Zeus
Holman Bible Dictionary [1]
Acts 14:8-12GreecePagan Gods
Webster's Dictionary [2]
(n.) The chief deity of the Greeks, and ruler of the upper world (cf. Hades). He was identified with Jupiter.
Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible [3]
ZEUS . See Jupiter.
Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament [4]
See Jupiter.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia [5]
zūs ( Ζεύς , Zeús , the Revised Version margin; the Revised Version (British and American) and the King James Version Jupiter ): The supreme god of Hellenic theology, "king of gods and of men." In 168 Bc A ntiochus Epiphanes, "who on God's altars danced," bent upon the thorough Hellenization of Judea and Jerusalem, sent "an old man of Athens" (or "Geron an Athenian," the Revised Version margin) to pollute the sanctuary in the temple at Jerusalem and to call it by the name of Jupiter Olympius, and that at Gerizim by the name of Jupiter Xenius ( 2 Maccabees 6:1 ff). Olympius, from Mt. Olympus, the home of the gods, is the favorite epithet of Zeus, Zeus Olympius being to the Greek world what Jupiter Capitolinus was to the Roman. The same Antiochus commenced the splendid temple of Zeus Olympius, finished under Hadrian. Zeus is also frequently styled Xenius or "Protector of strangers" ( Juppiter hospitalis ) in classical literature. The epithet is here applied because the people of Gerizim - the Samaritans - were hospitable, probably an ironical statement of the author (compare Luke 9:52 f). Zeus is also in Acts 14:12 f the Revised Version margin for Jupiter (which see).
The Nuttall Encyclopedia [6]
The chief deity of the Greeks, the sovereign ruler of the world, the father of gods and men, the mightiest of the gods, and to whose will as central all must bow; he was the son of Kronos and Rhea; by the help of his brothers and sisters dethroned his father, seized the sovereign power, and appointed them certain provinces of the universe to administer in his name—Hera to rule with him as queen above, Poseidon over the sea, Pluto over the nether world, Demeter over the fruits of the earth, Hestia over social life of mankind; to his dynasty all the powers in heaven and earth were more or less related, descended from it and dependent on it; and he himself was to the Greeks the symbol of the intelligence which was henceforth to be the life and light of men, an idea which is reflected in the name Jupiter given him by the Romans, which means "father of the day"; he is represented as having his throne in heaven, and as wielding a thunderbolt in his right hand, in symbol of the jealousy with which he guards the order of the world established under him as chief.
