Jesus is a shape-shifting daimon

Here is Jesus wearing the mask of Dionysos:

Who is this one whom I hold in my hands as a corpse?
And how shall I, wretch that I am, tenderly
hold him to my breast? In what manner shall I sing a dirge?
To embrace every limb, son, …

How I might even embrace every limb,
kissing the pieces of flesh, the very ones which I myself nourished.

In what kind of grave could I bury your body
and with what shrouds shall I cover your corpse?
And how shall I sing the native songs for you?
Come, old man, let us put back the head of the thrice-blessed boy
in a proper way and make the whole well-fitting.
Let us arrange the body as best we can.
O dearest face, o youthful cheek,
behold, with this veil I cover your head.
Your blood-stained and furrowed limbs
and parts I cover with new shrouds,
and your ribs, too, all pierced and bloody.

– Pseudo-Grēgorios Nazianzēnos, Christus patiens

Here is Jesus wearing the mask of Odin:

Then He moved mightily up onto a high mountain—the most powerful Person ever born—and sat apart. He chose for Himself twelve good, loyal men to be the followers whom He, the Chieftain, wanted to have around Him every day from this day forward in His personal warrior-company…Then the twelve walked together, fighting men headed for secret council, to the place where the wise Ruler sat, the Protector of many people, who wanted to help all of mankind against the oppressive force of Hel, the infernal power—to help anyone who wanted to follow the lovely teachings which He intended to explain to the people there with His great knowledge and understanding … He did not have any people with Him, no men as companions; this was as He chose it to be. He wanted to let powerful creatures test Him, even Satan, who is always spurring men on to sin and malicious deeds … Christ’s warrior companions saw warriors coming up the mountain making a great din Angry armed men. Judas the hate filled man was showing them the way. The enemy clan, the Jews, were marching behind. The warriors marched forward, the grim Jewish army, until they had come to the Christ. There he stood, the famous chieftain. Christ’s followers, wise men deeply distressed by this hostile action Held their position in front. They spoke to their chieftain, ‘My Lord chieftain’, they said, ‘if it should now be your will that we be impaled here under spear points Wounded by their weapons then nothing would be so good to us as to die here pale from mortal wounds for our chieftain’. Then he got really angry, Simon Peter, the mighty, noble swordman flew into a rage. His mind was in such turmoil he could not speak a single word. His heart became intensely bitter because they wanted to tie up his Lord there. So he strode over angrily, that very daring Thane, to stand in front of his commander Right in front of his Lord. No doubting in his mind, no fearful hesitation in his chest he drew his blade and struck straight ahead at the first man of the enemy with all the strength in his hands So that Malchus was cut and wounded on the right side by the sword. His ear was chopped off. He was so badly wounded in the head that his cheek and ear burst open with the mortal wound blood gushed out, pouring from the wound. The men stood back; they were afraid of the slash of the sword. It was not long then until: there was the spirit coming, by God’s power, the holy breath, going under the hard stone to the corpse! Light was at that moment opened up, for the good of the sons of men; the many bolts on the doors of Hel were unlocked; the road from this world up to heaven was built! Brilliantly radiating, God’s Peace-Child rose up! There on the sandy gravel they erected the gallows up on the field, the Jewish people set it up a tree on the mountain.

– Excerpts from the Heliand: The Anglo-Saxon Gospel

1294 was a decisive year in Clare’s spiritual life. In the celebration of the Epiphany, after making a general confession in front of all her fellow nuns, she fell into ecstasy and remained in that state for several weeks. Unable to eat, the other nuns sustained Clare’s life by feeding her sugar water. During this time, Clare reported having a vision in which she saw herself being judged in front of God. Clare also reported having a vision of Jesus dressed as a poor traveller. She described His countenance as being overwhelmed by the weight of the cross and His body as showing signs of fatigue. During the vision, Clare knelt in front of Him, and whilst trying to stop Him she asked, “My Lord, where art Thou going?” Jesus answered her: ”I have looked all over the world for a strong place where to plant this Cross firmly, and I have not found any”. After she reached for the cross, making known her desire to help Him carry it, He said to her: “Clare, I have found a place for My cross here. I have finally found someone to whom I can trust Mine cross,” and He implanted it in her heart. The intense pain that she felt in all her being upon receiving the cross in her heart remained with her. The rest of her years were spent in pain and suffering, and yet she continued to joyfully serve her fellow nuns as their abbess.

– Wikipedia entry on Clare of Montefalco

This man, this new god, whom you ridicule—
it’s impossible for me to tell you
just how great he’ll be in all of Greece.
Young man, among human beings two things
stand out preeminent, of highest rank.
Goddess Demeter is one—she’s the earth
(though you can call her any name you wish),
and she feeds mortal people cereal grains.
The other one came later, born of Semele—
he brought with him liquor from the grape,
something to match the bread from Demeter.
He introduced it among mortal men.
When they can drink up what streams off the vine,
unhappy mortals are released from pain.
It grants them sleep, allows them to forget
their daily troubles. Apart from wine,
there is no cure for human hardship.
He, being a god, is poured out to the gods,
so human beings receive fine benefits
as gifts from him. And yet you mock him. Why?
Because he was sewn into Zeus thigh?
Well, I’ll show you how this all makes sense.
When Zeus grabbed him from the lightning flame,
he brought him to Olympus as a god.
But Hera wished to throw him out of heaven.
So Zeus, in a manner worthy of a god,
came up with a cunning counter plan.
From the sky which flows around the earth,
Zeus broke off a piece, shaped it like Dionysus,
then gave that to Hera, as a hostage.

– Euripides, The Bakchai