In the spirit of honoring Jesus, you are presented with an intriguing question: Are the similarities between Jesus and the Taoist sage Lao Tzu merely coincidental or are they expressing the same message?

In the Bible there is a period of approximately 18 years in which the life of Jesus is a great void. It is quite interesting that the historians, disciples and early church scholars/scribes, made sure to document the birth of Jesus, events up to age 12 and approximately the final three years of his life.

The only mention in the Bible of Jesus’ life during these lost years is vague at best, in Luke 2:52 “And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.” Most of the Christian leaders and scholars assert that Jesus remained in Nazareth until the time he began to openly teach. There are others, however, who say that during those 18 years Jesus traveled to the East on the Silk Road; studying and living in China and Kashmir near northern India. There are in fact many references to Jesus in China and Kashmir, from signatures signed with the name Issa, to the temple in Ladakh, Kashmir-India which tells the story of the “Life of Saint Issa, Best of the Sons of Men”, Issa is Arabic for Jesus. These are just a few of the many references to Jesus being in the East.

Putting aside for the moment your feelings of the possibility that Jesus traveled to China and Kashmir during those 18 years; let’s explore some of Jesus’ teachings from the New Testament and compare them to what Lao Tzu said in the Tao Teh Ching approximately 500 years before Jesus as well as the I-Ching recorded several thousand years prior to Jesus’ birth.

Please note all Biblical quotes are from the King James Version of The Holy Bible by Regency and Thomas Nelson Publishers. Tao Teh Ching is referenced from the “Tao Teh Ching” by Gia-Fu Feng and Jane English and “The Complete I-Ching” translated by Alfred Huang.

Matthew 26:52
Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword in his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword.

Tao Teh Ching section 74
…There is always an official executioner.
If you try to take his place,
It is like trying to be a Master Carpenter and cutting wood.
If you try to cut wood like a master carpenter,
You will only hurt your hand.

Matthew 5:5
Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.

Tao Teh Ching section 76
…The hard and strong will fall.
The soft and weak will overcome.

Let’s further examine Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, his most famous and perhaps most important message for humanity. Read this section a few times, even if you are familiar to it, and then pay close attention to the quotes from the Tao Teh Ching section 67 and the I-Ching Hexagram 15.

Matthew 5, 6 & 7, quoted here 5:3-12
…Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.
Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.
Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled
Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.
Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

Tao Teh Ching section 67
…I have three treasures that I guard and hold dear:
The first is love,
The second is contentment:
The third is humbleness.
Only the loving are courageous;
Only the content are magnanimous;
Only the humble are capable of commanding.

I-Ching Hexagram 15, Qian- Humbleness
Humbleness, Prosperous and Smooth.
It is the Tao of Heaven to send its energy down shining upon all beings.
It is the Tao of Earth to send its energy up linking with Heaven.
It is the Tao of Heaven to decrease the full and increase the humble.
It is the Tao of Earth to alternate the full and make the full humble.
It is the Tao of spirit to harm the full and bless the humble.
It is the Tao of humans to dislike the full and love the humble.
The humble is honored to radiate its brilliance.
When the humble is in a lower position, he does not lose his principle.
Thus the superior person is able to carry his principle through to the end.

In the article, “What is Tao?” it was revealed that Tao means God and Da Tao translates as Great God or Great Tao. Here we also see the emphasis on humbleness, love, contentment and courage, with references to the Tao of Heaven shining down upon all etc… The very same characteristics Jesus was teaching in his Sermon on the Mount. Further articles are needed to discuss the similarities in more depth, for now, the purpose is to begin the search and to introduce the similar message.

Did you enjoy this article? Receive e-mail alerts when new articles are available. Just click on the “Subscribe” button above; also make sure you click all of those social network buttons to the left as well.