mercurius Summary and Overview

the Hermes (i.e., "the speaker") of the Greeks (Acts 14:12), a heathen God represented as the constant attendant of Jupiter, and the god of eloquence. The inhabitants of Lystra took Paul for this god because he was the "chief speaker."

(herald of the gods), properly Hermes, the Greek deity, whom the Romans identified with their Mercury, the god of commerce and bargains. Hermes was the son of Zeus (Jupiter) and Maia the daughter of Atals, and is constantly represented as the companion of his father in his wandering upon earth. The episode of Baucis and Philemon, Ovid, Metam. viii. 620-724, appears to have formed part of the folk-lore of Asia Minor, and strikingly illustrates the readiness with which the simple people of Lystra recognized in Barnabas the Paul the gods who, according to their wont, had come down in the likeness of men. #Ac 14:11|

MERCU'RIUS , a character of the Latin mythology, identical with the Greek Hermes, the god of eloquence and lying, of commerce and cheating. An old myth told a story of Jupiter and Mercurius once wandering about unrecognized in Phrygia, and this myth, which probably belonged to the folk-lore of Asia Minor, led the simple people of Lystra to mistake Barnabas and Paul for the two pagan deities. Acts 14:11-13. MER'CY-SEAT was the name of the lid or cover of the ark of the covenant. It was made of gold, two and a half cubits long and one and a half cubits broad, and two cherubs, also of gold, were placed one at each end, stretching their wings toward each other, and forming a kind of throne, upon which God was believed to be present in a peculiar manner to hear and answer prayer, and to make known his holy will. Ex 25:17-22; Ex 30:6; Ex 31:7; Ex 37:6-9; 1 Chr 28:11; 2 Chr 6:7, 2 Chr 6:8;Ps 80:1; Ps 99:1. Before and upon the mercy-seat the high priest sprinkled the blood of the sin-offerings on the day of atonement as a propitiation. Lev 16:11-16, which, under the new dispensation, received its typical signification. Heb 9:5; Rom 3:25. See Ark.

Acts 14:12. Mythology represented Mercurius as having once visited Phrygia with Jupiter his father, and having been refused hospitality by all except Baucis and Philemon, two old peasants (Ovid, Metam. 8:620). Hence the simple people of Lystra supposed, from the miracle on the cripple, that Paul and Barnabas were Mercurius and Jupiter once more visiting the earth "in the likeness of men." Mercurius being the god of eloquence, they called Paul Mercurius, the herald of the gods. Mercurius was usually figured a beardless youth, but there was an old Pelasgic figure of him bearded. Barnabas, the more stately and majestic in mien, they called Jupiter (2 Corinthians 10:10).