Matthew Greek Mythology And the God of Hades will not Prevail Over the Church

 

Matthew

Greek Mythology

And the God of Hades will not Prevail Over the Church

 

Jesus took His disciples to the center of Greek Mythology

Many have placed Jesus among other gods

But Peter says

"You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." Matthew 16:16

In 1997, Disney started to explore ancient Greek Mythology introducing “Hercules”, its first of many animated stories of Greek Mythology

I don’t think we realize how great of influence Greek mythology has on us

The Greek worshiper tossed their wealth into the waters of the Gates of Hades

Just like we toss our coins into a well or pool of water hoping for fortune

Jesus is greater than Hades, He says

"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. Matthew 7:7-8

Jesus did die to show the god of Hades could not hold Him

Jesus is greater than the god of Hades

After Jesus conquered death, Peter said

This man was handed over to you by God's set purpose and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross. But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him. Acts 2:23-24

Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent John 17:3 NIV

Don’t get confused by all the other claims

Greek Mythology and the god of Hades will not prevail over the Church

 

Matthew

Greek Mythology

And the God of Hades will not Prevail Over the Church

 

Matthew 16:13…

 

 When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi,

he asked his disciples, "Who do people say the Son of Man is?"

 

The significance of Jesus taking the disciples

to the region of Caesarea Philippi should not be overlooked.

 

This was not a place for Jews and their one God.

 

This was a place of Greek Mythology.

 

When Jesus said the “Gates of Hades”,

we get a picture of where Jesus and His disciple were.

 

The Gates of Hades was a large cave

at the foot of Mount Hermon.

 

This large cave was full of deep water that flowed

out of it at the time of Christ.

 

In 363AD, an earthquake filled the cave

and water comes out as springs from the rocks

that are the start of the Jordon River.

 

This place was the most northern extent of Jesus’ ministry.

 

Jesus chose this area filled with the temples

of ancient Syrian Baal worship.

 

Historians have identified at least 14 such temples…

 

Where Greek gods and mythology

were the influence for about 1600 years.

 

At the time of Christ, Herod built a temple

of white marble, beginning the building in 9BC.

 

The gods of the world were worshiped here

in the region of Caesarea Philippi.

 

This is the place Jesus asked…

 

 “Who do men say I am” and then

 

“Who do you say I am”

 

Deuteronomy 6:4…

 

“Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord is one!

 

1 Timothy 2:5…

 

For there is one God,

and one mediator also between God and men,

the man Christ Jesus,

 

James 2:19…

 

You believe that God is one.

You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder.

 

Ephesians 4:6…

 

One God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all.

 

1 Corinthians 8:6…

 

Yet for us there is but one God, the Father,

from whom are all things and we exist for Him;

and one Lord, Jesus Christ, by whom are all things,

and we exist through Him.

 

1 Corinthians 8:4…

 

Therefore concerning the eating of things sacrificed to idols,

we know that there is no such thing as an idol in the world,

and that there is no God but one.

 

Jesus is the only and one God.

 

Greek mythology has 12 main gods.

 

 One of those gods was Hades.

 

 Hades was the god of the dead

and king of the underworld.

 

He ruled over the dead to make sure they could not return.

 

He was believed to be the god of hidden wealth beneath the earth,

ranging from fertile lands to precious minerals.

 

The cave called the Gates of Hades at the base

of Mt Hermon was a place where worshipers

would throw in sacrifices in order to get Hades

to give them good luck and fortune.

 

Before this place was called Caesarea Philippi,

it was called Paneas after the god Pan,

god of the wild shepherds and flocks.

 

 Later it was called Banias.

 

It had been inhabited for 2,000 years,

until it was abandoned and destroyed following the Six Day War. 

 

Did you know Greek Mythology

is still a big part of our world today.

 

Greek mythology has not only influenced Greek culture,

it has also, in some ways, influenced us today.

 

Many books, movies, games, constellations, company

names, astrological signs, planets, buildings, architectural

designs and city names were based on,

or influenced by, Greek mythology in some way.

