You’ve probably heard it before — maybe in a YouTube video, a blog comment section, or a casual conversation:

“Christianity merely copied from older religions. Jesus is just another version of pagan gods like Horus, Mithras, and Dionysus.”

It may sound convincing. After all, many claim that other religions contain sensational tales of miracle-working gods who returned from the dead. If the story of Jesus was just borrowed from ancient myths, then Christianity isn’t unique — it’s just another repackaged tale.

But how true is this claim? Let’s take a closer look.

Where Did This Idea Come From?

The notion that Christianity borrowed from pagan myths gained popularity in the late 19th century. Scholars like Sir James Frazer, in The Golden Bough, argued that Jesus may have been an example of the “dying and rising god” archetype prevalent in many polytheistic religions. He wrote, “The killing of the god, that is, of his human incarnation, is therefore merely a necessary step to his revival or resurrection in a better form.”

More recently, the 2007 documentary Zeitgeist revived the “Christ Myth” theory, claiming that the New Testament authors cobbled together the figure of Jesus from pagan sources. While this idea continues to circulate online, it simply doesn’t hold up under scrutiny.

The Dying and Rising Gods: Did They Inspire the Story of Jesus?

Critics often compare Jesus to deities from ancient religions, suggesting their stories mirror Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. Let’s examine the most popular examples:

1. Horus (Egyptian Mythology)

• The Claim: Horus was born of a virgin, had twelve disciples, was crucified, and rose again.
• The Reality: Horus was the son of Isis and Osiris, and while Osiris was killed and dismembered, he didn’t resurrect in the same way Jesus did; Isis used magic to revive him. Horus never had twelve disciples, nor was he crucified. His “resurrection” was a poetic cycle tied to the setting and rising of the sun, not a historical event.
• Conclusion: Horus is clearly a mythical figure, while Jesus was a historical rabbi living in first-century Israel.

2. Mithras (Persian/Roman Mythology)

• The Claim: Mithras was born of a virgin on December 25th.
• The Reality: This pops up frequently during Christmas as an argument that Christianity borrowed the date from Mithraism. However, Mithras was born from a rock, not a virgin mother. His birth story differs significantly from the nativity of Jesus, which has the gritty ring of truth — an expectant mother, a husband desperately seeking shelter, a baby hastily born in a manger, and shepherds as the first witnesses. The December 25th claim arose when Sol Invictus, the Roman god of the sun who was celebrated on that date, became closely associated with Mithras.
• Conclusion: Mithras and Jesus are fundamentally different. The birth story of Mithras is wildly fantastic, while the narrative of how Jesus came into the world contains believable details.

3. Dionysus (Greek Mythology)

. The Claim: Dionysus was born of a virgin, performed miracles, died, and resurrected.

• The Reality: While some myths depict him being torn apart and reborn, these stories reflect the agricultural cycles of nature rather than an actual resurrection.

Regarding miracles, some claim that Dionysus turned water into wine, echoing the miracle performed by Jesus. However, there is no credible ancient account of Dionysus performing such an act. Dionysus was primarily associated with drunkenness, revelry, and chaos, making him a far cry from the noble figure of Jesus. In the myths, Dionysus is torn apart during a battle, and the stories vary on whether he is reassembled or reborn, but none of these narratives resemble the prophesied, redemptive resurrection of Christ.

• Conclusion: Dionysus’ story is rooted in the cycles of nature, whereas Jesus’ resurrection is a unique, historical event that occurred in a specific time and place, changing the course of history.

Key Differences Between Jesus and Pagan Myths

The resurrection of Jesus — the touchstone of Christianity— is vastly different from the resurrection stories of ancient myths in several key ways:

• Rooted in Jewish Prophecy: Some argue that resurrection was not an Old Testament concept, but this is simply not true. While it may not have been as prominent as in the New Testament era, the idea was present centuries before Christ. Consider these passages:

But your dead will live, Lord; their bodies will rise — let those who dwell in the dust wake up and shout for joy — your dew is like the dew of the morning; the earth will give birth to her dead (Isaiah 26:19).

I will deliver this people from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death. Where, O death, are your plagues? Where, O grave, is your destruction? (Hosea 13:14)

Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt (Daniel 12:2)

From these passages, it is clear that the writers of the Gospels and the pastoral letters drew from Hebrew prophecy, not pagan sources.

