The Jesus and Arthur Connection

Uthyr Pendragon, Arthur's father, gained control of much of England in his exploits. To many who served him, he might have been seen not only as a ruler, but a superhuman conqueror. Jesus's father, Yahweh, was not only a superhuman figure, but also a supernatural figure because God the Father was a god in his own right. Both were born from powerful fathers, but neither knew his father.

Their conceptions share a parallel in that they were both highly unusual. Jesus was conceived indirectly by holy spirit, and Arthur by rape. It is also interesting to note that Arthur's birthday is historically attributed to December 25th, Christmas Day, the day Jesus's birthday is traditionally celebrated. Both were born into similar unusual circumstances signaling the starts of their heros' journey.

Both Jesus and Arthur had something to prove - a fate bigger than them to live up to - yet it's interesting that neither was aware of their greater purpose. Until he began his ministry at 30, Jesus was not aware that his purpose on earth was to save the world from sin. Arthur, taken from his father by Merlin and raised without knowing his past, never knew his destiny to be King until he pulled Excalibur out of the stone. With courage and fortitude, both accepted the destinies thrust upon them with little questioning or hesitation.

For Arthur, he was faced with the monumental task of uniting England under one flag, a feat too vast in scope for any normal man. Jesus faced an equally insurmountable task, defeating the grip of sin over the world, a demanding feat for even a god to accomplish. These tasks did not come easy because both suffered from the imperfection of human weakness. Arthur languished in his castle, growing weak and letting Camelot suffer after his wife's indiscretions. Jesus suffered bitter anguish in the garden of Getsemane the night that he was to be arrested.

Arthur and Jesus met similar ends in their efforts to fulfill their destinies. Arthur died in a face off with the evil Mordred helping secure the peace of Camelot for future generations. Jesus died in a more symbolic clash with good and evil, on a cross put to death by the Romans. His death fulfilled the prophecy securing people from death through original sin for future generations.

Their death blows came similarly by their persecutors. Arthur was stabbed in his side by a spear from Mordred; Jesus was speared in his side as well by a Roman. With so many similarities in their two legends, it isn't surprising that the myth of Arthur ends much like the legend of Jesus. Jesus's return will signal the end of time as the virtuous will be saved and the sinners will be condemned. Arthur will come again as a savior in England's greatest time of need saving the good, virtuous people of England, and smiting all those sinners who oppose her.

Jost, Jean E. "The Role of Violence in Aventure : 'The Ballad of King Arthur and the King of Cornwall' and 'The Turke and Gowin."' Arthurian Interpretations 2.2 (1988), 47-57.

Krappe, Alexander Haggerty. "Mediaeval Literature and the Comparative Method." Speculum 10 (1935),