Egypt’s Monuments Part II: The Birth of The Pyramids Part II; The Religious Aspect And How It Connects With It’s Ancient Society Part I

In this post I will be continuing with Miroslav Verner’s book The Pyramids: Their Archaeology and History, and this time we will be looking at the religion behind the Pyramids and how the burial rituals of the kings in the Early Dynastic era, before the pyramids, carried on throughout the History of Egypt. The second chapter of Verner’s book is called The Way To Eternity: Ritual And Cult and by the title we see that Verner deals with the religion behind the Pyramids and the cultic rituals used. Many ancient cultures had specific death rituals and funerary rites because many of cultures believed in some sort of afterlife. It was common to believe in something after death, and each culture had their own rituals to secure the deceased in the world beyond. The Egyptians had elaborate funeral rituals and when a king or pharaoh passed on the death rituals became twice as elaborate. Some of these rituals consisted of lengthy funeral processions, the skill of mummification, and the elaborate artwork decorating the tombs and pyramids.

The Pharaoh, or king during the Early Dynastic periods, was looked on as more than just the ruler of Egypt. They were religiously viewed as god on earth. When they were alive they were not only respected and revered as most rulers, but they were worshiped. When they died their god-hood was never questioned, and the pharaoh’s reign on this earth was done and he went on to reign in the afterlife. Even though they would physically die like every other “mortal” they were stilled looked on as “immortal” and were worshiped in their death as much as in their life. “The king and “great god” was immortal, but he was unable to escape the transitory nature of his physical being or to achieve immortality on his own. After his death, the pharaoh returned to be with the other gods.” (Miroslav Verner, The Pyramids: Their Archaeology and History, p. 37). It is interesting that even though the pharaoh was looked on as a god, and even worshiped as one, he could not receive immortality on his own and he died the same physical death as every mortal. There were many men throughout history that claimed themselves as gods and all of them died as mortal men and their bones can be found today. But there was one man in history that has differed from these. Jesus Christ was also killed and died as a mortal man, But those who followed him claimed that they saw him after he was in the grave for three days. Many people look at the resurrection of Christ as a made up fairy-tale. But is it really? Here are three typical responses to the resurrection of Jesus Christ: the first one is always a favorite of mine “The disciples stole Jesus’ body,” “It was mass hallucination,” and lastly “The body and bones have disintegrated by now.” To deal with all of these responses I would ask a few questions in return: “How is that illiterate and unlearned fisherman, who made up more than half of the followers of Christ, could come up with such an intricate plan of stealing Jesus’ body?” “Also, weren’t the disciples and followers of Christ terrified during the time of his death? Because they were afraid the Romans would be coming for them next?” So was it truly possible for the disciples of Jesus to take his body, behind the Romans backs, and hide it? They would’ve had to come up with a fool-proof plan, and get away without being caught; which is difficult for criminals even today. Wouldn’t the body have been found by now? It’s not like the disciples are still hiding it from us? To the second response I would reply “How can five-thousand people, who were first-hand witnesses claiming to see Jesus alive three days after his death, all be hallucinating?” With this one question we see that the second response is irrational. It is illogical to think that this many people, who saw Jesus alive, were all hallucinating. Lastly, to the third response I would respond with “How is it that we have found the bones, which are not disintegrated mind you, of many people before the time of Christ, but yet his two thousand year old bones are disintegrated?” How is this possible? Our museums hold bones of deceased persons thousands of years older than Christ, but two thousand years before our time Jesus’ bones have “vanished” and the only “logical” answer is that they’ve disintegrated.

