The Parallels of Jesus and Hercules

1189 Words3 Pages

Myths and religious doctrine are generally recognized as two entirely different things. Myths are usually referred to as a fictitious story or a half-truth; often they are stories shared between groups of people that are part of a cultural society. Religion is a set of beliefs concerning the cause, and purpose of the universe, and often containing an ethical code dictating appropriate human conduct. Although they differ in certain aspects, they still hold similarities. Comparable to parables within the Bible, myths have different versions which are both motivating, as well as entertaining. There are not only parallels to the idea of the stories but specific tales hold similar morals and equivalent characters.

"And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth."(New Revised Standard Version, John 1:14) As the only son of God in the Christian theology, Jesus Christ was tasked with a multitude of trials, and horrors the common man would have rebuked and refused to undertake. However, as a demi-god born of the divine Christian deity and the mortal, virgin Mary, Jesus was not the average mortal man.

Jesus was not the first in history to boast such a birth lineage many examples exist within ancient tales; however Hercules, the illegitimate son of Zeus (supreme god of the Greek pantheon) and Alcmene (a mortal woman) is perhaps one of the most well-known. While the birth of Jesus was with consent and acknowledgement of Mary, Alcmene was tricked into a relationship with Zeus; it is interesting to note, however, neither conception was of traditional coupling.

Both Jesus and Hercules were marked for death directly from birth. Hera, Hercules’ st...

... middle of paper ...

...ation that would be interchangeable with the assessments. Is it a coincidence that many cultures share certain aspects of a hero? No, all societies wish for their champions to hold certain values; such as valor, strength, determination and the ability to overcome when faced with horrible adversities. I believe these traits transcend culture, religion and time; the only difference is that most of the ancient religions are now relegated to mythology.

Works Cited

Graves, Kersey. The World's Sixteen Cruicified Saviors Or, Christianity Before Christ. Web.

BookTagsEditDelete

"MythNET - Hercules." Classics Unveiled. Web. 01 Apr. 2012. .

WebsiteTagsEditDelete

"New Revised Standard Version of the Bible." Daily Devotions. Web. 01 Apr. 2012. .

Website

Show More
Related

  • Hercules Modern Basic Outline Of A Hero's Journey

    1364 Words  | 3 Pages

    Everyone knows the story of Hercules, but not everyone knows that it follows the same pattern as most hero stories. Hercules is a story about the son of Zeus. When Hercules was a baby, Pain and Panic, Hades’ evil henchmen, gave him a potion to turn him mortal. It was prophesied that this baby would be the one to defeat Hades and they didn’t want that to come true. Since Hercules was now mortal, he could no longer live on Mount Olympus. A couple on earth took him in so he could grow up as a human. Hercules knew something was different about himself, so when he grew up, he set out to discover who he really was. Even though Hercules is an ancient Greek myth, it still follows Joseph Campbell’s modern basic outline of a hero’s journey.

    Read More

  • Hercules Compare And Contrast

    543 Words  | 2 Pages

    Hercules of 1997 got put together by one of the popular Disney directors, Ron Clements and John Musker. Their earlier works include “The Little Mermaid,” “Aladdin,” and “The Great Mouse Detective,” which were movies that were astoundingly successful Disney movies that almost everyone enjoyed watching. Hercules without a doubt is one of my top Disney favourite movies, because of its really pop and melodious songs, and its simple yet very intricate plotline.

    Read More

  • Comparison Of The Babylonian Epic And Hesiod's Theogony

    1580 Words  | 4 Pages

    A myth is a traditional story, especially one concerning the early history of a people or explaining some natural or social phenomenon, and typically involving supernatural beings or events. Each civilization has its myths about the creation of the world and its human race. Most speak of “gods” who perform feats far beyond that of humankind. Most are legends passed down through oral tradition, and embellished along the way. The book of Genesis is one of the most significant books in the Bible and is sacred scripture for Jews, Samaritans, and Christians. The Babylonian epic, Enuma Elish, is one of the most important sources for understanding the Babylonian worldview. Hesiod’s Theogony is a poem describing the origins and genealogies of

    Read More

  • Hercules: 12 Labors Of Hercules

    1107 Words  | 3 Pages

    made him kill his wife and children. In horror and remorse at what he did,

    Read More

  • Hercules Mythology

    898 Words  | 2 Pages

    *Son of Zeus because Zeus disguised himself as Alcmene’s husband Amphitryon but did have an affair with her; Hercules born (paraphrased)

    Read More

  • The 12 Labors: Hercules, the son of the Greek god Zeus and mortal Alcmene

    1856 Words  | 4 Pages

    Hercules, the son of the Greek god Zeus and mortal Alcmene, was one of the most famous hero in Greek mythology. He is known for his super strength and his many adventures he went on. When Hercules was born, Hera became furious that her husband had sired another child with a mortal. Hera punished Hercules by putting a spell on him that made him mad. While Hercules was under the spell, he slaughtered his own wife and six kids. After Hercules’s sanity returned, he deeply regretted the actions that he had taken. To pay for the crimes of murder that he had committed, Hercules was sent to the land Tyrin, where he was sentenced to perform 12 years of labors that were assigned to him.

