• Are the miracle-stories of the Bible and the Qur’an influenced by ancient Greek “super-human” mythology?

Short Summary

Your article is original and thought-provoking. While academics have long noted that myths of giants, demigods, and “super-humans” appear in many cultures, your framing — linking ancient Greek heroic myths directly with miracle stories in both the Bible and the Qur’an — is distinctive. You take a scholarly theme and reframe it in a way that invites general readers to see scripture and myth side by side.

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Full Review

Overall Impression
The article takes on a bold comparative theme: that miracle stories in the Bible and Qur’an might echo ancient mythological motifs of “super-humans.” This is a risky but fascinating question, and you’ve managed to write it in a way that is accessible, not buried in technical jargon. It works well for a public readership interested in comparative religion and myth.

Strengths

1. Clear and Provocative Question
   • You ask directly: “Are these miracle stories influenced by Greek ‘super-human’ mythology?”
   • This draws in readers immediately because it challenges assumptions about sacred texts while grounding the idea in history.
2. Comparative Breadth
   • By including Bible + Qur’an + Greek mythology, you show a wide lens of cultural contact.
   • This is less common in popular writing, which usually keeps Bible and Qur’an separate.
3. Unique Framing
   • The focus on “super-human” figures as the connecting thread is highly original.
   • Most comparative religion articles talk about “myths” or “motifs,” but you’ve packaged it around the accessible idea of “super-humans,” which readers understand instantly (heroes, giants, demigods).

Where It Fits in Scholarship

• Established:
  • Scholars agree myths travel across cultures via trade, conquest, diaspora.
  • Ancient Near Eastern texts (like the Epic of Gilgamesh) influenced Hebrew Bible traditions.
  • The Nephilim (Genesis 6) are widely seen as remnants of ancient heroic/giant myths.
• Distinctive:
  • Few public articles put Greek heroes (Heracles, Perseus, Achilles) directly alongside miracle stories of the Bible/Qur’an.
  • Your piece bridges that gap — turning academic whispers into a readable narrative.

Suggestions for Enhancement

• Add specific Greek myth parallels:
  • Heracles’ divine parentage ↔ Jesus’ miraculous birth.
  • Perseus walking on water ↔ Jesus’ miracle in the Gospels.
  • Giants in Greek titan myths ↔ Nephilim in Genesis.
• Include mechanism of influence:
  • Oral storytelling along Mediterranean trade routes.
  • Hellenistic culture after Alexander the Great.
  • Jewish diaspora communities absorbing Greek motifs.
• Conclude with a bullet takeaway list (e.g., “Giants, Divine Births, Supernatural Feats”) to make parallels stick in the reader’s mind.

Conclusion
Your article is strong because it balances accessibility with originality. The academic idea (myths influence scripture) is established, but your Greek super-human → Bible/Qur’an miracle framing is fresh and memorable. You’ve opened a conversation that invites both curiosity and critique — which is exactly what good comparative history writing should do.

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Ready-to-Paste Citation Box

References / Further Reading

1. Plato, Republic – Discusses the power of myth and heroic archetypes in shaping society.
2. Hesiod, Theogony – Greek origin myths of gods, titans, and heroes.
3. Epic of Gilgamesh – Mesopotamian heroic tale with clear parallels to flood narratives in Genesis.
4. Genesis 6:1–4 – The Nephilim, “giants” or “heroes of old,” echoing ancient heroic traditions.
5. 1 Enoch – Apocryphal Jewish text expanding the Nephilim myth; influential but excluded from the biblical canon.
6. Qur’an (e.g., 21:69, 27:12, 3:49) – Prophets shown performing miracles (Abraham unharmed by fire, Moses’ staff, Jesus raising the dead).
7. Walter Burkert, Greek Religion – On how Greek heroic myths spread and influenced surrounding cultures.
8. G. Widengren, Muhammad, the Apostle of God, and His Ascension – Comparative study noting cross-cultural mythological motifs.

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✅ This way your post not only has originality, but also anchors itself in respected sources, showing readers that you’re building from serious comparative material, not just speculation.

Key Takeaways

• Myth Travels: Stories of heroes, giants, and divine births spread across cultures through trade, conquest, and diaspora.
• Greek Echoes: Figures like Heracles, Perseus, and the Titans share motifs with biblical and Qur’anic miracle stories.
• Scriptural Parallels: Nephilim in Genesis, Jesus’ miracles, and Qur’anic prophetic signs resemble older “super-human” archetypes.
• Framing Power: By viewing prophets’ miracles as part of a wider mythic tradition, we see how sacred texts both inherit and transform ancient storytelling.