Acts 14:12 “They addressed Barnabas as Zeus and Paul as Hermes, because Paul did most of the talking“

Click here to see previous posts about other gods mentioned in the Scriptures. Other gods were not just for the old testament and ages ago, but here we see them in the Disciples’ time, and they even exist today still! Let’s have a look at who was Zeus and Hermes back then, and where we can find them today.

Zeus was and is seen as the king of the gods in Greek mythology, while his son Hermes was the god of commerce, thieves, and travellers, and the messenger of the gods. We have made a previous post about Hermes in 2 Kings 18, with his symbol of the staff and one or two snakes folding around the staff. This caduceus symbol is used in the medical fields today. Hermes is able to move quickly and freely between the worlds of the mortal and the divine aided by his winged sandals. Hermes plays the role of the “soul guide” – a conductor of souls into the afterlife, and regarded as “the divine trickster“. His other symbols include the herma, the rooster, the tortoise, wallet or pouch, talaria (winged sandals), and winged helmet or simple petasos hat, as well as the palm tree, goat, the number four, several kinds of fish, and incense. Hermes is also associated with Mercury, for those who worship or consult the stars for fortune-telling. Zeus was the god of the sky and thunder, symbols of power and authority, represented by thunderbolts, eagles, and the name of the largest planet, Jupiter. Hermes has been re-envisioned as the god of the internet, with his roles as messenger and patron of commerce now representing fast communication, technology, and fast-paced logistics.

In rituals, symbols such as the caduceus (staff with snakes), winged sandals, and the petasos (his hat) were used to invoke Hermes’ presence. The ancient Olympic Games honored Zeus through a religious festival that included animal sacrifices, elaborate rituals, and the construction of a colossal statue of the god. Athletes and officials also swore oaths before a statue of Zeus, and the event included feasting on the sacrificed animals to foster a connection with the divine. The modern opening ceremony rituals of the Olympic Games, like the lighting of the Olympic flame and the theatric shows, still carry a symbolic weight that is reminiscent of ancient religious practices. Winners in ancient times were crowned with an olive wreath, a symbolic honor to Zeus their god.

Did you know, today’s children are bombarded with the gods of old and are taught to call them heroes, and dress up like them. The word “hero” originates from the ancient Greek word hērōs, which meant a demigod with divine ancestry or a great warrior. It was borrowed into Latin as heros and later entered English in the 14th century. The word “super” comes from the Latin word super, meaning “above,” “over,” or “beyond”. Here are some of the marvel and DC comics characters our children adore:

Wonder Woman – deeply tied to Greek mythology, her powers were bestowed by the Greek gods, and she is the biological daughter of Zeus.
Hercules – hero/demigod Heracles (renamed Hercules by the Romans)
Shazam – he invokes the names of six “immortal elders,” an acronym that includes mythological figures like Hercules, Atlas, Zeus, Achilles, and Mercury, from whom he derives his powers.
Flash – Hermes/Mercury, the messenger god known for his incredible speed
Aquaman – his signature trident are clear inspirations from Poseidon, the Greek god of the sea.
Batman – linked to Hades due to his grim nature and association with the “underworld” of the city
Thor – counterpart to the hammer-wielding Norse God of Thunder, who uses his magic hammer Mjolnir to protect humanity.
Odin – king of the gods, compared to Zeus
Loki – Thor’s adoptive brother and the Norse God of Mischief, a major villain and sometimes anti-hero. Compared to Hermes with his trickster abilities.
Moon Knight – avatar for the Egyptian moon god, Khonshu.
Black Adam – set of Egyptian gods
Deadman – Hindu goddess Rama Kushna
Captain America – represents Athena, the god of wisdom, due to his strategic mind and leadership qualities.
Iron Man – represents Hephaestus, the craftsman god, because of his genius in creating advanced technology.
Hulk – represents Hercules for his immense strength
Black Widow – represent Artemis, the goddess of hunt

We even see these gods represented in something simple as in he female symbol which is called the Venus symbol and the male symbol which is called the Mars symbol (see pictures below). These names come from the roman gods as well, Venus (goddess of beauty) and Mars (god of war). Another favourite is the heart with the arrow, representing Eros is the Greek god of love and sexual desire. His Roman equivalent is Cupid, who is typically portrayed as a cherubic baby. Eros uses his arrows to make people fall in love, sometimes mischievously and unpredictably. He is considered the son of the love goddess Aphrodite (Venus in Roman mythology) but can also be a primordial god born from Chaos.

Even the Roman goddess Flora (the Greek equivalent of Chloris) is represented through the word “flora,” which means plant life, and through cultural symbols like gardens, festivals, and art, which continue to honor spring, flowers, and fertility.

Did you know, that Peter Pan represents the Greek god Pan, the god of the wild. This connection is based on shared characteristics, such as both being figures of the wild, untamed nature, and both being associated with music played on pipes. Our culture is completely drained in foreign gods, and we entertain them without knowing!

We might think today these are harmless and playful, but giving honor to the old gods is just keeping them alive among us and our children. See what Paul and Barnabas said after hearing these things in Acts 14:14-18, “But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard this, they tore their clothes and ran in among the multitude, crying out and saying, “Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men with the same nature as you, and preach to you that you should turn from these useless things to the living God, who made the heaven, the earth, the sea, and all things that are in them, who in bygone generations allowed all nations to walk in their own ways… (but still), they could scarcely restrain the multitudes from sacrificing to them!”