Striking Similarities
Apollonius
Born 4 BCE
Birth miraculously announced by a supernatural being
Was the son of a god and a mortal woman
Raised in Tarsus
Religiously precocious as a child
Asserted to be a native speaker of Aramaic
Associated with wise men or magi
Had a disciple named Damis from Asia Minor
Had an associate named Titus
Associated with a Demetrius
Associated with a Stephanus
Influenced by Plato
Renounced wealth
Followed abstinence and asceticism
Wore long hair and robes
Discussed eunuchs for the kingdom of Babylon
Was unmarried and childless
Was anointed with oil
Went to Jerusalem
Spent much time at Antioch
Made missionary journeys around Mediterranean
Traveled to the East for three years, where he was taught by sages
Wrote epistles instructing followers in spirituality
Spoke in metaphors
Fought wild beasts at Ephesus
Saw and predicted the future
Performed miracles
Healed the sick
Cast out evil spirits
Raised the daughter of a Roman official from the dead
Famed far and wide
Religious reformer
Spoke authoritatively to temple priests
Spoke as a "law-giver"
Founded a religious community at Corinth
Was on a mission to bring Greek culture to the "barbarians"
Converted "unrefined" people to himself
Believed to be a "savior" from heaven
Worshipped as a god
Accused of being a magician
Had his life threatened
Brought before a king, whose righteousness he challenged
Was accused of killing a boy
Condemned by Roman emperor
Imprisoned at Rome
Miraculously escaped prison
Was shipwrecked
Descended into the underworld
Was assumed into heaven
Appeared posthumously to a detractor as a brilliant light
Said to be in two places at once
Had his image revered in temples
Born 4 BCE
Birth miraculously announced by a supernatural being
Was the son of a god and a mortal woman
Raised in Tarsus
Religiously precocious as a child
Asserted to be a native speaker of Aramaic
Associated with wise men or magi
Had a disciple named Damis from Asia Minor
Had an associate named Titus
Associated with a Demetrius
Associated with a Stephanus
Influenced by Plato
Renounced wealth
Followed abstinence and asceticism
Wore long hair and robes
Discussed eunuchs for the kingdom of Babylon
Was unmarried and childless
Was anointed with oil
Went to Jerusalem
Spent much time at Antioch
Made missionary journeys around Mediterranean
Traveled to the East for three years, where he was taught by sages
Wrote epistles instructing followers in spirituality
Spoke in metaphors
Fought wild beasts at Ephesus
Saw and predicted the future
Performed miracles
Healed the sick
Cast out evil spirits
Raised the daughter of a Roman official from the dead
Famed far and wide
Religious reformer
Spoke authoritatively to temple priests
Spoke as a "law-giver"
Founded a religious community at Corinth
Was on a mission to bring Greek culture to the "barbarians"
Converted "unrefined" people to himself
Believed to be a "savior" from heaven
Worshipped as a god
Accused of being a magician
Had his life threatened
Brought before a king, whose righteousness he challenged
Was accused of killing a boy
Condemned by Roman emperor
Imprisoned at Rome
Miraculously escaped prison
Was shipwrecked
Descended into the underworld
Was assumed into heaven
Appeared posthumously to a detractor as a brilliant light
Said to be in two places at once
Had his image revered in temples
Jesus
Born 4 BCE
Birth miraculously announced by a supernatural being
Was the son of a god and a mortal woman.
Religiously precocious as a child
Asserted to be a native speaker of Aramaic
Associated with wise men or magi
Had a disciple named Thomas; blessed a robber on the cross named Demas
Reflected Platonism
Denounced wealth
Followed abstinence and asceticism
Wore long hair and robes
Discussed eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven
Was unmarried and childless
Was anointed with oil
Went to Jerusalem
Spoke in parables
Saw and predicted the future
Performed miracles
Healed the sick
Drove out demons
Raised the daughter of a Jewish official from the dead
Famed far and wide
Religious reformer
Spoke authoritatively to temple priests
Spoke as a "law-giver"
Was on a mission to bring Jewish culture to the "nations"
Converted "unsaved" people to himself
Believed to be a "savior" from heaven
Worshipped as a god
Accused of being a magician
Had his life threatened
Brought before a king, whose righteousness he challenged
Was accused of killing a boy (Infancy Gospel of Thomas)
Condemned by Roman authorities
Imprisoned at Jerusalem
Descended into the underworld
Ascended into heaven
Appeared posthumously to a detractor as a brilliant light
Said to be in many places at once
Had his image revered in churches
Paul
Born c. 2 CE?
Raised in Tarsus
Religiously precocious as a child
Claimed to be a speaker of Hebrew
Had a disciple named Demas from Asia Minor
Had an associate named Titus
Associated with a Demetrius
Associated with a Stephanus
Influenced by Philo/Plato
Embraced poverty
Followed abstinence and asceticism
Wore long hair and robes
Was unmarried and childless
Went to Jerusalem
Spent much time at Antioch
Made missionary journeys around Mediterranean
Traveled to the East for three years, where he was taught by Jesus
Wrote epistles instructing followers in spirituality
Fought "wild beasts" at Ephesus
Performed miracles
Healed the sick
Cast out demons
Well known in Christian communities around the Mediterranean
Religious reformer
Spoke authoritatively to temple priests
Founded a religious community at Corinth
Mistaken for a god
Had his life threatened
Condemned by Roman emperor
Imprisoned at Jerusalem and Rome
Miraculously escaped prison
Was shipwrecked