Theogony vs. The Bible

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    After having read Hesiod’s famous poem, Theogony, it is easy for one’s mind to wander to another well-known book that serves as the basis of many people’s faith on how the universe was created: the Bible. Both Theogony and the Christian Bible, particularly the first chapter of the book entitled Genesis, illustrate the birth of every single thing in and out of the world. Yet, the stories are poles apart in events, thought, and views, largely due to the fact that they come from different cultures: Greek and Hebrew respectively. Theogony and Genesis are unalike in their perspective on how the universe was created, the godhead, and the origin of evil.

Kennedy, T. (2018). Mount Olympus and the Olympian Gods. https://drivethruhistoryadventures.com/mount-olympus-and-the-olympian-gods/ 

    The two stories share their differences in how they depict the origin of the universe and everything in it. In Theogony, Chaos ultimately gave life to all things, including Night, Day, and the “wide-bosomed” Earth, which then bore Heaven, her equal. From them came the Titans, the deathless gods of Olympus, and other diverse creatures, such as beasts and muses. In effect, it was the earth that bore the gods. On the other hand, in Genesis, there was once thorough void and darkness until the Almighty God came and spoke the world into existence. He was the sole creator of all things, and for seven days, He created light, the sky, dry land, seas, plants and trees, the Sun, Moon, and stars, creatures of the sea and the wind, creatures of the land, and, finally, humans. Humans are also created differently in Theogony and the Bible. Almighty God created humans in His own image, while the mortals in Hesiod’s poem were mere pawns of the powerful beings above them. Indeed, another difference between the two stories is the supreme beings that govern all things.

    The deathless gods of Olympus and the Almighty God are diverse in numerous ways. Firstly, many gods exist in Theogony, with Zeus the loud-thunderer the king of all gods and mortals, while in the Bible only Almighty God exists. Also, the attributes of Olympian gods are a far cry from those of Almighty God. Vengeance intoxicates the deathless gods and it is almost effortless to trigger their wrath, regardless if one is a god or a mere mortal. On the contrary, the Almighty God is filled with mercy, love, and forgiveness. He treats humans as His beloved children, and His tender and unconditional love promise eternal life to those who surrender themselves to Him and do good deeds to the world. In fact, John 3:16 says that God loved the world so much that He gave His only Son, Jesus Christ, so we could be saved from our sins.

    Sins and the origin of evil is another aspect that separates Theogony and the Bible. In Hesiod’s poem, the gods dictated and revealed the concept of what is good and evil, and they are quick to punish those who commit sins. On the other hand, the Almighty God allowed Adam and Eve to use their free will in deciding whether they will eat from the tree of good and evil or not. Also, God gave humans The Ten Commandments through Moses. Therefore, they know what constitutes good and evil, unlike the deathless gods who made the verdict of right and wrong.

   The Age of Law: The Content and Result of God's Work. (n.d.). https://praise-almighty-god.blogspot.com/2018/04/Jehovah-Incarnate-salvation-gospel.html

    Theogony and the Bible both share stories of how all things came to being, yet they are vastly different from each other, primarily in the aspects of creation, the characteristics of the gods, and the origin of sin. Essentially, Theogony offers no peace and therefore the existence of heaven is questionable. On the other hand, in the Bible, right from the story of Genesis, the Almighty God has given eternal life and forgiveness to all humankind. Nonetheless, both of these texts serve as the basis of the faith of millions of people of how the world was created and what it means to be good and evil.