Difference between revisions of "Gods & Demigods"

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==God and Lords in Judaism==
==God and Lords in Judaism==


For Jews (and early Christians) there is only one God (THEOS) in heaven: the Father and Maker of Everything:
For Jews (and early Christians) there is only one God (THEOS) in heaven: the Father and Maker of Everything. They also believed, however, in a complex hierarchy of "divine" beings.
 
" We know that no idol in the world really exists, and that "there is no God but one. 5 Indeed, even though there may be so-called gods in heaven or on earth--as in fact there are many gods and many lords-- 6 yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist. (1 Corinthians 8:4-6).


[[File:God Father Cima.jpg|600px]]
[[File:God Father Cima.jpg|600px]]
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Below God are Angels (LORDS) :
Below God are other "divine" beings, i.e. the Angels (LORDS) :


[[File:Angel Peace.jpg|300px]]      [[File:Angel Michael Reni.jpg|250px]]
[[File:Angel Peace.jpg|300px]]      [[File:Angel Michael Reni.jpg|250px]]
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or a few humans who have become angels (Enoch and Elijah):
or a few humans who have become angels ([[Enoch]] and [[Elijah]]):


[[File:Enoch Hoet.jpg|250px]]  [[File:Elijah Ascent.jpg|280px]]
[[File:Enoch Hoet.jpg|250px]]  [[File:Elijah Ascent.jpg|280px]]
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Where is the risen Jesus?
Where is the risen Jesus? He was understood as a "divine" being, but to which degree?


[[File:Resurrection PieroFrancesca.jpg|400px]]
[[File:Resurrection PieroFrancesca.jpg|400px]]


See [[Letter to the Hebrews]]
The first Christians, like [[Paul]], never called Jesus "God" (or THEOS). They preferred to use the term "KYRIOS" (or "son of God").
 
" We know that no idol in the world really exists, and that "there is no God but one. 5 Indeed, even though there may be so-called gods in heaven or on earth--as in fact there are many gods and many lords-- 6 yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist. (1 Corinthians 8:4-6).
 
The discussion about the relationship between Jesus, God the Father and the other "divine" beings would remain at the center of the Christian theological debate for centuries. The term "God" (THEOS) was applied to Jesus for the first time only at the end of the first century in the [[Gospel of John]]. 
 
See [[First Letter to the Corinthians]] and then the [[Letter to the Hebrews]]

Revision as of 07:01, 1 February 2016

The existence of many Gods was assumed by most people in antiquity

Gods and Lords in the Greco-Roman World

In ancient polytheism "divinity" was not restricted to one God or a group of gods. People believed that there were different degrees of divinity.

In Greek-Roman Mythology there was a complex hierarchy of "divine beings."

At the top there were the "gods" (THEOI), the highest twelve gods who were believed to live on Mount Olympus, lead by their king Zeus.

Council Gods Raphael.jpg

See also Twelve Olympians


Then there were many demigods (or "Lords" [KYRIOI]), the superheroes of antiquity.

Usually, they were children of gods and humans, like Orpheus, Perseus or Aesculapius:

Orpheus.jpg -- Perseus.jpg -- Aesculapius.jpg


Or were "adopted" by a god as "sons of God" (Alexander the Great, Augustus, Nero)


Alexander Great.jpg - Emperor Augustus.jpg - Emperor Nero.jpg



In recent times the demigods have become popular iv TV series and videogames:


Xena.jpg Hercules Disney.jpg Achilles Troy.jpg


Demigods Modern.jpg

God and Lords in Judaism

For Jews (and early Christians) there is only one God (THEOS) in heaven: the Father and Maker of Everything. They also believed, however, in a complex hierarchy of "divine" beings.

God Father Cima.jpg


Below God are other "divine" beings, i.e. the Angels (LORDS) :

Angel Peace.jpg Angel Michael Reni.jpg


or a few humans who have become angels (Enoch and Elijah):

1728 Hoet (art).jpg Elijah Ascent.jpg



Where is the risen Jesus? He was understood as a "divine" being, but to which degree?

Resurrection PieroFrancesca.jpg

The first Christians, like Paul, never called Jesus "God" (or THEOS). They preferred to use the term "KYRIOS" (or "son of God").

" We know that no idol in the world really exists, and that "there is no God but one. 5 Indeed, even though there may be so-called gods in heaven or on earth--as in fact there are many gods and many lords-- 6 yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist. (1 Corinthians 8:4-6).

The discussion about the relationship between Jesus, God the Father and the other "divine" beings would remain at the center of the Christian theological debate for centuries. The term "God" (THEOS) was applied to Jesus for the first time only at the end of the first century in the Gospel of John.

See First Letter to the Corinthians and then the Letter to the Hebrews