Comment on the Osiris Issue

By Robert Price

It is my understanding that Osiris did rise physically from the dead through the anointing of his corpse by Isis. His body was the focus of the action, given the emphasis on Isis' quest to regather the severed members of Osiris, as well as the attention given to the physical reality of the present/missing phallus. In one version she recovers it, in another she has all but the penis and must create an artificial duplicate. But either way, she needs to be impregnated by the physically living Osiris in order to bear his own reincarnation on earth, Horus/Harpocrates, who then takes vengeance on Set while Osiris himself henceforth retires to the netherworld as judge of the living and the dead. It seems to me a very close parallel to the fate of Jesus, who, according to the tradition reflected in the gospels, returned in a physical body but then ascended to the after-world where he judges the living and the dead (or shortly will at the Parousia). But on the one hand, there is the parallel/rival tradition reflected in the epistles and the general NT use of Psalm 110 that seems to imply the resurrection of Jesus and his ascension to heaven (and spiritual form?) coincided with the resurrection, i.e., was the same thing. Thus even if we decided Osiris had risen "only" spiritually, we would still have a strong parallel to Jesus. And then on the other hand, Jesus, too, is pictured as entering the netherworld following his resurrection (or possibly before--it is a bit unclear in the texts), when he makes proclamation to the disobedient spirits in prison. I have been told that one ancient Isis lament has the bereaved Isis cry out, "They have taken away my lord, and I know not where they have laid him!" But I am still trying to hunt this one down. I hope this helps! I wish you and Farrell well!

Robert M. Price - Editor of: The Journal of Higher Criticism