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ZEUS

(Gk. Zeús)

The Greek deity considered to be the greatest of the Olympian gods. Zeus was clearly of Indo-european origin, and the genitive of Zeus (Gk. Diós) was the word for god in various Indo-european languages. Zeus was portrayed as the god of the sky and weather (esp. thunderbolts). Homer often called him “the father of gods and men,” the ruler and protector of all. The Romans associated him with their Jupiter. According to Hesiod’s Theogony, at birth Zeus’ mother Rhea hid him in a cave from his father Kronos. When Kronos wished to devour his son, Rhea conned him into swallowing a large stone instead. Later, Zeus, along with the other Olympian gods, overthrew the older Titans, including Kronos (Theog. 472-508; 621-825). In much mythology, Zeus was the legitimate spouse of Hera (though sometimes paired with Dione), but he engaged in a series of unfaithful associations with other goddesses and women. Through such relations, he became the father of Athena, Persephone, Apollo, Artemis, Ares, Hephaestus, Hermes, the Muses, and Dionysius, among others. Zeus was described as the source of universal laws, defender of justice, benefactor of victory, guardian of hospitality, revealer of the future, dispenser of good and evil destinies, and savior of mankind (Zeus Soter). Although supreme among gods, he appears to have been limited by the power of Fate. The personality of Zeus inspired much art and literature, including Phidias’ famous gold and ivory colossus at Olympia and Cleanthes’ hymns to Zeus.

According to Acts 14:8-18 the inhabitants of Lystra identified the miracle-working Paul and Barnabas with Hermes and Zeus respectively. An earlier legend had described Hermes and Zeus as earthly visitors in human form in the “Phrygian hills” near Lystra (Ovid Metam. 8.616-724). Inscriptional remains (3rd century a.d.) also exhibit the association of these gods in the indigenous worship of the surrounding region. The Codex Beza version of Acts 14:13 speaks of “the local Zeus-before-the-city,” implying a native cult.

2 Macc. 6:2 reports that Antiochus IV Epiphanes planned to name the Jerusalem temple the “temple of Olympian Zeus” and the Gerizim temple the “temple of Zeus-the-Friend-of-Strangers” (cf. “Abomination of Desolation,” 1 Macc. 1:54; Dan. 11:31; 12:11).

Bibliography. K. W. Arafat, Classical Zeus (Oxford, 1990); H. Lloyd-Jones, The Justice of Zeus, 2nd ed. (Berkeley, 1983); C. R. Long, The Twelve Gods of Greece and Rome. EPRO 107 (Leiden, 1987).

Paul Anthony Hartog

Prayer Tents Bible References - Prayer Tents

ZEUS

Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible (2000)