And yet the incidents of the life and death of Christ, the teachings of Christ and His Apostles, and the rites and mysteries of the Christian Church can all be paralleled by similar incidents, ethics, and ceremonies embodied in religions long anterior to the birth of Jesus.
Christ is said to have been God come down upon the earth. The idea of a god coming down upon the earth was quite an old and popular idea at the time when the Gospels were written. In the Old Testament God makes many visits to the earth; and the instances in the Greek, Roman, and Egyptian mythologies of gods coming amongst men and taking part in human affairs are well known.
Christ is said to have been the Son of God. But the idea of a son-god is very much older than the Christian religion.
Christ is said to have been a redeemer, and to have descended from a line of kings. But the idea of a king's son as a redeemer is very much older than the Christian religion.
Christ is said to have been born of a virgin. But many heroes before Him were declared to have been born of virgins.
Christ is said to have been born in a cave or stable while His parents were on a journey. But this also was an old legend long before the Christian religion.
Christ is said to have been crucified. But very many kings, kings' sons, son-gods, and heroes had been crucified ages before Him.
Christ is said to have been a sacrifice offered up for the salvation of man. But thousands and thousands of men before Him had been slain as sacrifices for the general good, or as atonements for general or particular sins.
Christ is said to have risen from the dead. But that had been said of other gods before Him.
Christ is said to have ascended into Heaven. But this also was a very old idea.