14:12

Zeus: See Glossary.

Hermes: A Greek god, said to be the son of Zeus, Hermes was regarded as the messenger of the gods. He was believed to be the discreet counselor of the mythological heroes and considered to be the god of commerce, skillful speech, gymnastic skill, sleep, and dreams. Because Paul took the lead in speaking, the inhabitants of the Roman city of Lystra identified Paul with the god Hermes. This identification harmonizes with their conception of Hermes as a divine messenger and a god of skillful speech. In fact, various words related to this name are used in the Scriptures referring to translation as well as to interpretation. (Some examples are the Greek verb her·me·neuʹo, rendered “translated” at Joh 1:42 and Heb 7:2, and the noun her·me·niʹa, rendered “interpretation” at 1Co 12:10; 14:26; see also study note on Lu 24:27.) Among the archaeological finds in the vicinity of ancient Lystra are a statue of the god Hermes; an altar dedicated to Zeus and Hermes has also been discovered in that area. The Romans identified Hermes with their god of commerce, Mercury.