 

Things today influenced by Greek mythology,

 Books, Movies and Games…

·       Hercules

·       Percy Jackson and the Olympians

·       Troy, The 300 Spartans

·       Clash of the Titans

·       Immortals

·       The Trojan Women

 

Astrology

The planet names were as well, but they were named after

the Roman version of the Greek gods and goddesses…

·       Jupiter: Zeus

·       Neptune: Poseidon

·       Pluto: Hades

·       Mars: Ares

·       Venus: Aphrodite

·       Mercury: Hermes

·       Uranus (both Roman and Greek)

·       Saturn: Cronus

 

The only one that wasn’t named

based on Greek mythology was…

You guessed it, Earth!

 

Companies, like…

·       Pandora: A jewelry store

·       Amazon: An online store named after a ferocious race of warrior women, the Amazons

·       Asus: A computer company who got its name from Pegasus, a winged horse from Greek mythology

·       Nike: A sports equipment and clothing store named after the Greek goddess who resembled victory

·       Eos: A skin and lip care company named after the titan Eos, who was the goddess of the dawn

·       Saturn: A car company named after a greek god named Cronus (Roman name: Saturn) who was the leader and the youngest of the first generations of titans

·       Trident: A gum company named after Poseidon’s weapon, which is a three pronged spear called the trident

 

Buildings and Architectural Designs…

 

The Greeks played a big part in how

buildings are made or look today.

 

First of all, temples, theatres, stadiums and pillars

all originated from Greek times.

 

Many of these were created for the sole purpose

to please the gods, so it related a lot to Greek mythology.

 

City names…

·       Athens (Many different cities all over the US): Named after the goddess Athena

·       Achilles, Virginia: Named after the Greek hero Achilles

·       Apollo, Pennsylvania: Named after the god Apollo

·       Amazonia, Missouri: Named after a ferocious race of warrior women, the Amazons

·       Ares Peak, New Mexico: Named after the god Ares

 

The Olympic Games…

 The first Olympic games were staged in

776 BC in Olympia, Greece, over 2000 years ago.

 

They continued for a long time until 393 AD.

 

It didn’t get picked up again until 1894,

which was 1503 years later.

 

The first modern Olympics after that

were held in Athens, Greece in 1896.

 

Since the Olympics were first created

in honor of Zeus, without Greek mythology,

we may never have the Olympics that we see today.

 

Jesus took His disciples to the center of Greek Mythology.

 

Many have placed Jesus among other gods.

 

But Peter says…

 

"You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." Matthew 16:16

 

In 1997, Disney started to explore ancient

Greek Mythology introducing “Hercules”,

its first of many animated stories of Greek mythology.

 

I don’t think we realize how great of

influence Greek mythology has on us.

 

The Greek worshiper tossed their wealth

into the waters of the Gates of Hades.

 

Just like we toss our coins into a well

or pool of water hoping for fortune.

 

Jesus is greater than Hades.

 

 He says…

 

"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find;

knock and the door will be opened to you.
8 For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds;

and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.

Matthew 7:7-8

 

Jesus did die to show the god of Hades could not hold Him.

 

Jesus is greater than the god of Hades.

 

After Jesus conquered death, Peter said…

 

This man was handed over to you by God's set purpose and foreknowledge;

and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross. But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death,

because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him.

Acts 2:23-24

 

Know the One and only, true God.

 

Don’t get confused by all the other claims.

 

Jusus did not take His disciples to the Gates of Hades

to confirm Greek Mythology…

Jesus took His disciples to the Gates of Hades

to dispel the myth and reveal the truth.  

 

 

Scripture Reading

 

Matthew 16:13-23 NIV

 

13 When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, "Who do people say the Son of Man is?"

 

14 They replied, "Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets."

 

15 "But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?"

 

16 Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."

 

17 Jesus replied, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven. 18 And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.   19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."  20 Then he warned his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Christ.

 

21 From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.

 

22 Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. "Never, Lord!" he said. "This shall never happen to you!"

 

23 Jesus turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men."