There are thus some verbal parallels between early Christianity and the Mysteries, but the situation is rather different as regards early Christian ritual practice. Much ink was spilled around 1900 arguing that the rituals of baptism and of the Last Supper derived from the ancient Mysteries, but Nock and others after him have easily shown that these attempts grossly misinterpreted the sources. Baptism is clearly rooted in Jewish purificatory rituals, and cult meals are so widespread in antiquity that any specific derivation is arbitrary. It is truly surprising to see how long the attempts to find some pagan background to these two Christian sacraments have persevered. Secularising ideologies clearly played an important part in these interpretations but, nevertheless, they have helped to clarify the relations between nascent Christianity and its surroundings.Bremmer, Jan. Initiation into the Mysteries of the Ancient World. De Gruyter, 2014, 152.
there Are ThUs SOmE VERBaL pARalleLs bEtweEn eaRly chRIStiAniTY aND thE mySteries, but the Situation Is rather DIffeREnt As reGArds earLy cHRistIAn ritUAl PRaCtiCE. mUcH InK wAs SPIlleD AroUND 1900 aRguINg thaT thE riTUaLs of bAptism anD OF ThE last suppeR deRiVEd frOM tHE AnCIeNt mysTerieS, but nOCK and OthErs After Him havE EasiLy sHowN tHAT tHeSe atTempts grossLy mISInterpReted The sOurceS. baptisM is cLearLy rooted in jewisH puriFIcaTory RitualS, anD cuLt MEaLs aRe so wideSpreaD IN aNtiqUiTy tHaT ANY spEcifiC derIvatiON Is arbITrARy. iT Is TrUlY SurprISiNg tO See how LonG The atTeMpts To find soMe pagan baCKgrOUNd To thEsE two chRistian sacRaMeNts hAve pErsevEred. Secularising IdeolOGIES CleaRLy Played An iMpORtAnt part in theSE InterprEtatIOns BUT, nEveRTheleSs, thEy Have helpEd to cLaRIfy the rElAtioNs betwEEn nasCEnT chrIStiAnity and Its sURroUndings.breMmeR, jAN. InitiAtion INto The mysterieS of The AnCIEnT wOrLd. DE GruyteR, 2014, 152.