Gods as deities

Ancient Greeks believed other culture's gods are the same deities as theirs, just having different names. For example, Plutarch said

Not different gods for different peoples, not non-Greek and Greek, not southern and northern gods; but just as sun and moon and earth and sea are common to all men, though they are called by different names by different peoples, so of the Reason (Logos) that orders all things, and of one Providence that also directs powers ordained to serve under her for all purposes, have different honours and titles been made according to their laws by different nations.

How can this be interpreted from a biblical perspective?

Find more posts tagged with

Desktop App

Comments

MJ. Smith

It would never occur to me that Greek beliefs about a pantheon of gods could be understood from a Biblical perspective. One can study how we today understand the Greek beliefs regarding the gods; one can study how we think the Greeks themselves understood the deities at the time of the statement; we could even study how the Hebrews understood the Greek beliefs regarding deities -- although we would have very scant materials to base our studies on. But you will find little Biblical material on the Greek's beliefs about the pantheon of Gods. It would be far more productive to read the comparative religions' works about the Gods - Near East and Mediterranean to understand the interplay of the various pantheons during the appropriate time and pick out some references that may discuss your interest more narrowly.