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"It was during Hadrian's sojourn in this country that his favorite, the beautiful Birthynian named Antinous, cast himself for his master's sake into the Nile, and was drowned. t appears that the oracle at Besa had informed the Emperor that impending calamity could be averted only by the self-sacrifice of the one whom he most loved. Antinous believed himself to be designated as the offering, and accordingly gave his life to the river."—Ridpath, 1885

Antinous

"It was during Hadrian's sojourn in this country that his favorite, the beautiful Birthynian named Antinous,…

"The bull worshipped by the ancient Egyptians, who regarded it as a symbol of Osiris, the god of the Nile, the husband of Isis, and the great divinity of Egypt. A sacred court or yard was set apart for the residence of Apis in the temple of Ptah at Memphis, where a numerous retinue of priests waited upon him, and sacrifices of red oxen were offered to him." — Chambers' Encyclopedia, 1875

Apis

"The bull worshipped by the ancient Egyptians, who regarded it as a symbol of Osiris, the god of the…

The temple of Asklepios.

Temple of Asklepios

The temple of Asklepios.

"Shows a priestess of Bacchus in the attitude of offering a <em>nebris</em> to Bacchus or to one of his ministers." &mdash; Anthon, 1891

Priestess of Bacchus

"Shows a priestess of Bacchus in the attitude of offering a nebris to Bacchus or to one of…

"...And it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him." Genesis 4:8 ASV <p>Abel lies dead on the ground, his left arm propped behind his head and his staff discarded next to him. Cain is slinking away, hiding his face. God appears in the smoke from the sacrifices burning on a nearby altar. A tree stands just behind the altar and a small bird watches from the bottom left corner of the image. Sheep gather in the background.

Cain and Abel- Cain Runs Away as Abel Lies Dead on the Ground

"...And it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and…

"The preceding cut represents the tombstone of a <em>cultrarius</em>, or the individual who slew the victim at the altar, and upon it two <em>cultri/i>, or sacrificial knives." &mdash; Anthon, 1891

Tombstone of a cultrarius

"The preceding cut represents the tombstone of a cultrarius, or the individual who slew the…

"Sacrifice to Demeter and Persephone" &mdash; Gayley, 1893

Demeter Persephone

"Sacrifice to Demeter and Persephone" — Gayley, 1893

Druid sacrifice

Druid sacrifice

Druid sacrifice

"Then the fire of Jehovah fell, and consumed the burnt-offering, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces: and they said, Jehovah, he is God; Jehovah, he is God." I Kings 18:38-39 ASV <p>Illustration of Elijah kneeling before the altar, surrounded by a trench as the people kneel and praise God. The altar has a bull on top of it and it is on fire. Flames shoot down from heaven.

Elijah Praying to God to Set Fire to His Altar in Front of the Prophets of Baal

"Then the fire of Jehovah fell, and consumed the burnt-offering, and the wood, and the stones, and the…

"Gothic Altar. An Altar is an erection made for the offering of sacrifices for memorial purposes, or for some other object. An altar designed for sacrifice is mentioned in Scripture as early as the time of Noah."&mdash;(Charles Leonard-Stuart, 1911)

Gothic Altar

"Gothic Altar. An Altar is an erection made for the offering of sacrifices for memorial purposes, or…

"The Sacrifice of Iphigenia" &mdash; Gayley, 1893

Iphigenia

"The Sacrifice of Iphigenia" — Gayley, 1893

"When she was about to be slain at the altar, Artemis intervened and carried her off in a cloud to be priestess of her temple in Tauris (the Crimea), while a stag was substituted in the sacrifice." &mdash; The Delphian Society, 1913

Rescue of Iphigenia

"When she was about to be slain at the altar, Artemis intervened and carried her off in a cloud to be…

