Dennis O’Neil: Resurrection

Dennis O'Neil

Dennis O'Neil was born in 1939, the same year that Batman first appeared in Detective Comics. It was thus perhaps fated that he would be so closely associated with the character, writing and editing the Dark Knight for more than 30 years. He's been an editor at Marvel and DC Comics. In addition to Batman, he's worked on Spider-Man, Daredevil, Iron Man, Superman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern/Green Arrow, the Question, The Shadow and more. O'Neil has won every major award in the industry. His prose novels have been New York Times bestsellers. Denny lives in Rockland County with his wife, Marifran.

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1 Response

  1. Ed says:

    Jesus didn’t start an earthly “religion.” He said quite clearly that his kingdom “was not of this world.” Anyone becoming a follower, therefore, must undergo an eternal makeover, he must be “born again” (John 3:3).

    It has long been noted that there are messianic figures in other religions, but too little thought has been given to the fact that if the Bible is true, there should be. Much as many cultures have stories that parallel the accounts in Genesis (creation of man, the fall, the flood, the tower of Babel, the longevity of the patriarchs, etc.), it should not be surprising that these groups have messianic figures as well. That is what we should expect to find if the Bible is true.

    Genesis 3:15 is the earliest recorded prophecy of the one to come. From this scant narrative we can see certain elements. His “heel” was to be bruised. This “wounding” is not too difficult to relate to the prophesied death and resurrection of the Messiah. The important of the “woman” in the narrative also would serve as inspiration for the mourning women of these other stories (Isis in the Osiris myth, for example).

    As one goes further into the Scriptures, other aspects of that Messiah become plain. For example, consider the following parallel: “Quetzacoatl of Mexico, crucified in 587 BC, for the sins of the world, descended into hell and rose on the third day, was born of a virgin mother by immaculate conception. He too had forty days of temptation and fasting, rode on an ass, was baptized by water, anointed with oil and forgave sins.”

    Isn’t it interesting that these specifics occur at a later date than the Osiris/Horus myth? It is interesting because all the prophetic identifiers of He who was to come had now appeared in Old Testament scripture. If there is a Satan who tries to disrupt the plan of God; how better to do so than introducing a counterfeit? Satan knows the Scriptures and selectively quotes them when deemed advantageous (Matthew 4:6, etc.) Consequently, it is more than interesting that at this later date (when more prophecy was available) the “fuller” account of Quezacoatl comes along. The virgin birth, forty days of temptation, fasting, entering Jerusalem on an ass, etc., had all now been recorded in Scripture. But again, that is what one might expect from an adversary who is a master of the counterfeit (2 Corinthians 11:13-14).

    That being said, the many differences between these other would be messiahs and the true Messiah must be noted: all of the “other” messiahs all proclaimed a “gospel” of works. This is a far cry from the Gospel of Grace proclaimed by Christ.