Given their singular significance to the development of Western culture, it is strangely appropriate that Jesus and Socrates led similar lives. Both lived simply. Both were esteemed as excellent teachers, though neither wrote an extant word. Both were regarded as traitors by the political and religious communities of their times. Both were executed for their beliefs. For some Enlightenment thinkers, these parallels suggested that Truth was not the sole property of the Christian religion, nor was it necessarily the result of a divine dispensation. The philosophy of Socrates was as liberating - perhaps as salvific - as the religion of Jesus. Not all scholars agreed. Some, like Joseph Priestley, argued that Socrates' thought was elaborate and beautiful, but Jesus' ideas and life were the very embodiment of God on this earth. Christian intellectuals, drawing on this idea, have often noted that they were students of Socrates and disciples of Jesus.
They were not political or religious leaders. They both were sublime teachers. Both advanced ideas of
Jesus and Socrates had lived similar lives but this is not all that was similar. Unfortunately, they had similar deaths as well. Both Jesus and Socrates were judged and sentenced to death for their beliefs. Jesus developed many political enemies and was viewed as a threat to the Roman authorities current way of living. As we all know, Jesus was crucified on the cross as a public display to show the strength of the Roman government. Although Jesus was the son of God and performed many miracles, he did not resist or try to escape from his punishment. He instead accepted his death sentence as a show of faith in his teachings and his word. Socrates was also viewed by the Athenian government as a threat to their way of living. He was accused of corrupting the youth with his ideas as Socrates asked many questions to make people realize how their lives had no direction. The government felt Socrates was attacking the democracy of Athens and wished to control him. They tried and sentenced him to death but gave him a chance to go free if he stopped pre
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