Eleusis, the Eleusian Mysteries and the Myth of Demeter and Kore – Sept 9
Mystery religions are often a source of appeal as being parallel to Christianity and the roots of some of their ideas. We have already noted Isis and Osiris. Next we note the oldest of these mystery cults with roots in Greece.
Mystery religions are often a source of appeal as being parallel to Christianity and the roots of some of their ideas. We have already noted Isis and Osiris. Next we note the oldest of these mystery cults with roots in Greece. About a half an hour west of Athens is Elefsina on the Saronic Gulf coast, which was known as Eleusis. Worship took place here since 1350 BC and lasted until the end of the fourth century AD. On the site of Eleusis was a temple that could hold 3000 people during the height of its influence. Here the goddess Demeter was worshipped as one associated with nature’s renewal and the health of crops. Here sacred and secret rituals were observed. Included was an annual week long celebration in our month of September/October that involved a procession from Athens to the sacred site. The myth and records of this cult date back to sources that reach back to the 6th century BC, while the story goes back to a period about c. 1350 BC. The myth tied to this movement is agricultural in its roots. Demeter has gone to look for her daughter disguised as an old woman, known as Kore or Persephone, who has been captured by Pluto (or Hades, god of the underworld). The story is when Demeter came to Eleusis, she cared as a nurse for the king’s child and tried to turn him into an immortal through rituals of holding him over a fire at night. The king is known as Celeus, while the son’s name was Demophon. When the queen (Metaneira) discovered this, she was angry. Demeter confessed who she was and what she was doing. A temple was built to her there. Angry at being thwarted by the gods and man, she brought drought until her daughter was returned and she sojourned through the upper world. Out of this myth, developed secret (mystery) rites that initiated people into the Eleusian cult, which supposedly reinacted the myth. The myth is recounted in the Homeric Hymn to Demeter, which dates from the seventh to sixth century BC. This mystery involved a multi-year initiation program that could take place in Athens or Eleusis. Such ceremonies would take place at night. This cult was never very widespread because it was tied to this locale. The cult believed in a type of afterlife for initiates who are able to move around as spirits in the underworld free of care as opposed to others whose shadowy existence mired them in mud and mist as they trample over each other in the crowded underworld of judgment. Plutarch in the second century AD (Fragment 178) tells us of this view. So the mystery had hope of a vague afterlife, not a resurrection but a revivification as spirit free of the pain and suffering of others. Participation in the cult was probably seen as a typer of purification and renewal that parallels the repetative cycle of the earth coming back to life each year. It was said that when Demeter was confined (for a third of the year), nothing grew, but that when she roamed (the rest of the time), things grew. She was especially associated with corn. I am going through these mysteries in some detail with the noting of sources so you can see the age and ideas associated with each. In this way, you can see the similarities and differences between these movements and Christianity.
10 Comments
Greg Sheryl
Eleusis, the Eleusian Mysteries, etc.
Dr. Bock,
These tales from mythology have nothing of the character of Jesus and Christianity as revealed in the New Testament. It is difficult to see how anyone knowlegable of the mythological character of the one and the Biblical record of Jesus and Christianity could, with a straight face, propose that there is any linkage between the two. Additionally, it is difficult to even see any parallels between the life of Jesus and these myths.
This is certainly not a disparagement of your explanations, but rather of those who would seriously suggest that Christianity has anything in common with such myths.
gsheryl
Eleusis, the Eleusian Mysteries, etc.
I made a comment about this blog the other day, but have not seen it posted.
bock
dlb -Eleusis
Greg: It is not anywhere on our site. So it never posted. Sorry.
Greg Sheryl
Eleusis, the Eleusian Mysteries, etc.
Dr. Bock,
O.K., thank you. My comments in it had to do with a comparison of Eleusis, the Eleusian mysteries, etc. with Jesus and Christianity.
I observed that, despite what some critics might be claiming, it didn’t really seem like there were any significant parallels between Jesus and these myths. I was wondering how they could seriously make such a claim, when, from your description of these myths, they seemed so different from both the character and content of the biblical Jesus and Christianity. Are the critics simply “blowing smoke” at Christians in bringing up these myths as a supposed source of Jesus and Christianity?
gsheryl
Eleusis, the Eleusian Mysteries, etc.
Dr. Bock,
Thank you. I’m sorry for the confusion.
I had made some comments about how, from your description of these myths, it seems that is very little in the way of significant parallels between these myths and Jesus & Christianity. Additionally the character of these myths is vastly different from that of Jesus & Christianity.
Because of the seeming lack of parallels, and the considerable difference in the character of these myths and Jesus & Christianity, I am wondering if the critics who claim that there is such a connection between these myths, on the one hand, and Jesus and Christianity, on the other hand, aren’t just “blowing smoke” at Christians by making such claims?
bock
dlb -Eleusis again
Greg:
Yes, it is a claim that has no real merit. That was the point of the post.
DLB
jonathan.benatti
william klessen “Judah: betrayer or friend?”
dear Dr. Bock,
what about the book by william klessen “Judah: bretrayer or friend?” ? This morning i was in the city library in my city, Rimini (italy) and found this little volume “Giuda: traditore o amico”?. I started some researches in internet about the author and about the book. I read and excerpt and it is said that the word paradidomi means not “to betray” but “to hand over” with Judah fulfilling Jesus’ desire and purpose. It seems to me (even if i read just few pages, and i will read the book in these days) another attempt to revalue the figure of Judah; it’s seems also an important question to give an answer, since recentely many noises raised up around the so-called gospel of judah. What’s your opinion about this “new” movement directed to revalue Judah? Why so many rumors about this figure?
Thank you for your answer. God bless you.
Jonathan Benatti
bock
dlb – On Judas and revisionists
Jonathan:
Yes, This is another attempt to revise history through a text that has no historical value. If you go to http://www.thomasnelson.com and look me up there in an author search, then you will see an analysis of the Gospel of Judas and what I think of this revisonist effort. I will have a book out in Christmas, 2007 that also looks at this issue.
Mike H
clarification
Paradidomi is Greek for "to surrender". That is the right translation.
Darrell L. Bock
clarification clarified
Paradidwmi means "to hand over" not "to surrender". Check out the Bauer-Danker lexicon for this. Here are the four categories for this verb.
1. to convey someth. in which one has a relatively strong personal interest, hand over, give (over), deliver, entrust
2. to entrust for care or preservation, give over, commend, commit w. dat.
3. to pass on to another what one knows, of oral or written tradition, hand down, pass on, transmit, relate, teach
4. to make it possible for someth. to happen, allow, permit