Mara bar Serapion - Christ death was avenged by God

Mara Bar-Serapion’s Background

Mara Bar-Serapion was a Syrian who wrote about Jesus Christ sometime around A.D. 73. He left a legacy manuscript to his son Serapion. The letter is now in the possession of the British Museum.

Mara Bar-Serapion’s Reference To Jesus Christ

“What advantage did the Athenians obtain by putting Socrates to death? Famine and plague came upon them as judgment for their crime. What advantage did the people of Samos for burning Pythagoras? In one moment their country was covered with sand. What advantage did the Jews gain from executing their wise king? It was just after that their kingdom was abolished. God rightly avenged these men: the Athenians died of hunger; the Samians were overwhelmed by the sea; the Jews, ruined and driven from their land, live in complete dispersion. But Socrates did not die for good; he lived on in the statue of Hera. Nor did the wise king die for good; he lived on in the teaching which he had given.” – British Museum, Syriac Manuscript, Additional 14,658

Conclusion

Mara Bar-Serapion reveals several key things:

  1. Christ was regarded as a wise king.
  2. Christ was murdered.
  3. Christ’ teachings lived on.
  4. God avenged the death of Christ.