Zoroastrian Saviour Imagery and Its Influence on ... - Kaveh Farrokh

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ZOROASTRIAN SAVIOUR IMAGERY AND ITS INFLUENCE ON THE NEW TESTAMENT BY JOHN. R. HINNELLS Newcastle upon Tyne. ZOROASTRIAN SAVIOUR IMAGERY AND ITS INFLUENCE ON THE NEW TESTAMENT 1) Although influence of <strong>Zoroastrian</strong> eschatology on the Judeo-Chris- tian tradition is widely recognised, 2) so far little attention has been paid to the parallel concepts of the saviour in the two traditions. 3) I) Based on a paper read to the British Section of the International Association for the History of Religions in London, Sept I8th. I968. 2) See for example M. Black, The Development of Judaism in the Greek <strong>and</strong> Roman Periods, in the new Peake's Commentary on the Bible, Ed. M. Black <strong>and</strong> H. H. Rowley, London, I962, p. 696; J. Bright, A History of Israel, London, I96o, p. 444; W. D. Davies, Contemporary Jewish Religion, New Peake p. 705; W. Eichrodt, Theology of the Old Testament, London, 1961 <strong>and</strong> I967, vol. I, p. 487, II, pp. 2o8f.; S. B. Frost, Old Testament Apocalyptic, London, 1952 pp. I9f., 73 ff.; R. N. Frye, The Heritage of Persia, London, I962, p. 128; R. H. Fuller, The Foundations of New Testament Christology, London, I965, p. 34; T. H. Gaster articles on 'Satan' <strong>and</strong> 'Gehenna' in the Interpreter's Dictionary of the Bible, New York, 1962; E. O. James, Comparative Religion, Oxford, I96I, p. 218; H. Ringgren, Israelite Religion, E.T. by D. Green, London, 1966, pp. 315, 323, 336; H. H. Rowley, The Relevance of Apocalyptic, London, I963, pp. 43, 73; D. S. Russell, The Method <strong>and</strong> Message of Jewish Apocalyptic, London, I964, pp. 235, 258-262 reservations are expressed on pp. 385-7. 3) Parallels between the Messiah <strong>and</strong> S6oyant were noted by L. H. Mills, ZaraOustra, Philo, the Achaemenids <strong>and</strong> Israel, Chicago, 1906, p. 437; R. Otto, The Kingdom of God <strong>and</strong> the Son of Man, London, 1938, p. 251 <strong>and</strong> Von Gall argued that the post exilic Messiah was influenced by the S6oyant imagery, paoaLXg) aro ??eo, Heidelberg, 1926, pp. 251 ff. On the other h<strong>and</strong> N. Siderblom argued that the two figures developed independently, La Vie Future d'apres le Mazdeisme, Paris, 190I, pp. 305-308. J. Duchesne-Guillemin, likewise, believes that the parallels between the two figures are vague <strong>and</strong> general, La Religion de rIran Ancien, Paris, 1962, p. 261. W. Staerk contends that the two are very different, since in <strong>Zoroastrian</strong>ism the saviours are not related to the mythical figure of the Primordial Man <strong>and</strong> the Primordial King. Zoroaster <strong>and</strong> the other helpers, according to Staerk, are not returning figures of the primordial time; NUMEN XVI II
I62 John. R. Hinnells This is rather surprising since it may be thought doubtful if there could be influence on the eschatological scene generally <strong>and</strong> not on the central figure of that scene. Further, it is generally held that the form of the later Jewish <strong>and</strong> Christian concept of the devil or Satan was influenced by Iranian tradition. If this be accepted then it has serious implications for the underst<strong>and</strong>ing of a saviour or Messianic figure. When Satan is thought of as the prosecuting counsel within God's court, as he is in the Book of Job, then he is not a figure with whom the saviour has to deal. When this figure becomes truly demonic, ruling over hell, leading a horde of demons <strong>and</strong> attacking the world, then the saviour is given a new task. Instead of defeating human forces at the end of the world, in the shape of Edom <strong>and</strong> Egypt, he must now defeat a super- natural being. This new task dem<strong>and</strong>s new imagery, <strong>and</strong> if the devil imagery be thought to come from Iran, then a most natural source for the developed saviour imagery would be, similarly, Iran. The intention of this paper is, therefore, to trace the development of the saviour concept in the <strong>Zoroastrian</strong> tradition in order to see if it casts any light on the vexed question of the origin of the New Testa- ment imagery. It is important to begin by asking precisely what is meant by the term 'influence'. While this may imply the transference of a total concept from one tradition to another, it is a fact of everyday expe- rience that to be influenced by someone or something is usually an un- conscious process of modifying or developing one's own beliefs, in accord not only with the source of influence but also with one's own theological or philosophical convictions. It must be held to be highly unlikely that any religion would incorporate ideas totally alien to its existing faith. Since a religion is more open to influence from doctrines which bear some degree of similarity to the beliefs which it already they are quite unmythical, <strong>and</strong> have their basis in the idea of the ethical process, Die Erlisererwartung in den Ostlichen Religionen, Stuttgart, I938, p. 268. W. Bousset was also doubtful about influence from the concept of S6syant on the figure of the Messiah, Die Religion des Judentums, third edition edited by H. Gressmann, reprinted Tubingen, I966, p. 513, n. I. A Kohut drew attention to parallels between S6oyant <strong>and</strong> certain Talmudic beliefs, 'Was hat die Talmudische Eschatologie aus dem Parsismus Aufgenommen?,' Z.D.M.G. xxi, pp. 552-591. <strong>Influence</strong> on the later Messianic belief was suggested by Frost, op. cit. pp. 224- 225, but he accepts the erroneous view of Glasson that Sosyant 'does not seem to exercise a judicial function.'
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Zoroastrian Saviour Imagery and Its Influence on ... - Kaveh Farrokh

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