Hebrew and Greek Societies: Similarities and
Dissimilarities
The Hebrew and Greek societies are two very unique cultures. Both are similar,
But yet different compared to each other. One way both of these cultures are similar is by being very religious. But in the same sense they are very different. The Greeks worship many gods whom they believe appeared in human form and yet were endowed with superhuman strength and ageless beauty. The Iliad and the Odyssey are early surviving examples of Greek literature, record men 's interactions with various gods and goddesses whose characters and appearances underwent little change in the centuries that followed.
The Greeks attributed these epic narratives to Homer, a poet living at the end of the 8th century BC Each Greek city was normally under the protection of one or more individual deities who worshipped with special emphasis, as, for example, Athens and the goddess Athena. Now on the other hand, the Hebrew believes in only one God and they call Him Jehovah. Jehovah has many names such as Yahweh Shalom, Yahweh Tsidkenu, Yahweh Shammah, Yahweh Sabaoth, Yahweh Rapha, and several others. The Hebrew believes that God is immortal and very powerful. They also believe that He is the Almighty God and there is none that can compare. God 's personal name is spelt Yod Heh Vah Heh in the Hebrew. Another way to see it is Y H V H. The vowels were not written until about the thirteenth century C. E. God 's personal name was not spoken in the temple on Yom Kippur after the High Priest had entered the Holy of Holies, and resulted in those hearing falling prone and reciting the second phrase of the Shema, "Blessed be His name (HaShem) whose glorious kingdom shall be for ever and ever." Daily life for the Greeks and Hebrews are very different and just a little similar. The way they were similar was by the wives were submissive to their husbands. Also, who the women in both cultures were basically slaves. The Greek women had virtually no political rights of any kind and were controlled by men
But yet different compared to each other. One way both of these cultures are similar is by being very religious. But in the same sense they are very different. The Greeks worship many gods whom they believe appeared in human form and yet were endowed with superhuman strength and ageless beauty. The Iliad and the Odyssey are early surviving examples of Greek literature, record men 's interactions with various gods and goddesses whose characters and appearances underwent little change in the centuries that followed.
The Greeks attributed these epic narratives to Homer, a poet living at the end of the 8th century BC Each Greek city was normally under the protection of one or more individual deities who worshipped with special emphasis, as, for example, Athens and the goddess Athena. Now on the other hand, the Hebrew believes in only one God and they call Him Jehovah. Jehovah has many names such as Yahweh Shalom, Yahweh Tsidkenu, Yahweh Shammah, Yahweh Sabaoth, Yahweh Rapha, and several others. The Hebrew believes that God is immortal and very powerful. They also believe that He is the Almighty God and there is none that can compare. God 's personal name is spelt Yod Heh Vah Heh in the Hebrew. Another way to see it is Y H V H. The vowels were not written until about the thirteenth century C. E. God 's personal name was not spoken in the temple on Yom Kippur after the High Priest had entered the Holy of Holies, and resulted in those hearing falling prone and reciting the second phrase of the Shema, "Blessed be His name (HaShem) whose glorious kingdom shall be for ever and ever." Daily life for the Greeks and Hebrews are very different and just a little similar. The way they were similar was by the wives were submissive to their husbands. Also, who the women in both cultures were basically slaves. The Greek women had virtually no political rights of any kind and were controlled by men
Bibliography: Bible. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1994 Sailhamer, John. NIV Compact Commentary. New York: Zondervant, 1973 Williams, Ronald. Hebrew syntax; an outline [by] Ronald J. Williams. Toronto: University of Toronto Press c1967 Heath, Thomas Little Greek astronomy. New York: AMS Press, 1969