IRREPROACHABLE!

Mercury. AKA Hermes (to the Greeks). A bronze by Giambologna (1529–1608) in the Museo Nazionale del Bargello, Florence.

Hermes is best known as the messenger of the gods, the one who bore their communiqués to mortals. Hence, “hermeneutics”—the science of interpretation, primarily of God’s Word. So there he is, with winged hat and winged sandals (as well as a staff with two serpents—but more about that next week).

Preachers and teachers of God’s Word—hermeneuts—therefore have Hermes as their patron saint! Perhaps that is why Hermes is also the god of orators and poets.

Unfortunately, he is god of more than those ….

Apparently Hermes was quite precocious. On the first day of his life, he invented the lyre. That same night, he stole the immortal cattle of Apollo, driving them back to Greece and hiding them. He is said to have walked the cattle backwards to fool those giving chase (rather confusing, if you ask me, but who am I to argue with Homer?). Despite these stratagems, Hermes’ thievery was discovered, but he enchanted Apollo with the lyre (which he had just invented); Apollo allowed Hermes to keep the cattle in exchange for the instrument.

Thus, Hermes is also the god of thieves, perjurers, and miscreants and malefactors of every shade and shape. A deified trickster—this Hermes.

And for some reason, Hermes is also the one who escorts the dead into the underworld.

Altogether, a rather unsavory character, who is known to have had a whole collection of lovers and sired a large number of offspring, among whom are Pan, the god of nature, and Eros/Cupid, the god of love.

Not necessarily an icon for good!

Of course, some folks considers preachers and deceivers to be of the same ilk; Hermes, then, is an appropriate god for both!

Hopefully that is not the case with us believers who interpret and apply God’s Word.

You are witnesses, and so is God,
how devoutly and uprightly
and blamelessly we behaved
toward you believers;
just as you know how we were
exhorting and encouraging and
imploring each one of you
as a father would his own children,
so that you would walk in a manner
worthy of the God who calls you
into His own kingdom and glory.
1 Thessalonians 2:10–12

While we are all, one way or another, hermeneuts interpreting God’s Word for application in our lives, Hermes ought not to be our mascot. Paul is a much better model.

For our proud confidence is this:
… that in holiness and godly sincerity,
… in the grace of God,
we have conducted ourselves.
For we are not like many,
peddling the word of God,
but as from sincerity,
but as from God, we speak
in Christ in the sight of God.
2 Corinthians 1:12; 2:17

For those who expound the Word of God (formally or informally) are held to a higher standard of holiness.

Let not many of you become teachers,
… knowing that as such
we will incur a stricter judgment.
James 3:1

Indeed, all God’s people, but especially God’s leaders—both men and women—are called to be irreproachable.

… blameless and innocent,
children of God above reproach.
Philippians 2:15
An overseer, then, must be above reproach ….
1 Timothy 3:2
… give the enemy no occasion for reproach.
1 Timothy 5:14
… keep the commandment
without stain or reproach
until the appearing
of our Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Timothy 6:14

As someone said, we may not be above sin, but we can be above reproach.

Definitely better than Hermes!