Abstract
This study examines the widespread claim that Christian vocabulary—particularly Christ, Trinity, and Lord—was borrowed from pre-Christian religions. Through historical, linguistic, and theological analysis, it demonstrates that such similarities are superficial. While the early Church used the common languages of its world (Greek and Latin), it radically re-defined their terminology to express biblical revelation. The divine names and titles of Christianity thus represent sanctified continuity, not syncretism: God’s self-disclosure translated into the tongues of the nations.
1 Introduction
Since the nineteenth century, comparative-religion theorists have argued that Christianity absorbed elements from Greco-Roman mystery cults or Near-Eastern triads (Frazer, 1911; Robertson, 1946). Modern scholarship, however, shows that early Christian doctrine developed from Jewish monotheism, not pagan mythology (Hurtado, 2003; Bauckham, 2008). This section clarifies how Christian terminology emerged from Scripture itself and why the Gospel could express divine truth through existing words without surrendering its theological integrity.
2 Ancient Religious Triads and the Christian Trinity
2.1 Superficial Similarities
Ancient civilisations often worshipped triple deities—Osiris-Isis-Horus in Egypt, or Anu-Enlil-Ea in Mesopotamia. These were three separate gods related by family or function (Hornung, 1982).
2.2 Christian Distinction
The Christian Trinity confesses one God in three persons (Matt. 28 : 19; 2 Cor. 13 : 14). The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit share one divine essence (ousia) while remaining personally distinct (hypostaseis). The term Trinitas first appears in Tertullian’s Adversus Praxean (c. AD 210) to describe the already scriptural triune pattern. Numerical resemblance to pagan triads therefore masks a profound theological difference: monotheism versus polytheism.
| Feature | Pagan Triads | Christian Trinity |
|---|---|---|
| Number of deities | Three gods | One God |
| Relation | Genealogical or functional | Eternal communion |
| Essence | Divided | Undivided |
| Purpose | Local cult worship | Universal salvation |
3 “Christ” and the Question of Pagan Titles
The Greek word Χριστός (Christos) means anointed one and directly translates Hebrew מָשִׁיחַ (Mashiach) (Jobes & Silva, 2015). Some critics confuse Christos with Chrēstos (“kind”), a different term found in pagan inscriptions. However, linguistic evidence distinguishes them entirely (BDAG Lexicon, 2000).
In the Septuagint, Christos already referred to Israel’s kings and priests; the New Testament applies it uniquely to Jesus of Nazareth, fulfilling the messianic prophecies (Luke 24 : 44–47). Thus, Christ is a translation of a Hebrew theological category, not a pagan import.
4 The Title “Lord” (Kyrios)
In the Greco-Roman world, Kyrios could denote household masters or emperors. Yet centuries earlier, Jewish translators of the Hebrew Bible had rendered YHWH as Kyrios. Consequently, when early Christians proclaimed “Jesus is Lord” (Phil. 2 : 11), they were affirming that Jesus shares the identity of Israel’s God, not that He competes with Caesar. The same word that once described the Creator in Greek Scripture now identified the incarnate Redeemer.
5 Virgin Birth and Divine Sonship
Myths of divine conception—such as those of Horus or Mithras—involve physical unions between gods and humans. The Gospels describe something entirely different: a non-sexual act of divine initiative—“conceived by the Holy Spirit” (Luke 1 : 35). The narrative presents holiness, not eroticism; historical incarnation, not seasonal fertility. The virgin birth therefore proclaims the uniqueness of divine intervention, not continuity with myth.
6 Redeemed Language: Greek Terms Re-defined
Early Christians adopted Greek philosophical vocabulary while transforming its meaning:
| Term | Classical Meaning | Christian Re-definition | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Logos | Rational principle of the cosmos | The eternal Word who became flesh | John 1 : 1, 14 |
| Kyrios | Master or ruler | The covenant Lord, equivalent to YHWH | Phil. 2 : 11 |
| Sōtēr | Political deliverer | Spiritual Redeemer and Saviour from sin | Luke 2 : 11 |
| Ekklesia | Civic assembly | The gathered people of God | Matt. 16 : 18 |
This process exemplifies linguistic sanctification—existing words filled with new revelatory content.
7 The Continuity of the Name
The chain of sacred naming continues seamlessly:
YHWH → Kyrios → Dominus → Lord
Yeshua → Iēsous → Iesus → Jesus
The authority of the Name transcends form. Acts 4 : 12 affirms: “There is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” The same divine identity echoes through successive languages, uniting revelation and translation.
8 Why Similarities Occur
Religious parallels arise because humanity shares linguistic and symbolic patterns (Lewis, 1967). Yet parallel imagery does not imply common origin. Christianity re-centres universal longings around the historical person of Christ. What other religions express mythically, the Gospel locates in history and revelation. Thus, resemblance is the echo of truth, not its source.
9 The Sanctification of Human Speech
Language is a creaturely gift. By speaking through Hebrew prophets and Greek apostles, God consecrated human words for divine purpose. The same syllables once used for idols now declare the true God. As Paul wrote, “Every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord” (Phil. 2 : 11). The Gospel therefore purifies language, transforming cultural vocabulary into vessels of revelation.
10 Conclusion
The claim that Christianity borrowed its central names from paganism collapses under linguistic and historical scrutiny. The early Church employed the languages available to it, not to assimilate alien gods but to proclaim the one God more widely. Christos is Hebrew prophecy in Greek form; Kyrios is the Greek translation of YHWH; Trinitas is Latin precision for biblical truth.
The continuity of the Divine Name—from YHWH to Jesus—demonstrates that revelation does not depend on a single language or culture. The sanctification of vocabulary is itself an act of redemption: human speech becomes the medium of divine self-disclosure. Thus, the one eternal Name resounds through every age and tongue, proclaiming that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
References
Bauckham, R. (2008) Jesus and the God of Israel: God Crucified and Other Studies on the New Testament’s Christology of Divine Identity. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans.
BDAG Lexicon (2000) Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, 3rd ed. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Frazer, J.G. (1911) The Golden Bough: A Study in Magic and Religion. London: Macmillan.
Hornung, E. (1982) Conceptions of God in Ancient Egypt: The One and the Many. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press.
Hurtado, L.W. (2003) Lord Jesus Christ: Devotion to Jesus in Earliest Christianity. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans.
Jobes, K.H. and Silva, M. (2015) Invitation to the Septuagint, 2nd ed. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic.
Lewis, C.S. (1967) Christian Reflections. London: Geoffrey Bles.
Robertson, A. (1946) Pagan Christs. London: Watts & Co.
Tertullian (c. AD 210) Adversus Praxean. In: Evans, E. (ed.) (1964) The Trinity. London: SPCK.