Mythology and the Bible: Disentangling Pagan Narratives from Inspired Scripture

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Introduction: Understanding the Term “Myth” in a Biblical Framework

In modern academic and literary contexts, the term “mythology” is used broadly to describe the traditional narratives that cultures employ to explain their origins, divine beings, natural phenomena, and moral values. These myths are often categorized as allegorical, symbolic, or legendary rather than historical or factual. However, when applied to the Bible, the term “myth” becomes a point of serious contention. Liberal theologians and secular scholars routinely classify Genesis narratives, the global Flood, or the account of Jonah as myths—placing them on the same level as the Enuma Elish, Gilgamesh Epic, or Greek cosmogonies. This classification reflects a philosophical bias rooted in skepticism toward divine revelation and a denial of the historical trustworthiness of the biblical text.

From a conservative evangelical perspective grounded in the doctrine of verbal plenary inspiration and biblical inerrancy, equating the Word of God with mythology is a categorical error. The Bible does not belong in the genre of mythology because it claims, and consistently demonstrates, to be a record of real history, grounded in verifiable events, real geography, and genealogical continuity. The Scriptures present themselves not as allegories or moral fables, but as literal truth, fully accurate in all that they affirm.

Depiction of Mythology in the context of Christian apologetics, visually portraying the contrast between ancient belief systems and the revealed truth of the gospel.

This article will examine the nature of mythology, compare it to the biblical record, analyze supposed parallels between mythological texts and the Bible, and offer a rational defense of the Bible’s uniqueness and historical credibility. The goal is not to dismiss mythological literature as meaningless but to clarify that the Bible does not belong in the same category and, in fact, often stands as a polemic against the very ideas embedded in those myths.

What Is Mythology?

Mythology can be broadly defined as a body of stories involving gods, supernatural beings, or ancestral heroes, developed by a society to explain existential questions: Where did we come from? What is the nature of the divine? What happens after death? Why is there evil and suffering?

Classical examples include:

The Enuma Elish (Babylonian): A creation epic involving the battle between Marduk and Tiamat.
The Epic of Gilgamesh (Mesopotamian): A semi-divine king’s quest for immortality, including a flood narrative.
Egyptian Cosmogonies: Myths featuring gods such as Atum, Ra, and Osiris, shaping the cosmos from chaos.
Greek Myths: Polytheistic stories involving Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, and others engaged in morally ambiguous actions.

These myths typically:

Involve polytheism and divine conflicts.
Exhibit anthropomorphic deities with flaws.
Are set in vague or cyclical time.
Lack consistent genealogical or chronological frameworks.
Emphasize symbolic or allegorical meaning over literal truth.

By contrast, the Bible:

Is monotheistic, proclaiming one sovereign, eternal Creator.
Describes a God who is morally perfect and transcendent.
Provides linear, chronological history tied to real places and individuals.
Employs genealogies to ground its narrative in human history.
Claims divine revelation, not human speculation.

These are fundamentally different kinds of texts. Any claim that “the Bible is just another myth” overlooks the basic distinctions in worldview, structure, and purpose.

Alleged Parallels Between Biblical and Mythological Narratives

Some scholars have tried to argue that biblical stories are adapted or plagiarized from earlier myths, particularly from Mesopotamian and Egyptian sources. The most frequently cited example is the Flood narrative.

The Flood: Bible vs. Gilgamesh Epic

The Epic of Gilgamesh contains a story in which the hero Utnapishtim is warned by the god Ea to build a boat and survive a divine flood. Superficially, this resembles the Genesis account, where Noah is instructed by God to build an ark. However, deeper analysis reveals massive differences:

Moral reason: In Genesis, the Flood comes as divine judgment on human wickedness (Genesis 6:5-7). In Gilgamesh, the gods send the flood arbitrarily or out of annoyance.
Monotheism vs. Polytheism: The Bible’s account is governed by the sovereign will of one God. The Gilgamesh flood is a result of conflict among a pantheon of flawed gods.
Preservation and covenant: Noah’s survival leads to a covenant and the continuation of humanity. Utnapishtim’s reward is personal immortality, with no covenantal purpose.
Details of construction: The biblical ark is a seaworthy structure with precise dimensions and compartments. The Gilgamesh boat is a cube-shaped vessel, scientifically implausible.

Rather than suggesting dependence, these contrasts support the conclusion that Genesis 6–9 is a correction or rebuttal to corrupt versions of a memory of a real event—namely, the global flood of 2348 B.C.E. The preservation of flood traditions across multiple cultures is evidence not of mythmaking but of collective memory of a historical event.

