hERMHV

Cindy Smith cms at dragon.com
Fri Sep 4 19:51:32 EDT 1998


Acts 14:12  EKALOUN TE TON BARNABAN DIA, TON DE PAULON hERMHN, EPEIDH 
AUTOS HN hO HGOUMENOS TOU LOGOU.

What is the relationship between Zeus and Theos in Greek?  Both mean 
"god," do they not?  I don't have a Greek dictionary with me, but is 
it possible that Zeus and Theos are the same word in different 
dialects, i.e., different pronunciations of the same word?

Paul is called Hermes because he is the "chief speaker," according to 
the NRSV translation.  However, this could be, "leader of the word."  
Hermes comes from a root meaning of either "speaker" or "translator" 
or "interpreter," I think.  Am I correct?  Paul is called Hermes 
perhaps because, as a Roman citizen and a Pharisee, he spoke Latin, 
Greek, Hebrew, and Aramaic.  Hence, they could be saying, "They called 
him Translator because he was the chief translator."  I have no doubt 
the meaning here is the Greek god Hermes, I just think there's a play 
on words going on here.  Luke, who is author of both the Gospel and 
Acts, uses the word logos in ways that seem to point to the divine 
Logos, though I could be mistaken.  Examples:

	Luke 4:32	hOTI EN EXOUSIA HN hO LOGOS AUTOU
			because in authority was his word

	Luke 4:36	TIS hO LOGOS hOUTOS

	Luke 5:15	DIHRXETO DE MALLON hO LOGOS PERI AUTOU
			but more than ever went about the word about him

	Luke 7:17	KAI EXSHLQEN hO LOGOS OUTOS hOLH TH IOUDAIA PERI 
				AUTOU
			and this word spread into Judaea about him

	Luke 8:11	hO SPOROS ESTIN hO LOGOS TOU THEOU
			the seed is the word of God

In 8:11, does Luke mean "word of God" to mean "scripture" or the divine 
Logos?  In the same way, "leader of the word" in Acts 14:12 could refer to 
the divine Logos.

Again, at the least, there may be a play on words (no pun intended in 
the English).

What do you think?




Cindy Smith
					  Spawn of a Jewish Carpenter
GO AGAINST THE FLOW! \\ _\\\_     _///_ // 
                      >IXOYE=('> <`)=  _<< A Real Live Catholic in Georgia
cms at dragon.com       //  ///       \\\  \\
cms at star-nets.com
cms at romancatholic.org
                  
Delay not your conversion to the LORD,
Put it not off from day to day	
   Ecclesiasticus/Ben Sira 5:8

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