Glory Of Achilleus In The Iliad

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According to Scripture, it is not noble to choose a short life with glory over a long life with no glory. Such a dilemma was posed to Achilleus in the Iliad. Either he could continue fighting on the battlefield in Troy and die with eternal glory, or he could return home and live a long life with a wife and children. Achilleus chose glory (kleos) over a homecoming (nostos). Although it appears as though Achilleus might have changed his mind on the battlefield, he changed his mind yet again before the war ended. Countless times in the Bible, the Lord provides warnings for believers not to stumble into the pit of self glory. Additionally, Scripture provides reasons for growing old and not dying young. Finally, Christ Himself also addresses the …show more content…
Despite the fact that his values might have temporarily changed from only seeking personal glory to treasuring a homecoming, wife, and children, Achilleus' desire for glory and fame finally won out, and he forfeited his homecoming forever. In addressing the point of biblical warnings against seeking personal glory, one should search out the wisdom that Solomon provided in Proverbs. In Proverbs 16:18, Solomon warns that arrogance and a haughty spirit lead to destruction. However, Proverbs 22:4 should encourage Christians since this verse states that riches, honor, and life only come by humility and the fear of the Lord. Additionally as a Christian, an individual's goal should be to live for God's glory, not his own. Therefore, if one is seeking his own glory, he is not honoring God nor exercising …show more content…
Believers are commanded to spread the gospel to all the nations, and this process inevitably takes time. If Christians sought only their own glory and chose to live short lives, the gospel would never be spread because no one would live long enough to share it. In essence, short lives do not provide time for believers to build up the kingdom of God. In addition, if believers chose short lives of glory, no one would grow in wisdom to lead the next generation and benefit the cause of the gospel. Thus, Christians should seek to grow in wisdom in order to progress the gospel and lead their children in righteousness. Even Proverbs 16:31 states, “A silver-haired head is a crown of glory, if it is found in the way of righteousness.” In the end, then, a Christian's glory is his testimony and his wisdom, not how many men he killed. If all believers live in this way, they would live in the way of

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