I didn’t want to spend too much time on this topic but now it seems that the rest of my post will deal with this, but I will do a second part to this post and will deal with the topics I mentioned in the opening paragraph. The above responses to the resurrection of Jesus Christ are not the only “excuses” given. People will make up anything, logical or not, to negate the idea that Jesus actually rose from the dead. Because if he had truly risen from the dead this makes him not just a good man or a prophet, but it makes him God. Unlike the Egyptian pharaohs and kings, plus many other men across history who’ve claimed to be gods, Jesus rose from the dead, was seen by multitudes of people, and even physically ate and drank before he ascended up to heaven. No other person in the world did this. The pharaohs were looked on as gods, but were they truly? The people of Egypt believed that when a pharaoh, their god mind you, physically died (as every other human) they would rise, not in this world but the one to come, and reign with the other gods in the afterlife. But did any one of them actually rise from the dead in this world? In fact has anyone who has ever claimed themselves as god risen in this world after their death? There is only one who has been claimed to, and that is Jesus Christ. Not only did Jesus show himself to masses of people three days after his death (Mat. 28:1-10, 16-20, Mark 16:9-20, Lk. 24:13-53, Jhn. 20:11-17, 19-31, 21:1-14, 1 Cor. 15:3-8), but he physically sat down and ate a meal which is recorded twice in the Bible. “But they constrained him [Jesus], saying, Abide with us; for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went in to tarry with them. And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them (Luke 24:29-30, NKJV).” “Jesus saith unto them, Come and dine. And none of the disciples durst ask him, Who art thou? knowing that it was the Lord. Jesus then cometh, and taketh bread, and giveth them, and fish likewise (John 21:12-13, NKJV).” How can a dead man, a hallucination, or a spirit (as some may think) eat meals with his disciples after his death? To do this Jesus must have fully risen from the dead.

Another factor we must look at is that Jesus’ body still held the wounds that he received through his crucifixion, and he showed not just one, but many, people this: “Now Thomas, called the Twin, one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples therefore said to him, We have seen the Lord. So he said to them, Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe. And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace to you! Then He said to Thomas, Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing (John 20:24-28, NKJV).” So Jesus not only appeared to many people, including his disciples, but ate with them and lived with them as if he had not died. Jesus has been identified as an actual historical figure and even those who do not claim themselves as Christians have come to see this fact. So we cannot deny that there was a man named Jesus who did indeed tick-off the religious leaders of his time, was sentenced to be crucified, and was put to death on a cross. History shows that Jesus lived and died, but because of the fact that he lived again, rose from the dead, is so unbelievable and mind-boggling it is never considered to be true. The four Gospel writer’s give first-hand accounts of Jesus’ life and death, but that is all most historians take as truth from these writer’s. But why take only part of the recorded information and not all? If you believe that Jesus lived, upset certain higher-ups, and was put to death. Then you must take the rest of the story as truth. These men who wrote these Gospel accounts lived with Jesus, talked with him, ate the same food as him, and saw him put to death. Then why can’t we believe that the four writers are recording correct information when they say that Jesus rose from the dead? Was there some kind of hallucinogen in their wine or bread?

Jesus appeared to one more person after his ascension. Paul, who was Saul, was one of those religious officials that Jesus disturbed, and he went about putting to death anyone who claimed to be a follower of Christ. But then something happened that changed his life forever: “Then Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, so that if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?’ And he said, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ Then the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ So he, trembling and astonished, said, ‘Lord, what do You want me to do?’ Then the Lord said to him, ‘Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.’ And the men who journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice but seeing no one. Then Saul arose from the ground, and when his eyes were opened he saw no one. But they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus (Acts 9:1-8, NKJV).” Saul who persecuted and killed Christians becomes Paul, and he goes on to become one of the most influential leaders of the early Christian churches, and the first missionary. Paul talks about the resurrection of Jesus in one of his letter to the Corinthians, and he tells them that if his story doesn’t convince them that Jesus truly rose from the dead. That there are those still alive who were there at Jesus’ death and witnessed his resurrection; Peter was one of these. “For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve. After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep. After that He was seen by James, then by all the apostles. Then last of all He was seen by me also, as by one born out of due time (1 Corinthians 15:3-8, NKJV).” Paul gives us a role call of all the people who saw Jesus alive three days after his death and this evidence is very convincing that Jesus truly was God.

Christians put a lot of focus on the death of Christ but for Paul, and for many others (including myself), the basis of the Christian faith and belief is the resurrection. “Now if Christ is preached that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty. Yes, and we are found false witnesses of God, because we have testified of God that He raised up Christ, whom He did not raise up—if in fact the dead do not rise. ¹⁶ For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins! Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable (1 Corinthians 15:12-19, NKJV).”