God’s relationship with Abraham and Jacob is a friendship relationship similar to that of Athena and Odysseus, because both Gods provide protection for their human companions, promote the legacy of their humans, and challenge the relationship both their chosen and themselves. At the core of both friendship relationships is faith and respect from the chosen humans towards their respective Gods, who in return bless the humans with divine acts. In this sense, both of their friendships are defined by their mutual exchanges.
God and Athena both immensely guide and protect their human friends throughout their mortal adventures. Upon setting off to create a new, grand nation, Abraham is blessed by God who utters, “…I will make of thee a great nation, …show more content…
Athena rarely asks for anything from Odysseus as she journeys with him, whereas God demands many sacrifices and altars from his followers to be built in his name in exchange for his guidance and assistance. However, just because Athena does not ask for any physical compensation does not mean that her relationship to Odysseus is radically different from that of God’s to Abraham and Jacob. The Goddess of Wisdom naturally seeks her benefit in the relationship from Odysseus’s wisdom. As Athena states, “Even a god might bow to you in ways of dissimulation. You! You chameleon...Two of a kind, we are…” (Homer, 13, 372-379). Athena is absolutely delighted that Odysseus, a mere mortal, is contriving enough to rival even her own self, the Goddess of Wisdom. Thus, the respect and faith that Odysseus gives to Athena is not confined to just trust and prayers and newly built altars as it is with God—Odysseus’s respect and faith exists through his wit and wisdom and how he shares these traits with Athena throughout the Odyssey. For the Goddess of Wisdom, who is the very personification of these traits, it’s the highest respect a human can demonstrate, just as Abraham and Jacob demonstrate their highest respects to God by their own
God and Athena both immensely guide and protect their human friends throughout their mortal adventures. Upon setting off to create a new, grand nation, Abraham is blessed by God who utters, “…I will make of thee a great nation, …show more content…
Athena rarely asks for anything from Odysseus as she journeys with him, whereas God demands many sacrifices and altars from his followers to be built in his name in exchange for his guidance and assistance. However, just because Athena does not ask for any physical compensation does not mean that her relationship to Odysseus is radically different from that of God’s to Abraham and Jacob. The Goddess of Wisdom naturally seeks her benefit in the relationship from Odysseus’s wisdom. As Athena states, “Even a god might bow to you in ways of dissimulation. You! You chameleon...Two of a kind, we are…” (Homer, 13, 372-379). Athena is absolutely delighted that Odysseus, a mere mortal, is contriving enough to rival even her own self, the Goddess of Wisdom. Thus, the respect and faith that Odysseus gives to Athena is not confined to just trust and prayers and newly built altars as it is with God—Odysseus’s respect and faith exists through his wit and wisdom and how he shares these traits with Athena throughout the Odyssey. For the Goddess of Wisdom, who is the very personification of these traits, it’s the highest respect a human can demonstrate, just as Abraham and Jacob demonstrate their highest respects to God by their own