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(Hut, Booth or Exhibit #9) 2nd-4th Centuries C.E. |
Christians' Depictions of Jesus' Face
(Hover cursor over image for surprises!)
Wikipedia is not a reliable encyclopedia. That doesn't mean it cannot be right, only that you should verify before relying on it. In this case, Wikipedia's summary, in my opinion, is accurate and merits such consideration. Nevertheless, every reader is urged to verify the information for himself or herself.
"[The
idol] Σέραπις was devised during the 3rd century [B.C.E.] on the orders of Ptolemy I of Egypt as a means to unify the Greeks [Hellenists] and Egyptians in his realm. [Note: this is exactly what Emperor Theodosius I repeated in 380 C.E., with the Edict of Thessalonica, to unify local Egyptian-Hellenist-Roman cults with the more widespread pockets of Hellenist Christians, by nationalizing the syncretism of Hellenism and Christianity.] Thegodwas depicted as Greek in appearance, but with Egyptian trappings, and combined iconography from a great many cults, signifying both abundance and resurrection [emphasis added]. His cultus was spread as a matter of deliberate policy by the Ptolemaic kings, who also built a splendidSerapeumin Alexandria[, Egypt]. Σέραπις continued to increase in popularity during the Roman period, often replacingOsirisas the consort ofIsisin non-Egyptian temples. The destruction of theSerapeumby a mob led by the Patriarch Theophilus of Alexandria in 389 is one of the key events in the downfall of ancient paganism, and the cult ceased to exist with the abolition of paganism in 391[C.E]."
"The worshipers of Σέραπις [here] are called Christians, and those who are devoted to the
godΣέραπις [I find], call themselves επισκοπος of Christ." (Hadrian to Servianus, 134 C.E. (A. F. Giles, Hebrew and Christian Records, vol. ii p86).
And the next day – Poof!! – the idols of Ζεύς and Σέραπις were transformed yet again through yet another Hellenist "enlightenment" – this time into the Hellenist-Christian syncretism: Jesus Christ!
Another researcher, Egyptologist John Romer, documented in his video documentary aired on the Discovery Channel ("Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, Part I, The Great Idol of Zeus") that the very face of Jesus as depicted in Christianity throughout the ages is a perpetuation of the face of the Great Idol of Zeus (which was the 'idealized' sculpted face of Alexander the Great). By adding rays radiating from the head, the face was hybridized with Mithra, the sun god. How many Christians realize they're worshiping Alexander the Great, Zeus and the sun god???
The morphing of Iosou with the Hellenist Zeus (called Jupiter by the Romans) is then proven, making it even more likely that there was an earlier morphing with a hybrid of the Egyptian goddess Isis and sun god Ra (quotations and citations in our paper The Face of Christ).
Historical evidence provided in our books and materials overwhelming shows the syncretism, morphing and propagation by Romans of their native idolatries—Hellenism—into Christianity. No one who sincerely desires to follow the teachings of RibꞋi Yᵊho•shuꞋa will remain ignorant of these intractable idolatrous contradictions to the authentic teachings of RibꞋi Yᵊho•shuꞋa.