Willing Service

#therapoon #therapeuoo #service #greeknewtestment #biblestudy

WILLING SERVICE

There's a word used in Luke Chapter Nine that tells us something about Service and Ministry

Luke Ch.9 Verse 1

Jesus sends out the disciples givng them power and authority over "daimonia" and illnesses
THERAPEUEIN to heal

However to heal is only one meaning for this verb it also means to tend and serve

Verse 6 they went into the villages not just the big cities and shared the good news and
therapeuontes healing / serving everywhere

Now therapeuoo is not to serve like a slave but to serve a higher power usually a god or a member of a ruling family as an attendant or companion and Patroclus' relationship to Achilles is described as being such. He was a therapoon and this word is also used to describe people who worked at pagan temples and shrines that offered healing services which is how it came to be used to describe healing along with forms derived from iatroo

Verse 11 speaks of Jesus therapeias iato offering service to those who had need of healing

But you don't need to be a miracle healing. You can be a nurse doctor or paramedic a first aider or first responder a pharmacist or therapist.

Remember Therapeia Therapeuoo and therapoon all are WILLING SERVICE not slavery whether the service is given as an act of friendship or loyalty or a belief you are serving a higher power to do things that help people.

The Return of Hephaestus

THE RETURN OF HEPHAESTUS

There is a lost comedy by Epicharmus of which we know only a summary of the story plus some pottery that may reflect scenes from the play.

The story was that Dionysios meet or sought out Hephaestus in a tavern and coaxed him into returning to Olympus and reconciling him with Hera.

Hephaestus is the rider on the back of a mule with Hermes leading the mule towards a seated figure.

Note that Hephaestus carries the tongs of a smith.

Here's another version.

In both his garments suggest a wealthy young man.

Its a pity we do not have the play. It would be interesting to see how the Irony of the illegitimate son having to coax the legitimate son back home was dealt with. 

The Greeks saw Dionysios and alcohol when used wisely as having the power to reduce social tensions.

Another aspect of this is mules being used as mobility aids for the disabled. 

I wonder if Hephaestus is shown riding a mule because for people with mobility issues if one could afford a trained mule or donkey it was a better option than crutches or walking sticks? 

DIGOU

#DIEEGOU #dieegou

DIEEGOU TELL A STORY

The story I have for you today is one about grammar and another about Luke 8:39

Noe Jesus often told people not to make a fuss about his healing powers however in the case of the Gerasene Demonaic he tells the man to

"Return to your home and tell the story (of) how mach for you made ? did the god!

hyposrephe eis ton oikon sou return to the house of you
kai dieegou and tell / narrate the story hosa how much soi for you not to you FOR you
epoieesen made gets translated often as did but remember its making miracles as an action of making things happen and last in the command the source of all this ho theos !

What caught my eye was the command to tell a story and the Present Imperative Verb form DIEEGOU from DIEEGEOMAI a great example of the eo+ imperative e contracting to a different form.

Going back into the whole passage I think one of the reasons Jesus told him to stay at home and witness there was to reassure the frightened locals by the example of the once deranged man who was running around naked in the desert being once again sane - soophrovounta verse 35 .
Another important thing about this story is not if he was possessed by demons or just  schizophrenia - he was healed. Oh and people please don't use this story as an excuse to skip your medications if you need them?

Ariadnes Wedding

#greekceramics

ARIADNE'S WEDDING

Ariadne asleep on Naxos is a popular theme but I like these depictions of Ariadne's wedding showing her as an equal partner to a god who is her cousin both being descendants of Zeus and other gods also.

I love how they are shown as a loving couple where as later roman works emphasize Dionysios over his hestitant partner.