• A One-Time Historical Event: Pagan resurrection myths are tied to seasonal cycles, whereas Jesus’ resurrection is a singular, historical event.
• Eyewitness Testimony: Jesus’ resurrection was publicly proclaimed by multiple witnesses (1 Corinthians 15:3–7), while mystery religions were secretive.
• A Historical Figure: Jesus is documented outside the Bible by the Jewish historian Josephus, the Roman historian Tacitus, and the Roman magistrate Pliny the Younger. Pagan gods, by contrast, are confined to myths that are clearly ahistorical.

Did Christianity Borrow from Mystery Religions?

Despite the continued circulation of the idea that Christianity borrowed from Greco-Roman mystery religions, scholars largely abandoned this theory nearly a century ago. Here’s why:

1. The Composite Fallacy: Critics lump all pagan religions together, but they differ significantly from Christianity. Christianity’s core message is clear: Christ died, Christ rose, Christ will come again. Pagan religions, by contrast, are a mishmash of different beliefs with no unified narrative.
2. The Terminology Fallacy: Christian concepts like baptism, resurrection, and savior are often misapplied to pagan myths. Even when similar terms appear, their meanings are vastly different. For example, Mithraic rituals included a communal meal with bread and wine, but this wasn’t anything like the agape feasts of the early church. Furthermore, the Mithraic sacrifice of a bull lacks the atoning significance of Christ’s death.
3. The Chronological Fallacy: Many mystery cults, like Mithraism and Isis worship, became widespread after Christianity had already emerged. In fact, Mithraism appears to have borrowed from Christianity, not the other way around.
4. The Intentional Fallacy: Christianity teaches a linear view of history as part of God’s redemptive plan, while mystery religions followed cyclical views tied to nature’s endless repetition. Christianity’s message was public and open, whereas mystery religions were exclusive and hidden.

Christianity’s Jewish Roots, Not Pagan Myths

Christianity is rooted in Jewish prophecy and scripture. Core doctrines such as monotheism, resurrection, atonement for sin, and grace are derived from Jewish thought, not from Greek or Roman mythology. 

In almost every way, myths differed from Judeo-Christian theology. For instance, there was no resurrection in ancient fables, only a shadowy existence in the underworld. Souls were rewarded for their deeds on earth, not by faith in the gods or any covenantal relationship with a divine being. Furthermore, rather than a supreme, singular God, mythologies featured a pantheon of deities who constantly warred, bickered, and acted selfishly. This is in stark contrast to the Judeo-Christian understanding of a sovereign, all-powerful God who is both just and merciful, offering grace and salvation to all of humanity.

Simply put, Christianity did not borrow from paganism. Its foundation is firmly grounded in Old Testament history and Jewish thought, not stories that seem to more at home in a fairy tale or Harry Potter book.

The Verdict: Christianity Stands Apart

So, did Christianity borrow from pagan myths? The evidence overwhelmingly says no. Alleged parallels are exaggerated or nonexistent. Unlike mythological figures, Jesus’ resurrection is a historically attested event, and Christianity is deeply rooted in Jewish prophecy, not Greco-Roman mystery cults.

N.T. Wright, a respected New Testament scholar, wrote:

“It has long been known that the dying and rising gods of the pagan world simply do not match the Jewish and early Christian belief in resurrection. The ancient pagan gods who were worshipped in this way either did not actually die, or their ‘resurrection’ was a metaphor for the renewal of crops and seasons, rather than a true return from death.” (The Resurrection of the Son of God,2003)

Even Bart Ehrman, a well-known critic of orthodox Christianity, acknowledged:

“Where do any of the ancient sources speak of a divine man who was crucified as an atonement for sin? So far as I know, there are no parallels to the central Christian claim…The majority of scholars agree… there is no unambiguous evidence that any pagans prior to Christianity believed in dying and rising gods.”(Did Jesus Exist?, 2012)

The real question isn’t whether Jesus’ story was copied from myths — it’s whether you believe it actually happened. More importantly, it’s about what that belief means for you. Believing in the historicity of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection is one thing, but confessing its profound meaning is what truly matters. 

Scripture reminds us in John 3:16, 

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” 

This is the heart of the gospel — the truth that Jesus came to redeem us, offering eternal life through faith in Him and Him alone.

Ultimately, it’s not just about what you know, but what you believe and how you live in response to the incredible truth of God’s gift in Christ Jesus.

What do you think? Have you heard these arguments before? Drop a comment below and let’s discuss it!