The Parthenon Code: Mankind's History in Marble

by Robert Bowie Johnson Jr.

The Parthenon Code reveals, for the first time in 2,000 years, the meaning of the seven sculptural themes on Athena's temple. A simple, but hidden artists' code expressed on vase-paintings and the Parthenon sculptures, leads to the astonishing truth that Greek myth/art chronicles in great detail the reestablishment of the way of Kain (Cain) after the Flood.

Genres: Art

288 pages, Hardcover

First published June 30, 2004

About the author

Robert Bowie Johnson, Jr. has been studying the Sacred Scriptures, Greek myth, Greek art, and the Parthenon since 1984. He is a 1965 graduate of West Point, and an airborne ranger infantry veteran of Vietnam who served from March 1968 to March 1969.

Reviews

[Nathan Albright · Rating 5 out of 5]

At the first Romans Bible study in our recent series, our congregation’s pastor mentioned this particular book as being of great importance in understanding Greco-Roman culture and its deliberate hostility to God’s ways. This praise is not an exaggeration, as this book is a compelling art history book of the highest order, taking as its subject matter the sculpture of the Parthenon and its relationship to biblical history. Towards the end of the book, the author makes a comment that makes it plain why our pastor connected this book with the study of Romans 1 in particular: “In about 50 AD, Paul arrived in Athens. He knew what the Parthenon was and what it represented. In fact, “his spirit was incited in him at beholding the city being idol-ridden” (Acts 17:16). He most likely had the Parthenon idol-image of Athena in mind when he wrote in Romans 1:22-23 about those who “alleging themselves to be wise…are made stupid, and they change the glory of the incorruptible God into the likes of an image of a corruptible human being [Eve] and flying creatures [the winged griffins on Athena’s helmet and Nike in her right hand] and quadrupeds [the griffins and the lion-bodied sphinx on Athena’s helmet] and reptiles [the serpent rising up at Athena’s side, those trimming her aegis, and the Gorgon Medusa—the head of serpents].” Zeus-religion boasted of the Greeks’ total alienation from Noah and his God. It was as if the sculptors of the Parthenon had intentionally buried Noah, his God, and their spiritual children beneath their own marble heroes and gods (257).”

The content of this book is a very close piece of art history and art criticism that seeks to recover an understanding of the history that the Greeks recorded in their myths, their poetry, their vases, their art and architecture, and even their festivals. The author begins with a background summary of the code of the classical Greek artists as well as of Greek religion as a whole. The next part of the book, in eight chapters, looks at the representation of Noah, the flood, and Noah’s godly daughters (the Amazons), as well as the line of Seth (the centaurs) and the way that Noah’s authority was taken by Herakles, who stands in for the wicked rebel Nimrod. After this, the third part spends about fifteen chapters giving a close reconstruction of the East Pediment of the Parthenon, discussing in great detail the symbolism of the various idols and what they meant in reconstructing biblical history from the point of view of the serpent and those who followed his ways. The book thus manages to blend ancient history, biblical exegesis, and art criticism into a book that deserves the accolades it has received from previous reviewers who have seen the book as “original, seminal, ground-breaking, unforgettable, and highly recommended,” as the Midwest Book Review stated.

This book belongs with a group of books [1] that makes its point the demonstration of the conscious commitment of Greek culture to opposing submission to God’s laws and God’s ways. The book both directly and indirectly points out that humanism, with mankind as the measure of all things, stands in direct opposition to the ways of God and in direct rebellion to God. It demonstrates the various lies about immortality and enlightenment that have been used to deceive mankind at all times into viewing the taking of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil as a great victory in making men wise rather than an immense defeat by bringing mankind death and trouble and putting us under the despotic rule of the dragon Satan and his wicked lieutenants. It points out, in the most stark terms possible, the enmity that exists between the Athens of fallen mankind and the Jerusalem of God [2]. It is, in short, a book of immense worth for those who have any interest in the relationship between art history and scripture, and in the origins of Greek religion in a deliberate and hostile rejection of God’s ways and a confusion of enlightenment with darkness, and of freedom from the laws and ways of God with subjection to despotic demons.

