Hermas

Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament

(Ἑρμᾶς,  Romans 16:14)

Hermas is a Greek name, a contracted form of several names such as Hermagoras, Hermeros, Hermodorus, Hermogenes, etc., common among members of the Imperial household (J. B. Lightfoot, Philippians 4, 1878, p. 176), It is the last of a group of five names (all Greek) of persons, and ‘the brethren with them,’ saluted by St. Paul. Nothing is known of any member of the group. It is conjectured that together they formed a separate ἐκκλησία or ‘church,’ the locality of which we shall suppose to have been Rome or Ephesus, according to our view of the destination of these salutations. Cf.  Romans 16:5;  Romans 16:15 and perhaps  Romans 16:11, and  1 Corinthians 16:19 and perhaps  Acts 20:20. Possibly these five men were heads of five separate household churches, or leaders or office-bearers in the Church.

T. B. Allworthy.

Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible

HERMAS . A Christian at Rome, saluted in   Romans 16:14 . The name is a common one, especially among slaves. Origen identifies this Hermas with the celebrated author of The Shepherd , a book considered by many in the 2nd cent. to be on a level with Scripture. For the disputed date of the book, which professes to record visions seen in the episcopate of Clement ( c [Note: circa, about.] . a.d. 90 100), but which is said in the Muratorian Fragment ( c [Note: circa, about.] . 180 200?) to have been written in the episcopate of Pius (not before a.d. 139), see Salmon’s Introd. to the NT , Lect. xxvi. But Origen’s identification is very improbable, the dates being scarcely compatible, and the name so common.

A. J. Maclean.

Fausset's Bible Dictionary

One at Rome to whom Paul sends greeting ( Romans 16:14). A Greek name. Irenaeus, Tertullian, and Origen attribute to him "The Shepherd," supposed by some to have been written in the episcopacy of Clement I; others deny Hermas of Romans 16 to be the author. Its author appears from internal evidence to have been married and to have had children, and to have been a lay mystic. Originally in Greek, but now only in a Latin version entire. An inferior kind of Pilgrim's Progress in three parts: the first has four visions, the second 12 spiritual precepts, the third ten similitudes shadowing forth each some truth. Each man, according to it, has a bad and a good angel, who endeavour to influence him for evil and good respectively.

Smith's Bible Dictionary

Her'mas. (Mercury). The name of a Christian resident at Rome. To whom St. Paul sends greetings. In his Epistle to the Romans.  Romans 16:14. According to tradition, he was one of the seventy disciples, and afterward, bishop of Dalmatia. (A.D. 55). Irenaeus, Tertullian and Origen agree in attributing to him the work called The Shepherd . It was never received into the canon, but yet. Was generally cited with respect. Only second to that which was paid. to the authoritative books of the New Testament.

Morrish Bible Dictionary

A Christian to whom Paul sent salutations in his epistle to the Romans.  Romans 16:14 . Some have judged him to be one of the Apostolic Fathers, and the writer of a treatise called "The Shepherd Of HERMAS,"which was highly esteemed in the early church. It is a sort of allegory, and has been compared to Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress. Parts of it are very trivial, and some scarcely decent. It is found attached to the Greek manuscript of the N.T., known as the Codex Sinaiticus, and exists in several ancient Latin copies.

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

A Christian at Rome,  Romans 16:14; supposed by some to have been the writer of the ancient work called "The Shepherd of Hermas"a singular mixture of truth and piety with folly and superstition.

Holman Bible Dictionary

 Romans 16:14Apostolic Fathers

Easton's Bible Dictionary

 Romans 16 14

Kitto's Popular Cyclopedia of Biblial Literature

Her´mas, one of the Christians at Rome to whom Paul addressed special salutations in his Epistle . Of his history and station in life nothing is known. By several writers, ancient and modern, he has been reputed to be the author of a work entitled The Shepherd of Hermas, which, from its high antiquity and the supposed connection of the writer with St. Paul, has been usually classed with the epistles of the so-called Apostolic Fathers. It was originally written in Greek, but we possess it only in a Latin version (as old as the time of Tertullian), a few fragments excepted, which are found as quotations in other ancient authors. It has been divided by modern editors (for in the manuscript copies there is no such division) into three books; the first consisting of four visions, the second of twelve commands, and the third of ten similitudes. It is called 'The Shepherd,' because the Angel of Repentance, at whose dictation Hermas professes that he wrote the second and third books, appeared in the garb of a shepherd. It is doubtful whether the author really believed that he saw the visions he describes, or merely adopted the fiction to render his work more attractive. Impartial judges will probably agree with Mosheim, that 'The Shepherd' contains such a mixture of folly and superstition with piety, of egregious nonsense with momentous truth, as to render it a matter of astonishment that men of learning should ever have thought of giving it a place among the inspired writings.

Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature

( ῾Ερμᾶς , from ῾Ερμῆς , the Greek god of gain, or Mercury), the name of a person to whom Paul sends greeting in his Epistle to the Romans (16:14), and consequently then resident in Rome and a Christian (A.D. 55); and yet the origin of the name, like that of the other four mentioned in the same verse, is Greek. However, in those days. even a Jew, like Paul himself, might acquire Roman citizenship. Ireneeus, Tertullian, and Origen agree in making him identical with the author of "The Shepherd" of the following article, but this is greatly disputed. He is celebrated as a saint in the Roman calendar on May 9. — Smith, s.v.

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

hûr´mas ( Ἑρμᾶς , Hermás ): An abbreviated form of several names, e.g. Hermagoras, Hermeros, Hermodorus, Hermogenes, etc.; the name of a Roman Christian to whom Paul sent greetings (  Romans 16:14 ). Origen and some later writers have identified him with the author of The Pastor of Hermas, but without sufficient reason. According to the Canon of Muratori, the author of The Pastor wrote when his brother Pius was bishop of Rome (140-55 ad). He speaks of himself, however, as a contemporary of Clement of Rome (chapter 4) (circa 100 ad). The name Hermas is very common, and Origen's identification is purely conjectural.

The Nuttall Encyclopedia

One of the Apostolic Fathers of the Church; wrote a work in Greek called the "Shepherd of Hermas," extant in Latin, and treating of Christian duties.