[B-Greek] Iesous/zeus connection
Barry
nebarry at verizon.net
Wed Sep 28 16:30:42 EDT 2005
----- Original Message -----
From: "Gene Gardner" <g_gardner1234 at yahoo.com>
To: <b-greek at lists.ibiblio.org>
Sent: Wednesday, September 28, 2005 3:51 PM
Subject: [B-Greek] Iesous/zeus connection
Greetings all,
>>Over the years, I have heard some teach that Jesus
(Iesous) and zeus are related. Some say that Jesus is
a contrived version of zeus, while others state that
because Iesous and zeus both have a final sigma (only
in some cases), that there is somehow a pagan
connection. I am not in agreement with any of these
theories, and would like to have the scholars on the
list assist me in putting this errant teaching to
rest.<<
Just courious as to where you have heard something so absurd?
At any rate, it's totally bogus. Jesus derives from the Latin Iesous, derived
from the Greek IHSOUS, derived from the Hebrew Yeshua (also Joshua), so that the
name is originally Semitic in origin. Maybe someone who's more up on etymology
stuff can give more info, but as I recall, Zeus is derived from an I-E root
*DI*, which also gave rise to Deus in Latin and dies (the word for day in
Latin). Totally different language families, no relationship whatsoever.
Maybe you could give me some background on this, off-list, since it's not
otherwise related to biblical Greek?
N.E. Barry Hofstetter
Adjunct Faculty, The Center for Urban Theological Studies
Philadelphia, PA
http://www.cuts.edu
Visiting Faculty, Reformed Theological Seminary
Washington, D.C.
http://www.rts.edu/campuses/washington_dc/index.cfm
And me:
http://mysite.verizon.net/nebarry/
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