Judaizers allied with worshippers of Attis in Galatia against Paul
Posted: Sat Oct 05, 2019 8:02 am
The Galatians were ancient adorers of the god Attis. Hence they confused the circumcision preached by Judaizers with the castration of the priests of Attis, and in virtue of this confusion, they give to the circumcision a salvific value.
This explains why the Judaizers were able to move the Galatians against Paul.
This is the reason why Paul is full of anger:
(Galatians 5:2-4)
In addition, the Galatians were too much naive and primitive to accept fully the Pauline belief about a Jesus crucified in outer space by planetary Archons. For them, that belief was too much abstract. Despite of the Paul's effort to make it concrete in their eyes by use of visual images:
(Galatians 3:1)
The Galatians were inclined to accept a death of Jesus more similar to the death of Attis. The image of the phrigian god was fixed on a tree and the his adorers wore mourning before it. The eyes required their part, not only their mysticism.
After a promising beginning "according to spirit", they ended "according to flesh":
The consequence was that Paul was compelled to represent the crucifixion not more as a celestial cosmic crucifixion in outer space (very liked in Corinth! Only read 1 Corinthians 2:6-8) but as an earthly gibbet, and Jesus as a man mutilated on the wood, just like Attis. Only in this way he could be understood and loved by the "fool" Galatians.
This is a great example of adaptability by Paul.
But the result was decisive: the fact that Paul was moved to concede a more earthly view of the crucifixion in Galatia created a strong precedent for the late progressive euhemerizzation of Jesus.
The Judaizers realized that Paul had made this grave concession to the Judaizing Galatians and took advantage of it.
In 1 Peter, Jesus is also crucified on a wood.
This explains why the Judaizers were able to move the Galatians against Paul.
This is the reason why Paul is full of anger:
Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all. 3 Again I declare to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law. 4 You who are trying to be justified by the law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace.
(Galatians 5:2-4)
In addition, the Galatians were too much naive and primitive to accept fully the Pauline belief about a Jesus crucified in outer space by planetary Archons. For them, that belief was too much abstract. Despite of the Paul's effort to make it concrete in their eyes by use of visual images:
You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified.
(Galatians 3:1)
The Galatians were inclined to accept a death of Jesus more similar to the death of Attis. The image of the phrigian god was fixed on a tree and the his adorers wore mourning before it. The eyes required their part, not only their mysticism.
After a promising beginning "according to spirit", they ended "according to flesh":
I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by believing what you heard? 3 Are you so foolish? After beginning by means of the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh?
The consequence was that Paul was compelled to represent the crucifixion not more as a celestial cosmic crucifixion in outer space (very liked in Corinth! Only read 1 Corinthians 2:6-8) but as an earthly gibbet, and Jesus as a man mutilated on the wood, just like Attis. Only in this way he could be understood and loved by the "fool" Galatians.
This is a great example of adaptability by Paul.
But the result was decisive: the fact that Paul was moved to concede a more earthly view of the crucifixion in Galatia created a strong precedent for the late progressive euhemerizzation of Jesus.
The Judaizers realized that Paul had made this grave concession to the Judaizing Galatians and took advantage of it.
In 1 Peter, Jesus is also crucified on a wood.