Which gods did the people of Lystra think Paul and Barnabas were?

In Acts 14, Paul and Barnabas touch down in Lystra, a city where mythology blended seamlessly into everyday life. When they performed a miraculous healing, the locals jumped to the conclusion that Paul was Hermes (the messenger god) and Barnabas was Zeus (the top-tier god who ruled the sky). Imagine the spectacle: here are two thoughtful men trying to spread a message of faith, and the locals think they’ve encountered literal deities!

This moment illustrates the clash of cultures in the ancient world, where polytheism—the worship of multiple gods—was alive and well. Delving deeper, Zeus and Hermes weren’t just arbitrary figures. Mythological stories featuring these gods are so woven into the fabric of Greek culture that the locals couldn’t grasp the divine intentions of Paul and Barnabas. By believing they were gods, they reveal their own uncertainty about the spiritual realm. Plus, the names “Jupiter” and “Mercury” trace back to the Latin translations of these Greek figures. This lets us see how interconnected these cultures were, despite their distinct political and social structures.

Also noteworthy? The eager misassignation of divinity echoes throughout Scripture with other biblical figures, such as when the people of ancient Israel heralded kings or prophets as heroes. It’s a reminder of the timeless human tendency to seek the extraordinary in mystery and grace. So, next time you hear about these two apostles, think of the swirling legends they encountered, blending a compelling tapestry of faith, culture, and myth-making!