Jason: Greek Names and Hellenistic Influence
The name Jason (Ἰάσων) brings to mind the famous Greek hero who led the Argonauts in the quest for the Golden Fleece. Yet Jason also appears repeatedly in Jewish and Christian literature—from 2 Maccabees to the New Testament—and becomes one of the most widespread names in the Eastern Mediterranean by the first century CE. Because the name is strongly associated with Greek heroic tradition, its appearance among Jewish communities during the Hellenistic and Roman periods reveals important aspects of cultural identity, assimilation, and the pressures felt during the Maccabean revolt.
Understanding Jason in the Bible involves recognizing both the mythic resonance of the Greek hero and the historical roles of the several Jasons who appear in Jewish and Christian texts. For readers searching “Who is Jason in the Bible?” or “Why did Jews take Greek names like Jason?”, this topic provides insight into how biblical history intersects with Greek culture, politics, and identity in the centuries leading up to the New Testament.
1. The Greek Hero Jason and the Mythic Background
The mythological Jason was the leader of the Argonauts on their voyage aboard the ship Argo, seeking the Golden Fleece. In Greek tradition, Jason belongs to the poetic heritage of Iolkos, and early poetry connected to his name indicates a long-standing tradition of epic storytelling.
A. Literary background
Jason’s story appears in many classical works:
Pindar’s Pythian 4
The writings of Apollonios of Rhodes
Valerius Flaccus in Roman literature
Allusions in Homer
Ps.-Hesiod’s Catalogue of Women
These texts portray Jason as:
The son of Aison
A student of Cheiron the centaur (like Achilles)
A hero marked by his single sandal, symbolizing danger to King Pelias
A figure sent on a perilous mission similar to Perseus or Herakles
Jason’s tale is complex—filled with kingship struggles, magical assistance, violent betrayal, and cultural boundaries, especially through his relationship with Medea, whose story becomes central in Euripides’ Medea.
B. Meaning of the name Jason
The Greek root for Jason likely connects to healing (ἰάομαι). Ancient interpreters believed this association fit a heroic figure because:
Cheiron taught Jason medicine.
Heroes often received forms of cultic or healing veneration.
However, scholars note this may be folk etymology, given the relationship between Aison, Iasos, and possible tribal origins.
C. Jason’s place in Greek cultural memory
Jason received cult in:
Abdera
Cyzicus
Colchis
Inland regions of Asia Minor
As Greek literature became authoritative in the classical and Hellenistic periods, names like Jason gained cultural prestige.
2. The Spread of Greek Names and Why Jason Became Popular
Greek names spread widely in the Hellenistic world for multiple reasons. Jason became one of the most frequently attested names in the Eastern Mediterranean, with Fraser and Matthews listing 183 occurrences, many in Jewish communities like Cyrenaica.
A. Why Greek names spread
In Greek culture, names carried significance:
Meaning — derived from roots like “fame,” “might,” “victory,” or “healing.”
Family tradition — echoing parents or grandparents.
Heroic association — connecting the child to the prestige of legendary figures.
After the conquests of Alexander the Great, Greek names became markers of:
cultural aspiration
political alignment
education
participation in the broader Hellenistic world
B. Jewish adoption of Greek names
Among Hellenising Jews, Greek names functioned as visible signs of cultural integration. The adoption of a name like Jason could signal a desire to participate in broader Hellenistic society.
This trend intensified when Jews:
built Greek-style gymnasia (1 Maccabees 1:14)
adopted Greek educational norms
embraced Greek civic customs
moved in elite or political circles
The name Jason fit naturally because:
It resembled the Hebrew name Jesus/Joshua (Yeshua) in sound.
It carried heroic prestige without sounding foreign.
It became common among Jews in the diaspora.
3. Jason in Jewish History: The High Priest Who Hellenized Jerusalem
The most famous biblical Jason appears in 2 Maccabees 4. He was originally named Jesus/Joshua, but took the name Jason as part of aligning himself with Greek culture.
A. Jason’s rise to power
According to 2 Maccabees and Josephus (Ant. 12:239):
Jason supplanted his brother Onias III as high priest.
He bribed Antiochus IV Epiphanes to obtain the office.
He established a gymnasium near the Temple.
He encouraged Jews to “conform to the Greek way of life” (2 Macc 4:10).
B. Jason and the Hellenization crisis
His actions reflect broader tensions:
Struggles over Jewish identity
Conflict between covenant faithfulness and cultural assimilation
The rise of the Maccabean revolt
Jason represents a turning point where leaders blurred boundaries between Jewish religious life and Greek societal norms. His story is tied deeply to the identity struggles that sparked Jewish resistance.
4. Other Jasons in the Bible
The name Jason appears several more times in Jewish and Christian literature, illustrating its popularity.
A. Jason of Cyrene
He wrote the five-volume work that served as the source for 2 Maccabees (2 Macc 2:22).
B. Jason son of Eleazar
An emissary sent by Judas Maccabaeus to Rome (1 Macc 8:17; cf. Josephus Ant. 12:415, 419; 13:169).
C. Jason in the New Testament
Paul mentions a “kinsman” named Jason in Romans 16:21. Acts 17 depicts a likely connection:
Jason hosted Paul and Silas in Thessalonica.
His home became a gathering place for early believers.
He suffered mob attack and legal pressure for welcoming them.
This Jason symbolizes hospitality, courage, and allegiance to Christ during persecution.
5. How the Biblical Use of the Name Jason Reflects Larger Themes
Examining Jason in the Bible highlights several important themes.
A. Cultural pressure and identity
The Jason of 2 Maccabees embodies the temptation to conform to dominant culture at the expense of covenant faithfulness. His adoption of a Greek name mirrors a deeper spiritual accommodation.
B. Hospitality in the New Testament
Jason of Thessalonica represents faithfulness under pressure, using his household to support the Gospel’s mission.
C. The spread of the Gospel in the last days
Names like Jason reveal the multicultural world in which Christianity took root:
Jews with Greek names
Gentiles joined to Israel’s Messiah
Households welcoming traveling missionaries
This reflects the Bible’s vision of the nations coming under Christ’s rule.
D. The complexity of Jewish-Greek relations
The Jasons of Maccabean literature and early Christianity show two trajectories:
Assimilation without faithfulness — Jason the high priest.
Participation without compromise — Jason the host of Paul.
These contrasting portraits highlight the enduring tension Christians face today: living among the nations without losing allegiance to God’s kingdom.
E. The Gospel’s unifying power
Even though the name Jason comes from a world of Greek myth, the New Testament shows Christ’s ability to unite diverse peoples under one Lord. Names from heroic traditions become names found in Christian households, transformed not by mythology but by the Gospel.
Bible verses about Jason, hospitality, and faithfulness
“Jason has entertained them, and they are all acting against the decrees of Caesar.” (Acts 17:7)
“The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea.” (Acts 17:10)
“Timothy, my fellow worker, greets you; so do Lucius and Jason and Sosipater, my kinsmen.” (Romans 16:21)
“Be hospitable to one another without grumbling.” (1 Peter 4:9)
“Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.” (Romans 12:13)
“Whoever receives you receives me.” (Matthew 10:40)
“We ought to support people like these, that we may be fellow workers for the truth.” (3 John 8)
“Do not be conformed to this world.” (Romans 12:2)
“Choose this day whom you will serve.” (Joshua 24:15)
“You are all one in Christ Jesus.” (Galatians 3:28)
