Art, obsession, and identity
Resurrection, or the concept of coming back to life after death, has been around for millennia. While most of us are familiar with the concept thanks to Christianity, there are many other examples of resurrections that precede that of Jesus. From ancient Egypt to Norse mythology, and everything in between, there are several instances of the life-death-rebirth cycle.
In this gallery, you'll get to know more about the many reported cases of resurrections throughout history, including all of those found in the Bible. Click on to start!
Resurrection, also known as anastasis, is the concept of coming back to life after dying.
While the resurrection of Jesus is by far the most famous case, the concept of death and rebirth has been around for a very long time.
The religious motif of the dying-and-rising deity can be found in a number of mythological traditions, namely ancient Egypt, ancient Greece, ancient Rome, and Norse mythology, to name a few. Let’s take a look at a some examples.
Tammuz, the spring and fertility god of Mesopotamia, died each winter and came back to life every spring. The resurrection of Tammuz was marked in the Babylonian calendar as Du'ûzu, or “Month of Tammuz.”
The fourth month of the Babylonian calendar fell between June and July of the Gregorian calendar (the one that most of the world uses today). The resurrection of Tammuz symbolized rebirth and the cyclical nature of the seasons.
The Greek myth of Hades and Persephone is similar. In this case, Persephone, who had been taken to the underworld by Hades, would only be allowed to spend six months of the year in the heavens, namely during spring and summer.
Jarylo, the god of vegetation, fertility, and spring in Slavic mythology, also returned to the world in the spring. Jarylo is yet another example of a life-death-rebirth deity.
The Egyptian god of life, fertility, and agriculture was murdered by his brother, Set. Isis embalmed Osiris' remains and he resurrected, becoming the god of the underworld.
Embalming and mummification in ancient Egypt was an attempt to emulate the experience of Osiris, and, as such, reach eternal life.
Hindu tradition also has a resurrection story. Lovers Savitri and Satyavan got married, but a year later Satyavan passed away. Savitri then managed to trick Yamraj, the god of death, into bringing Satyavan back to life.
Resurrection is also present in Buddhist tradition. A Chinese diplomat called Songyun was crossing the Pamir Mountains when he crossed paths with the Buddhist monk Bodhidharma, who was wearing just one shoe. When asked about it, Bodhidharma said he was going home to India, and told Songyun to ask about the missing shoe when he arrived in Shaolin.
When Songyun arrived and asked the monks about it, he was arrested for lying. It became evident that Bodhidharma had died years earlier, and when the monks opened up Bodhidharma’s tomb, they found a single shoe inside. Bodhidharma had resurrected from the dead.
Examples of resurrection can also be found in Norse mythology. Odin, the all-father of Germanic paganism, had to pay a price for his power and wisdom. He sacrificed himself to access the power and meaning of the runes. He hung himself from a tree and pierced his body with a spear. On the ninth day, he was reborn with the knowledge of the runes.
Quetzalcóatl is a feathered serpent god from ancient Mesoamerica. The important deity was worshiped by a number of civilizations, including the Aztecs, Mayans, and Toltec cultures. In virtually all cultural traditions there is a story of how Quetzalcóatl dies and comes back from the dead.
Another example is the resurrection story of Greek poet Aristeas, which dates back to the 7th century BCE. The story goes that Aristeas died, his body disappeared, and he returned seven years later.
The legend of the phoenix (and its analogs) is present in many cultures and folk traditions, including in the ancient Greek, ancient Egyptian, and Persian traditions. It’s a textbook example of rebirth and resurrection, where a new phoenix rises from the ashes of the old one.
While most examples of resurrection are positive ones, there are instances when resurrection is considered a curse, rather than a blessing. Famous examples include vampires, zombies, and ghouls.
There are a few examples of resurrection in the Old Testament. One of them can be found in 1 Kings 17:17–24, where a young boy was raised from death after prophet Elijah prayed to God.
In 2 Kings 4:32–37, we can find another resurrection story. Prophet Elisha raises the son of the Shunammite woman from the dead.
Even after death, prophet Elisha managed to raise a man from the dead. The man in question was thrown into Elisha's tomb, and when he touched Elisha's bones, he resurrected (2 Kings 13:20–21).
The resurrection of Jesus is the most popular example of rising from the dead. The Bible mentions it in numerous verses. As for evidence, there is the biblical reference that the tomb of Jesus was empty and there were numerous eyewitness accounts of Jesus after he had resurrected.
Indeed, the resurrection of Jesus is key to the doctrine of Christianity. John 11:25-26 reads: “Jesus said to her, 'I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?'”
There are, however, other examples of resurrection in the New Testament. One of them is when Jesus resurrects the son of a widow in the town of Nain. According to Luke 7:11-17, Jesus said, "‘Young man, I say to you, arise.’ And the dead man sat up and began to speak, and Jesus gave him to his mother."
Jesus also raised the daughter of synagogue leader Jairus. Luke 8:52-55 reads: “And all were weeping and mourning for her, but he said, 'Do not weep, for she is not dead but sleeping.' And they laughed at him, knowing that she was dead. But taking her by the hand he called, saying, 'Child, arise.' And her spirit returned, and she got up at once. And he directed that something should be given her to eat.”
The story of how Jesus raised Lazarus of Bethany four days after he had died is also a popular one in the Bible. When told by Jesus to come out of the tomb, "the man who had died came out, his hands and feet bound with linen strips, and his face wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, 'Unbind him, and let him go,'" (John 11:1-44).
Jesus kept raising people from the dead, even after he had resurrected himself. Matthew 27:52-53 reads: “The tombs also were opened. And many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many.”
According to Acts 9:36-42, apostle Peter raised a disciple named Tabitha from the dead. When Peter ordered Tabitha to arise, “she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter she sat up. And he gave her his hand and raised her up. Then, calling the saints and widows, he presented her alive.”
Apostle Paul managed to bring a young man called Eutychus back to life after he fell from a window. “Paul went down and bent over him, and taking him in his arms, said, 'Do not be alarmed, for his life is in him.' And when Paul had gone up and had broken bread and eaten, he conversed with them a long while, until daybreak, and so departed. And they took the youth away alive, and were not a little comforted,” (Acts 20:7-12).
Sources: (Learn Religions) (History) (History and Headlines) (BeliefMap) (BibleGateway)
Jesus wasn't the only one who returned from the dead
From ancient myths to Christianity
LIFESTYLE Rebirth
Resurrection, or the concept of coming back to life after death, has been around for millennia. While most of us are familiar with the concept thanks to Christianity, there are many other examples of resurrections that precede that of Jesus. From ancient Egypt to Norse mythology, and everything in between, there are several instances of the life-death-rebirth cycle.
In this gallery, you'll get to know more about the many reported cases of resurrections throughout history, including all of those found in the Bible. Click on to start!