G2060 G2060
Hermes, the Greek god; messenger of the gods; also a personal name (Hermas)
Hermes was the Greek god known as Mercury in Latin, son of Zeus and Maia. He served as messenger of the gods, guide of souls to the underworld, patron of travelers and merchants, and god of eloquence. In Acts 14:12, when Paul healed a lame man in Lystra, pagans identified Barnabas as Zeus and Paul as Hermes 'because he was the chief speaker'—Hermes being associated with speech and messages. In Romans 16:14, Hermes is simply a personal name—a Roman Christian greeted by Paul. The multilingual glosses consistently transliterate: Spanish 'Hermês', French 'Hermès', German 'Hermes'.
Senses
1. sense 1 — The multilingual glosses uniformly transliterate: Spanish 'Hermês/a Hermên', French 'Hermès', German 'Hermes'. In Acts 14:12, pagan crowds in Lystra identified Barnabas as Zeus and Paul as Hermes (Ἑρμῆν) 'because he was the chief speaker.' Hermes was the divine messenger and god of eloquence, so Paul's role as spokesman suggested this deity. The crowd's misidentification shows how pagans interpreted miracles through their mythological framework. In Romans 16:14, Hermes is simply a common personal name (like many God-names used for people: Apollos, Dionysius). Paul sends greetings to this Roman Christian named after the Greek god. The contexts are entirely different: one theological confusion, one simple naming. 2×
AR["هِرمِسَ", "هِرْمَاسَ،"]·ben["হার্মিস", "হের্মেসকে,"]·DE["Hermes", "Ἑρμῆν"]·EN["Hermes"]·FR["Hermès"]·heb["הֶרְמֵס"]·HI["हर्मेस", "हेरमेस-को"]·ID["Hermes", "Hermes,"]·IT["Ermes"]·jav["Hermés,"]·KO["허메", "헤르메스라고"]·PT["Hermes,", "Mercúrio,"]·RU["Гермесом", "Ерма"]·ES["Hermḗs", "a-Hermên"]·SW["Herme", "Herme,"]·TR["Hermes", "Hermes'e"]·urd["ہرمیس"]
Related Senses
G2316 1. God, the true God (1315×)H6635b 1. hosts, armies (of YHWH) (286×)H0410 1. God, the true God (223×)G0032 1. heavenly angel (170×)H4397 2. messenger, envoy, ambassador (102×)H3742 1. cherub, angelic guardian being (91×)H0430 2. gods (pagan deities) (81×)H0426 1. God, the true God (76×)G1140 1. demon, evil spirit (62×)H0433 1. God, the true God (54×)H5945b 1. Most High (30×)G4152 1. spiritual (21×)H0426 2. god(s), pagan deities (20×)H5943 1. [ketiv:Most High] (18×)G1139 1. be demon-possessed (13×)H1712 1. Dagon (13×)G2316 2. god, pagan deity (12×)G5310 1. Most High (9×)H0410 3. a god, deity (generic) (9×)H3645 1. Chemosh (9×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
Hermes , the Lat. Mercurius, son of Maia and Zeus; messenger of the gods διάκτορος); giver of good luck ἐριούνιος, ἀκάκητα); god of all secret dealings, cunning, and stratagem δόλιος); bearing a golden rod χρυσόρραπις); conductor of defunct spirits ψυχοπομπός, πομπαῖος); tutelary god of all arts, of traffic, markets, roads ἀγοραῖος, ἐμπολαῖος, ὅδιος, ἐνόδιος); and of heralds. His bust, mounted on…