The answer is: Jupiter

Acts 14:12

When Barnabas and Paul hit Lystra, something wild happened. The locals were so blown away by their miraculous healing that they declared Barnabas to be “Jupiter” (or Zeus, in Greek)—the king of their pantheon. The people from Lystra began to carry out rituals and sacrifices to honor him, clearly ready to elevate these men to the status of gods. This moment isn’t just pure coincidence; it reflects the deep cultural practices of the region, steeped in Greco-Roman mythology.

Now, think about this: Lystra was no Cosmopolitan hub but rather a simple town. The residents, fiercely steeped in their polytheism, needed a relatable representation of good character and divine might. Naming Barnabas after Jupiter signifies their ingrained worldviews and the social influence of classical mythology. Paul, however, was tagged with the name Hermes, which highlights their perception of him as the divine messenger—it would be like calling someone “the voice of reason” today.

This incident symbolically underscores the clash between different cultural narratives. Paul and Barnabas corrected the people, insisting that they were just human representatives of a transcendent message. This was also a tremendous opportunity to shift minds from idol worship toward recognizing a singular divine altruism.

Just think about it—a pivotal moment intermingling miracles, fear, cultural values, and the transformative power of divine-human interaction!