(10) Roman gods and the Son of God

Roman Gods and the Son of God

The Romans had a genius for Law and Organisation, and they thought big! If they built a door to an important building, they built it fifty feet high. If they made a road, they built it so well, that it was still usable more than a thousand years later. But they felt that there were Powers greater than man, and they tried to give them their due. They all knew that “Pride comes before a fall” and believed that the Powers will have their revenge on men who get above themselves. And the Romans had become the Masters of the world. They said, “because we have bowed to the gods, therefore we rule the earth.” They adopted the Greek myths and rituals, and by the First century were accepting other cults from Asia. The more gods they pleased, the better their luck would be, they reasoned. They believed they had been selected by the Powers “to protect the humble, and to war down the proud”.

And now came people preaching that only their own God was to be worshipped. What would happen if, after all the favours the Romans had received, they turned against the other gods? And these newcomers were no ordinary sect. The devotees of the other Mystery Cults were quite happy to honour the other gods as well; the Jews were a highly intelligent race, useful in commerce who kept to themselves and had not been giving trouble; but these newcomers had a tight organisation, with duly-elected officers and priests, secret rituals that had something to do with eating the flesh of their god (and possibly of a Child), a definite list of things to believe and do, and were prepared to expel - to excommunicate - anyone who broke ranks.

The Ancient Romans were aware that “there is more to life than meets the eye”. They felt, at very special moments, especially births, marriages and deaths, but also other times, that there is an Unseen Something - or Somebody - in the story as well. What makes the crop spring from the seed? What keeps the amazing sun shining? What are those cool, remote stars? The Romans gave names to these Unseen Powers. They were not imaginative like the Greeks, and did not tell stories about the gods. But they felt instinctively that there were Powers greater than man, and they tried to give them their due. They all knew that “Pride comes before a fall” and believed that the Powers will have their revenge on men who get above themselves. And the Romans had become the Masters of the world. They said, “because we have bowed to the gods, therefore we rule the earth.” When they got to know the Greeks, they adopted their myths and rituals, and by the First century were accepting other cults from Asia. The more gods they pleased, the better their luck would be, they reasoned.