"But it has been further inquired why they took Barnabas for Jupiter, and Paul for Mercury. Chrysostom observes, (and after him Mr. Fleming, Christol. Vol. II. p. 226,) that the heathens represented Jupiter as an old but vigorous man, of a noble and majestic aspect, and a large robust make, which therefore he supposes might be the form of Barnabas; whereas Mercury appeared young, little, and nimble, as Paul might probably do, since he was yet in his youth. A more probable reason, however, and indeed the true one, (as given by Luke,) is, that Paul was so named, because he was the leading speaker. Now it was well known that Mercury was the god of eloquence. So Hor. Carm. 1, 10, 1. Mercuri facunde nepos Atlantis Qui feros cultus hominum recentum Voce formasti cantus. Ovid. Fast. 5, 688. Macrob. Sat. 8, 8. Hence he is called by Jamblich. de Myst. [Greek: theos ho tôn logôn hêgemôn], a passage exactly the counterpart to the present one, which we may render, 'for he had led the discourse.'" (Bloomfield's Annot. N. T. Vol. IV. c. xiv. § 12.)
"They called Paul Mercury, because he was the chief speaker," ver. 12. Mercury was the god of eloquence. Justin Martyr says Paul is [Greek: logos hermêneutikos kai pantôn didaskalos], the word; that is, the interpreter and teacher of all men. Ap. ii. p. 67. Philo informs us that Mercury is called Hermes,[Greek: hôs Hermênea kai prophêtên tôn theiôn], as being the interpreter and prophet of divine things, apud Euseb. Praep. Evang. Lib. iii. c. 2. He is called by Porphyry [Greek: parastatikos], the exhibitor or representor of reason and eloquence. Seneca says he was called Mercury, quia ratio penes illum est. De Benef. Lib. iv. cap. 7.—Calmet, Whitby, Stackhouse.
All this pelting and outcry, however, made not the slightest impression
on Paul and Barnabas, nor had the effect of deterring
them from the work, which they had so unpropitiously carried on.
Knowing, as they did, how popular violence always exhausts itself
in its frenzy, they without hesitation immediately returned by
the same route over which they had been just driven by such a
succession of popular outrages. The day after Paul had been
stoned and stunned by the people of Lystra, he left that city with
Barnabas, and both directed their course eastward to Derbe, where
they preached the gospel and taught many. Then turning directly
back, they came again to Lystra, then to Iconium, and then
to Antioch, in all of which cities they had just been so shamefully
treated. In each of these places, they sought to strengthen
the faith of the disciples, earnestly exhorting them to continue in
the Christian course, and warning them that they must expect to
attain the blessings of the heavenly kingdom, only through much
trial and suffering. On this return journey they now formally
constituted regular worshiping assemblies of Christians in all
the places from which they had before been so tumultuously driven
as to be prevented from perfecting their good work,—ordaining elders
in every church thus constituted, and solemnly, with fasting
and prayer, commending them to the Lord on whom they believed.
Still keeping the same route on which they had come, they now
turned southward into Pamphylia, and came again to Perga.
From this place, they went down to Attalia, a great city south of
Perga, on the coast of Pamphylia, founded by Attalus Philadelphus,
king of Pergamus. At this port, they embarked for the coast