    Read More

  • Mythology In Mythology

    881 Words  | 2 Pages

    Myths relate to events, conditions, and deeds of gods or superhuman beings that are outside ordinary human life and yet basics to it” ("Myth," 2012). Mythology is said to have two particular meanings, “the corpus of myths, and the study of the myths, of a particular area: Amerindian mythology, Egyptian mythology, and so on as well as the study of myth itself” ("Mythology," 1993). In contrast, while the term myth can be used in a variety of academic settings, its main purpose is to analyze different cultures and their ways of thinking. Within the academic setting, a myth is known as a fact and over time has been changed through the many different views within a society as an effort to answer the questions of human existence. The word myth in an academic context is used as “ancient narratives that attempt to answer the enduring and fundamental human questions: How did the universe and the world come to be? How did we come to be here? Who are we? What are our proper, necessary, or inescapable roles as we relate to one another and to the world at large? What should our values be? How should we behave? How should we not behave? What are the consequences of behaving and not behaving in such ways” (Leonard, 2004 p.1)? My definition of a myth is a collection of false ideas put together to create

    Read More

  • Hercules: A Greek Tale

    1024 Words  | 3 Pages

    Hercules, or known in Latin as Heracles, was the greatest of the Greek heroes, a paragon of masculinity. In art Hercules was portrayed as a powerful, muscular man wearing lion's skin and armed with a huge club. He was also described as being a macho man buffoon, who was very impulsive. Hercules’ home and birthing place is in Thebes, Greece. Thebes is a city in central Greece. It plays as an important setting in many Greek myths, such as the stories of Cadmus, Oedipus, Dionysus and many other important roles in Greek Mythology. The demigod, Hercules has an interesting origin, he is most famous for his 12 labors, and leaves a legacy in words and expressions.

    Read More

  • 12 Modern Labors of Hercules

    1309 Words  | 3 Pages

    Have you ever considered what labors Eurystheus would have assigned Hercules if he lived in the modern world? Back then the labors Eurystheus assigned to Hercules was based on feats so difficult that they seemed impossible such as defeating the Nemean lion, defeating the hydra, and more. But what labors could Eurystheus assign Hercules if he lived in the modern world? In my opinion I think that Eurystheus would give Hercules these labors if he lived in the modern world.

    Read More

  • Comparisons of Creation Myths

    2080 Words  | 5 Pages

    Myths – as they are known to most of the world – give insight into the pasts of various countries and religions as the people saw them. They have been used to explain phenomena in nature or describe the tales of courageous and important men and women throughout history. Creation myths in particular define how the Earth itself was created, along with the universe, heavens, hell, people, and creatures that exist today. Genesis of Christian mythology, for instance, tells the story of how the single deity God spoke and formed everything from day and night to man and woman. Various African creation myths, such as with the Yoruba, explain the creation of the Earth through at least a couple gods working together and all life sprouting from a seed.

    Read More

  • Hercules

    664 Words  | 2 Pages

    Hercules the great hero and the son of the great god Zeus, was the most famous of all the Greek mythological heroes. Hercules was known for his strength, bravery, and adventuresome personality. Hercules like most heroes had a god as their father, and he had a mortal mother named Alcmene. Hercules like most heroes was not an ordinary mortal and a good example was his superhuman strength.

    Read More

  • Compare And Contrast Jason And Hercules

    773 Words  | 2 Pages

    In Greek mythology, the children of the gods are heroes known for their dedication and their accomplishments. Hercules and Jason are two very well known heroes in Greek mythology. There are many similarities between them because they both show great strength and courage; however, they are different by their accomplishments and life ending.

    Read More

  • Research Paper On Hercules

    825 Words  | 2 Pages

    Once there was a dog-named Hercules, he was an Alaskan Husky. He was black and white. It Started out just a normal day for a 7 year old boy, I woke my mom was making breakfast, but my dad wasn’t there. She said he had to run into town to pick up some protein feed for the cattle. Half an hour later he walks through the door but he isn’t carrying any feed. He was carrying a husky puppy. We all dropped our breakfast and ran over to see the dog. Then my Dad walked up and put his hand on my shoulder and asked, “Do you like your birthday present?” I jumped and gave him a high five and said “Oh Yeah!” Then he asked me what I wanted to name it, before he came back with the dog I was watching the cartoon version of Hercules, so I chose

    Read More

  • Differences And Similarities Between The Legend Of Heracles Vs. Hercules

    903 Words  | 2 Pages

    Heracles VS Hercules The legend of Hercules has been told and retold thousands of times; it is by far one of the best known Greek myths of all time. In fact, it was so well known that Disney made it into a movie. Like any story that’s adapted into a movie, there are some differences and similarities between the myth and the movie. This paper will go over the main differences and similarities between the two versions of the same myth.

    Read More

  • EGYPTIAN MYTHOLOGY

    2116 Words  | 5 Pages

    Mythology is defined as a collection of interrelated stories of a given culture. Myths are intended to explain and describe the mysteries of nature and give understanding about the world that surrounds us. Each culture has their own mythology that reflects their values and beliefs. Myths were also generated to tell the story of the first people to inhabit the earth. The Egyptian mythology elevated these people to the level of Gods and Goddesses by giving them supernatural and special powers. These myths of creation were passed from one generation to the next, either orally or by hieroglyphs painted in sacred temples, pyramids, and sanctuaries.

    Read More

More about The Parallels of Jesus and Hercules

Open Document