"The cut represents a painting from a wall at Pompeii, the subject of which is the sacrifice of Iphigenia, and which probably was copied in some degree from the famous painting of Timanthes. Calchas stands near the altar, holding the sacrificial knife; Diomede and Ulysses have Iphigenia in their grasp, and are about to place her on the altar; Agamemnon turns away his head enveloped in the folds of his mantle, while Diana is seen in the air, causing a nymph to bring her the hind that is to be substituted for the maiden." &mdash; Anthon, 1891

Sacrifice of Iphigenia

"The cut represents a painting from a wall at Pompeii, the subject of which is the sacrifice of Iphigenia,…

"When she was about to be sacrificed the goddess relented and snatched her away, leaving a hind in her place, and Iphigenia, enveloped in a cloud, was carried to Tauris, where Diana made her a priestess of her temple." &mdash;Bulfinch, 1897

Sacrifice of Iphigenia

"When she was about to be sacrificed the goddess relented and snatched her away, leaving a hind in her…

"And the king said, Divide the living child in two, and give half to the one, and half to the other. Then spake the woman whose the living child was unto the king, for her heart yearned over her son, and she said, Oh, my lord, give her the living child, and in no wise slay it. But the other said, It shall be neither mine nor thine; divide it. Then the king answered and said, Give her the living child, and in no wise slay it: she is the mother thereof." I Kings 3:25-27 ASV <p>Illustration of Solomon sitting in judgement. He wears a crown and is holding a scepter. A soldier holds one baby by the foot and raises his sword to strike. One woman is holding the baby up, the other is kneeling and pleading for its life. The baby that passed away is lying on the ground. Two men, advisers, stand nearby. Several people watch the scene from behind a low wall.

The Judgement of Solomon - the Real Mother is Revealed

"And the king said, Divide the living child in two, and give half to the one, and half to the other.…

"And Noah builded an altar unto Jehovah, and took of every clean beast, and of every clean bird, and offered burnt-offerings on the altar." Genesis 8:20 ASV <p>Illustration of Noah and his family offering sacrifice after disembarking from the ark.

Noah Gives Thanks after the Flood

"And Noah builded an altar unto Jehovah, and took of every clean beast, and of every clean bird, and…

"And they came to the place which God had told him of. And Abraham built the altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar, upon the wood. And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son. And the angel of Jehovah called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham. And he said, Here I am. And he said, Lay not thy hand upon the lad, neither do thou anything unto him. For now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son, from me." Genesis 22:9-12 <p>This sculpture is a Bronze-relief by Brunellesco. There is a similar sculpture done by Ghiberti. It can now be found in the National Museum in Florence, Italy.

Offering of Isaac

"And they came to the place which God had told him of. And Abraham built the altar there, and laid the…

"Represents an ox adorned for sacrifice." &mdash; Anthon, 1891

Ox sacrifice

"Represents an ox adorned for sacrifice." — Anthon, 1891

"When Phryxsus arrived in Colchis, he sacrificed his winger ram to Jupiter, in acknowledgement of the divine protection, and deposited its golden fleece in the same diety's temple."

Phryxsus and ram

"When Phryxsus arrived in Colchis, he sacrificed his winger ram to Jupiter, in acknowledgement of the…

"And when Jesus heard it, he said unto him, One thing thou lackest yet: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me." Luke 18:22 ASV <p>Illustration of the rich man walking away after Jesus told him that in order to go to heaven he has to sell everything, give to the poor, and follow Jesus. Jesus sits under a curtained window and is looking at a man kneeling next to him. There is another man sitting on a low wall and a man standing nearby with a staff. The rich man can be identified by his decorated robe. He looks downcast as he walks away.

Jesus Tells the Rich Man to Sell All of His Possessions, Give to the Poor, and Follow Him

"And when Jesus heard it, he said unto him, One thing thou lackest yet: sell all that thou hast, and…

"A Sacrifice. (From a vase-painting by Polygnotus.)"

Sacrifice

"A Sacrifice. (From a vase-painting by Polygnotus.)"

