Rivals of Jesus Documentary

National Geographic showed a special on the Rivals of Jesus a few nights ago, a good documentary I thought on other 'teachers' and so-called Messiahs who existed during Jesus' time and shortly afterward. The similarities are SO close with a few of them that one could easily mistake the false Messiah for the true One! This was a great reminder that we as Christians need to absolutely know what the Bible says about the coming Messiah...or else we too will be deceived when the false Christ, or Antichrist, comes on the scene!

First on the scene was Appolonius, who lived in Jesus day. He was said to have a virgin birth also, and able to heal others. They said he even raised the dead. Though he had many followers, it did not exceed the number that Jesus had.

Simon the magician (Magus), who was mentioned in the bible, also had followers. People thought he had God's power working in him. He believed he was the messiah. He also mentioned a woman named Helena, a former harlot, whom he said shared in his messianic lordship, if I heard right. He tried to buy the spirit's power from the Apostles, as mentioned in the bible. They say that one day, in the midst of many people, he actually levitated. But while levitating, he fell and broke his leg, after which he was stoned to death. (They stated this act was in scripture, but I couldn't find it). People still worshiped him after his death. A statue was made of him, naming him the 'holy god'.

People also thought Augustus was divine because he created a great empire of peace & prosperity. People worshipped him and his political power. He was called god, son of god, lord and redeemer. Believers in Jesus were actually called 'atheists' during that time because they didn't call the emperor 'god'!

Simon Barcopa, who's name meant 'son of the star' was another. His 'campaign' was one of war, however, as he would always speak against Rome. He started to attack soldiers and was successful, he even defeated a whole legion of soldiers at one point and overcame them in Judea. He was seen as a 'better candidate' for the Messiah because of his 'victory' over Rome. He demanded that his followers deny Jesus! He called devout Jews to cut off their index finger to show their allegience to him! Coins were even made after him. But eventually, Rome overcame him and his followers, and also executed the Rabbis of Judea because of 'their' resistance against Rome.

Around 138AD Mythrus was being worshipped. He was said to have been born of a virgin on December 25, shared a last meal, resurrected and returned to earth. By 200AD, followers outnumbered Christians. Temples have been uncovered honoring him, usually depicting him riding a bull's back. Followers also took part in a 'communion' as well. Scholars say they are not sure which came first, the communion of Christians or that of Mythrus worship. They had an initiation in which they were blindfolded and hand-bound with rope. They cut the rope and unblinded the initiate, signifying freedom, gave him a crown to wear, which in turn he removed and said "my only allegiance is to Mythrus."
(It reminded me of when the elders would cast their crowns before God in Heaven.)

About 30 BCE came Isis, AKA queen of heaven, or mother of god who's roots were from an Egyptian god. This had no relation to Mary, at least in the beginning. In 200AD worship of Isis spread throughout the empire. It's followers wore white linen to signify purity, and even abstained from intercourse. Isis did NOT demand change of lifestyle in order to be a follower. Eventually, similarities from Mary and Isis began to take root and started to intertwine! Around 500AD, worship of Isis was banned, and it's temples were converted to Christian churches.

John the Baptist was actually considered a 'rival' as well, probably from the fact that he also baptized people apart from Jesus. From his followers came the Mandayans, a sect outside Christianity, that gained many members and deny Jesus as Lord. Information was suppressed about them for many years because it was considered destructive to the church.

Lastly, the Nag Hummadi Library revealed a rival version of Jesus in the Gnostic writings. A large minority followed this rival. It reveals a different version of who Jesus was: it said he laughed; he was more human; Mary was the most important follower of Jesus; in the 'book of Philip', it said Jesus kissed Mary Magdalene, and possibly married her. These scrolls were later burned cause they went against the church. The traditional version of the bible as we know it today eventually triumphed over Gnostics.

During the reign of Constantine, who had a vision to use the cross in his battles, he solidified the church as we know it. He determined which gospels were sacred, and made Christianity legal during that time. After him, Theodoseus made it mandatory to believe in Jesus. He outlawed all other religions. Eventually, all the other religious traditions are brought together as one, even Isis' date of birth (Dec. 25); The gnostic gospels were burned and most of it was lost, in favor of the gospels of Jesus.

Interviewed during the program: Kristi Barret Copeland, Tina Pippin, Marvin Meyer and others.

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I know it was a very quick rundown but I think I got all of it down pretty well! I know that after reading something like this, our faith can be put to the test by wondering if our faith is sincerely true in the Jesus we believe in. Some might feel that Christianity was merely 'forced' over all other religious thought and simply won out! But we know that isn't true, especially in the day in which we live, where not Christianity, but beliefs such as Humanism, Relativism, and Darwinism is the 'religion' being forced upon us today!

Jesus Christ as we know in the Bible was unlike any of His rivals in that, his ministry was one of love and sacrifice, not resistance; he wasn't crucified because of his outright resistance against Rome; He did not perform miracles just for the sake of gain, nor for notoriety; we were told to NEVER make an image after him, even in the OT; He didn't 'rise in power' but took the form of a bondservant in submission to God; and the Spirit He gave when he left is great proof of our conversion, not merely an act of submission, but the Spirit creates real change in our lives, and empowers us to evangelize and stand against evil!

Hope Rivals in Jesus only deepens your faith in the true Messiah to come, Jesus Christ!

If anyone has anything to add/correct/comment on this article taken from the documentary, please feel free to chime in! Like I said, I think I got everything down fairly accurately but of course, I'm only human! =)