Myth vs. Jesus

I SAW IT WITH MY OWN EYES
3B. Eyewitnesses

The writers of the New Testament either wrote as eyewitnesses of the events they described or recorded eyewitness firsthand accounts of the events.

II Peter 1:16
“For we did not follow cleverly devised tales when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty.”

They certainly knew the difference between myth, legend and reality. A professor of a world literature class in which I was speaking asked the question, “What do you think of Greek mythology?” I answered with another question, “Do you mean, were the events of the life of Jesus, the resurrection, virgin birth, etc., just myth?” He said, “Yes.” I replied that there is one obvious difference between these things applied to Christ and these things applied to Greek mythology that is usually overlooked. The similar events, such a the resurrection, etc, of Greek mythology were not applied to real, flesh and blood individuals, but rather to mythological characters. But, when it comes to Christianity, these events are attached to a person the writers knew in time-space dimension history, the historic Jesus of Nazareth whom they knew personally.

The professor replied, “You’re right, I never realized that before.”

S. Estborn in Gripped by Christ explains further the above. He relates that Anath Nath “studied both the Bible and the Shastras. Two biblical themes in particular deeply engaged his mind: first, the reality of the Incarnation, and second, the Atonement for human sin. These doctrines he sought to harmonize with Hindu Scriptures. He found a parallel to Christ’s self-sacrifice in Prajapati, the Vedic creator-god. he saw too, a vital difference. Whereas the Vedic Prajapati is a mythical symbol, which has been applied to several figures, Jesus of Nazareth is a historic person. ‘Jesus is the true Prajapati,’ he said, ‘the true Savior of the world.’” 6/43

J.B. Phillips. cited by Blaiklock, states, “I have read, in Greek and Latin, scores of myths but did not find the slightest flavour of myth here. Most people who know their Greek and Latin, whatever their attitude to the New Testament narratives, would agree with him . . .

“A myth may be defined as ‘a pre-scientific and imaginative attempt to explain some phenomenon, real or supposed, which excites the curiosity of the mythmaker, or perhaps more accurately as an effort to reach a feeling of satisfaction in place of bewilderment concerning such phenomena. It often appeals to the emotions rather than the reason, and indeed, in its most typical forms, seems to date from an age when rational explanations were not called for.’” 3/47
(p.5)

from Evidence That Demands A Verdict by Josh McDowell.