"A Sacrifice to Apollo" &mdash; Gayley, 1893

Sacrifice Apollo

"A Sacrifice to Apollo" — Gayley, 1893

"And the angel of Jehovah called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham. And he said, Here I am. And he said, Lay not thy hand upon the lad, neither do thou anything unto him. For now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son, from me." Genesis 22:11-12 <p>The angel of the Lord halts the sacrifice of Isaac and provides a ram in his place.

Sacrifice of Isaac

"And the angel of Jehovah called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham. And he said, Here…

Saint Alban was the first British Christian martyr. Along with his fellow saints Julius and Aaron, Alban is one of three martyrs remembered from Roman Britain.

St. Alban's Shrine

Saint Alban was the first British Christian martyr. Along with his fellow saints Julius and Aaron, Alban…

"and they cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their garments at the feet of a young man named Saul. And they stoned Stephen, calling upon the Lord, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." Acts 7:58-59 ASV <p>Illustration of Stephen being stoned to death. He is pictured wearing a deacon's vestments, lying on the ground and looking up to the sky. An angel, carrying a palm frond and the crown of martyrdom, is flying above him. Several men hold stones over their heads. A group of men in robes, including Saul of Tarsus, watch the stoning. A city can be seen in the background.

Stephen Stoned to Death as He Looks up to Heaven

"and they cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid down their garments at the…

The suovetaurilia was a sacred Roman sacrifice of a pig, a ram, and a bull to Mars, the god of war to purify the land.

Suovetaurilia

The suovetaurilia was a sacred Roman sacrifice of a pig, a ram, and a bull to Mars, the god of war to…

"The relief pictures an ancient Italian sacrifice of a bull, a ram, and a boar, offered to Mars to secure purification from sin. Note the sacred laurel trees, the two altars, and the officiating magistrate, whose head is covered with the toga. He is sprinkling incense from a box held by an attendant. Another attendant carries a ewer with the libation. In the rear is the sacrificer with his ax."&mdash;Webster, 1913

Suovetaurilia

"The relief pictures an ancient Italian sacrifice of a bull, a ram, and a boar, offered to Mars to secure…

"And Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD in the presence of all the congregation of Israel, and spread forth his hands toward heaven:" 1 Kings 8:22 KJV

Solomon Dedicates the Temple

"And Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD in the presence of all the congregation of Israel, and…

"And he spake unto them this parable, saying, 'What man of you, having a hundred sheep, and having lost one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing.'" Luke 15:3-5 ASV <p>Illustration of a shepherd, wearing a hat, walking home with a sheep over his shoulders and all of his other ninety-nine sheep following behind him. In the background, wolves attack and eat the sheep of a shepherd who is asleep underneath a tree. A fence lines the road.

The Parable of the Good Shepherd Coming Home with the Lost Sheep Over His Shoulders

"And he spake unto them this parable, saying, 'What man of you, having a hundred sheep, and having lost…

"And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and there shall no plague be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt." Exodus 12:13 ASV <p>Illustration of the angel of death passing by the door of an Israelite home. The door is marked on the top side with the smeared blood of an unblemished lamb. The angel hovers over the ground and carries a sword in his right hand. Inside the house, a family can be seen gathered around the table with the slaughtered lamb on it. They are observing the first Passover. Behind the angel, a child lies dead in the street. Two obelisks and a pyramid are in the background.

The Death Angel Passes Over an Israelite Door Marked with the Blood of a Lamb

"And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I…

"And behold, a woman who was in the city, a sinner; and when she knew that he was sitting at meat in the Pharisee's house, she brought an alabaster cruse of ointment, and standing behind at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment." Luke 7:37-38 ASV <p>Illustration of Jesus sitting at a table, eating with the Pharisees. A woman is kneeling at his feet, pouring out a container of ointment on his feet and clutching the hem of his robe.

A Woman Washes and Anoints Jesus' Feet

"And behold, a woman who was in the city, a sinner; and when she knew that he was sitting at meat in…