HERMES

(Herʹmes) [perhaps, rock, cairn].

1. One of the Christians in the congregation at Rome to whom Paul sent personal greetings.—Rom. 16:14.

2. A Greek god; the son of Zeus by Maia, identified by the Romans with their god of commerce, Mercury. Hermes was regarded as the messenger of the gods. He was believed to be the discreet counselor of the heroes and was considered to be the god of commerce, skillful speech, gymnastic skill, and sleep and dreams. The lyre, shepherd’s pipe, sacrifices, letters and weights and measures are among the inventions attributed to Hermes. It was believed that this god not only guided the living but also conducted the dead to Hades.

Hermes was regarded as the giver of gain, regardless of whether acquired honestly or dishonestly. Hence, he was the patron of traders and thieves, having himself, when an infant less than a day old, stolen the cattle of Apollo, according to the mythological accounts. Besides portraying him as a skillful liar and thief, myths concerning Hermes tell of his many acts of sexual immorality. Originally, Hermes may have been a fertility god. This is indicated by representations of him in the form of a pillar (with the male organ displayed thereon) surmounted by the head of Hermes.

While the apostle Paul was at Lystra, the native people, after seeing the apostle cure a man lame from birth, identified Paul with the god Hermes, since Paul was the one ‘taking the lead in speaking.’ (Acts 14:8-13) This identification harmonizes with their conception of Hermes as a divine messenger and a god of skillful speech. That Hermes was worshiped by the people of Lystra is indicated by the following inscription found in that vicinity in 1909: “Toues Macrinus also called Abascantus and Batasis son of Bretasis having made in accordance with a vow at their own expense [a statue of] Hermes Most Great along with a sundial dedicated it to Zeus the sun-god.”