Dictionary of Deities and Demons in the Bible Online

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Demeter Δημήτηρ
(1,472 words)

I. Name

Demeter is the Greek deity known and worshipped for her power over grain and thus the fertility of the earth, the food supply for human beings, and mystery rites that provide a happy afterlife. Acts 19.24, Acts 38 refers to a man named after her, Demetrius, a craftsman who made shrines of Artemis; another Demetrius is mentioned in 3 John 1.12 as a reliable Christian.

II. Identity

Daughter of Kronos and Rhea, sister of Zeus, and mother of Kore-Persephone, Demeter was often called the Corn Goddess. Through her close rela…

Cite this page
L. J. Alderink, “Demeter Δημήτηρ”, in: Dictionary of Deities and Demons in the Bible Online, Edited by: Karel van der Toorn, Bob Becking, Pieter W. van der Horst. Consulted online on 29 March 2023 <http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/2589-7802_DDDO_DDDO_Demeter>



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