but not from man. There is no mention of the appearance of Jesus before his death. There is no mention of an Earthly mission. Jesus only appears in a revelation to people. The only narrative he recorded, of the Last Supper was also from revelation but doesn't mention any disciples. No eye witnesses are mentioned or oral testimony. There is no historical specifics regarding the life of Jesus.

Apologists point to Jesus being crucified by "the rules of the age". This is a common reference to demons. Paul's point that Jesus's identity was hidden to allow the salvation of mankind only makes sense if it refers to demons rather than groups that would stand to benefit.

Some sections seem to been later additions to the original text 1 Thessalonians 2:15-16  1 Timothy 6:13  2 Peter .

Paul seems to mention the Earthy family of Jesus. However, being "brothers of the Lord" is probably a religious concept and not biological siblings.

Paul refers to Jesus being "made" rather than "born".

Hebrews

Hebrews, very likely an early text but not by Paul, also speaks of a celestial Jesus. It cites revelation and scripture, not eyewitnesses as its source of information. There is no knowledge of the gospel narratives.

"If he were on earth, he would not be a priest...But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry"

— Hebrews 8:4-6

This argument only works if Jesus was not on Earth.

1 Clement

No clear mention of an Earthly Jesus. No knowledge of the Gospel narratives. Cites scripture, not eye witnesses.

Later sources

Gospels

The gospels are fictitious and not reliable historical sources. The Gospel of Mark may be an allegory with separate interpretations for both outsiders and initiates.

Acts

Acts is also historically unreliable.

Jesus's family and disciples suddenly disappear from the story after Acts 1 , implying they never existed.

Other sources are not independent

Other sources either rely on the Gospels as their source, or are fabricated.

Thallus and Josephus are not reliable.

Counter arguments

Jesus historically existed? Galatians 1:19 

Argument from uniqueness

Many historical figures are not attested to until generations after.

You can't invent a whole man in a generation.

Argument from silence is a weak argument

There is little evidence that supports the existence of Jesus but to conclude Jesus did not exist is a relatively weak argument. Just because the documentary evidence is weak does not mean Jesus didn't exist because of the poor records and their loss over time. For this reason, historians have searched for prior beliefs that evolved into Christianity.

No early critics of Christianity arguing for mythicism

We have no records of early critics of Christianity arguing against the historicity of Jesus. Carrier points out we have no records of critics at all, indicating this is an argument from silence.

Most scholars think Jesus existed

Apologists often make an argument from authority based on Biblical scholars on the historicity of the Gospels.

"No serious scholar has ventured to postulate the non-historicity of Jesus."

The problem is Biblical scholars have many biases, such as their own religious beliefs, that make them not a reliable authority on the Bible. Even if most scholars accepts the basic facts of the resurrection, we need to carefully examine their claims.

Comparing evidence to other historical figures

Main Article: Other historical figures are accepted on weaker evidence than Jesus

The evidence of Jesus is sometimes compared with other historical figures or events, including: Julius Caesar, Alexander the Great, the Holocaust and others.

This is factually incorrect. The evidence for Jesus is a collection of writings that are not independent, that are anonymous, that have no physical evidence, that are written decades after the fact by non-eyewitnesses, and written as religious scripture not objective history. By comparison, the historical figures and events have multiple sources, often which are primary sources together with physical evidence.

Jews would not have accepted heretical views

"[Mythicism fails] to do justice to the unambiguous evidence that what we now refer to as Christianity arose in a Jewish context that was committed to monotheism, observant of the Jewish Law, and unlikely to create a fictional Messiah based on pagan myths. "

Judaism already had a history of incorporating ideas from neighbouring cultures, such as from Zoroastrianism. Such innovations would not have been marketed as foreign but as originally Jewish ideas. Also, Christianity did not arise in the orthodox sections of Judaism but rather the radical minority groups.

"[...] Christianity did not originate within conservative or elite Judaism but from the radical fringes, as a protest movement against conservative elite Judaism, and thus represents the very kind of heresy conservatives were always combatting."

To Do

Earl Doherty Jesus Puzzle - Richard Carrier's review [4].

Robert Price, The Christ Myth Theory and its Problems

Stephen Laws, "Evidence Miracles and the Existence of Jesus"