The Purpose of Biblical Narrative: Theology Rooted in History

The biblical authors are not crafting symbolic stories to explain existential truths through myth. They are recording real events with theological significance. The prologue to Luke’s Gospel makes this explicit:

“Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile an account of the things accomplished among us… it seemed fitting for me as well… to write it out for you in consecutive order… so that you may know the exact truth about the things you have been taught.” (Luke 1:1–4, UASV)

Luke’s concern is historical accuracy, not allegorical teaching. This same approach is evident in the genealogies of Genesis 5 and 11, the detailed chronology of the Exodus (1446 B.C.E.), the kings of Israel and Judah, and the Babylonian exile (587 B.C.E.). These are not features of mythology but of authentic history.

Myth does not care about precise dates or genealogies. The Bible does.

2 Peter 1:16–18: Apostolic Rejection of “Cleverly Devised Myths”

Peter writes:

“For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty.” (2 Peter 1:16, UASV)

Peter deliberately distances the gospel message from mythology. The apostles were not relaying secondhand legends or visionary tales. They were reporting what they saw and heard. Their testimony was rooted in objective historical events, verified by multiple witnesses and written down within the lifetime of those involved.

Contrast this with mythologies, which are often attributed to unknown authors, passed down orally over centuries, and filled with embellishment. The New Testament documents were written in the first century C.E. by named authors, with historical specificity and theological coherence.

The Role of Polemic: The Bible as a Counter-Myth

Some elements of the Bible, especially in the early chapters of Genesis, serve as polemical corrections against pagan myths.

In Genesis 1, the sun and moon are not gods (as in Egyptian and Mesopotamian religion) but created objects.
The sea, often depicted as a chaos deity in Near Eastern myths (e.g., Tiamat), is simply a part of God’s creation.
Mankind is not created from the blood of slain gods to be slaves of the divine realm (as in Enuma Elish) but is made in the image of God with dignity and dominion.

These contrasts are intentional. The biblical authors, under divine inspiration, are not borrowing from myth but deliberately confronting and replacing false cosmologies with revealed truth. They demythologize the cosmos and present an ordered, rational creation governed by a personal, moral Creator.

Historical Verification vs. Mythological Ambiguity

Archaeology has repeatedly verified the historical reliability of Scripture. From the discovery of ancient cities mentioned in Genesis (such as Ur and Haran) to the verification of names and practices from the patriarchal period, the Bible shows itself anchored in the real world.

In contrast, mythological texts:

Often mention unidentifiable locations.
Refer to implausible time spans (e.g., kings ruling for tens of thousands of years).
Contain divine genealogies with no historical referents.
Present cyclic or fragmented views of time.

The historical precision of the Bible is unmatched in the ancient world. It is not myth cloaked in historical language—it is history revealing divine truth.

Mythology in the New Testament Context

Even in the New Testament era, mythology remained a competing worldview. Paul warns Timothy: “Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales; rather, train yourself for godliness” (1 Timothy 4:7). He also rebukes those who “turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths” (2 Timothy 4:4).

The apostles did not view mythology as harmless cultural narrative. It was spiritually deceptive and doctrinally dangerous. The truth of the gospel, grounded in the resurrection of Christ, stood in stark contrast to the myths of Greco-Roman paganism.

Paul’s confrontation with the philosophers at Athens (Acts 17:22–31) highlights this. He does not seek common ground with their myths but proclaims the “unknown God” as the true Creator, calling all men to repent in light of the coming judgment by the risen Christ. Myth was not embraced but confronted with revelation.

Conclusion: The Bible Transcends Myth

The charge that the Bible is “just another myth” is a reflection of secular presuppositions, not sound historical or literary analysis. When held to the same standards as other ancient texts, the Bible stands out in its moral clarity, chronological precision, and historical verifiability.

Myths reflect mankind’s attempts to grasp the divine through imagination and tradition. The Bible, by contrast, is God’s revelation to mankind—truth grounded in history, confirmed by prophecy, and fulfilled in Christ. It is not derived from mythology; it is the antidote to it.

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About the Author

EDWARD D. ANDREWS (AS in Criminal Justice, BS in Religion, MA in Biblical Studies, and MDiv in Theology) is CEO and President of Christian Publishing House. He has authored over 220+ books. In addition, Andrews is the Chief Translator of the Updated American Standard Version (UASV).