"original Jesus" ... — The Jesus Mysteries : Was The

The book by Timothy Freke and Peter Gandy (published in 1999) presents a provocative "Jesus Mysteries Thesis". It argues that the Jesus of the New Testament was not a historical person but a mythical figure created by Jewish "Gnostics" who adapted ancient Pagan myths. Core Argument: The "Jesus Mysteries Thesis"

: For a defense of the historical Jesus, retailers like Penguin Random House or Strand Book Store offer the book, while scholars like Bart Ehrman (in Did Jesus Exist? ) provide counter-arguments to the mythicist position.

: Many alleged parallels between Jesus and figures like Horus or Mithras are considered by scholars to be based on selective descriptions or later Christian influence rather than pre-Christian pagan origins. Related Reading The Jesus mysteries : was the "original Jesus" ...

: They followed up with Jesus and the Lost Goddess , which focuses on Christian mysticism and the "Aeon of Wisdom", and The Laughing Jesus .

: They argue the Gospels were never intended as eyewitness history. Instead, they were "Outer Mysteries" (spiritual allegories) designed to guide beginners toward "Inner Mysteries" or secret mystical knowledge (Gnosis). The book by Timothy Freke and Peter Gandy

: The book suggests that "Literalist" Christians later took these allegories as historical facts and brutally suppressed the original Gnostic "True Christians". Critical Reception and Scholarship

The authors contend that early Christianity was essentially a Jewish adaptation of the ancient . ) provide counter-arguments to the mythicist position

While the book became a popular sensation, it is widely criticized or dismissed by mainstream academic historians.