[1] See, for example:

https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...

[2] See, for example:

https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...

https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...

https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...

https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...

https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress...

[Tintinrulz · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The Parthenon Code" by Robert Bowie Johnson Jr, sounds like a crack-pot theory akin to those found in books like "The Da Vinci Code" or "The Bible Code". In truth, this book makes a lot more sense than either of those and is rather straightforward. No complex mathematical formulas and deductions etc. are required, just a good understanding of the Holy Bible and Greek mythology and a willingness to learn. As with his book, "Noah in Ancient Greek Art", "The Parthenon Code" explores the premise that the art of ancient Greece is a testament to the historical events as laid out in early chapters of Genesis. In the case of the Parthenon, the temple showcases Ancient Greece's pagan triumph over God's servants Noah and his three sons. Many of the Greek gods and goddesses are understood to be nothing more than significant ancestors eg. Zeus - the Serpent-enlightened Adam, Hera - the godly Eve, Athena - the post-Flood, Serpent-enlightened Eve, and Hephaistos - Kain, the first born of Adam and Eve and the progenitor of the way of Kain. In great detail, Johnson lays down the evidence for his claims and for the most part, they're surprisingly logical.

Most of the problems I had with his book, "Noah in Ancient Greek Art", are nowhere to be found. "The Parthenon Code" is less conversational and better-written. It introduces the premise properly, before piling on the details. There's also a summary towards the end and some concluding thoughts. References are made to Greek mythology and backed up with relevant excerpts from both the Bible and Greek mythology, offering background details to help in the interpretation of the visuals. The book is well sourced and includes a detailed bibliography. I had several issues with it, but they're relatively minor. First, the Bible translation used herein (the Concordant Translation) sounds cumbersome, akin to Roald Dahl's BFG getting sloshed on frobscottle and attempting to read the KJV Bible. Secondly, there's a brief mention of something like the gap theory that's used in an attempt to reconcile the creation accounts of the Bible and Greek mythology. I found this to be unsuccessful, unnecessary and non-biblical. Finally, the last third of the book is reasonably repetitive. All in all, I recommend "The Parthenon Code".

8.5/10

[Joshua N · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting book with a thought-provoking concept! A lot of speculation, but also a lot of evidence and "coincidences" that makes you stop and think.

[Heather Denigan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting thesis but poor scholarship. No explanation of methodology. Very weak use of classical texts -- just a reference to Hesiod thrown in here and there. (Not that Hesiod provides that much detail.) No evidence of peer review. The one-for-one of Biblical characters to classical characters seems an especially far stretch. Johnson almost makes a stronger case for the myth of Lillith (which he never mentions) than anything else!
I did notice the prevalence of snakes in the artwork, which had escaped me before.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the book. It has a totally different perspective on Greek mythology. Some of his ideas make sense like the snake in the tree a memory of the Garden of Eden. The Noah (Nereus) character being symbolized as half-fish because he came out of the water. I can definitely see the logic there. Much of the book I know I will be mulling over for quite a while. It was well worth reading. Sometimes we get so stuck into an accepted theory that we can not see outside the theory.

[Hope · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was nothing short of AMAZING. After reading The Iliad, The Odyssey, and The Aeneid in high school, I found the information in this book really enriched those stories for me. I highly recommend this to anyone who is obsessed with history, especially Greek mythology. I know I will never look at Greek mythology the same!

[Carl Mayo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Even as a child in fourth grade, I remember seeing parallels between Greek mythology and the book of Genesis. At the time, I thought I was the only one to notice the similarities. It was refreshing to find a book that explored the same ideas.

[Michael Springer · Rating 5 out of 5]

A theory worth thinking about.

[Christopher · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found it to interesting.