A Christian at Rome, Ro 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.

Mercury, a Roman Christian to whom Paul sends greetings (Ro 16:14). Some suppose him to have been the author of the celebrated religious romance called The Shepherd, but it is very probable that that work is the production of a later generation.

One at Rome to whom Paul sends greeting (Ro 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.

A Christian at Rome, saluted in Ro 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. a.d. 90

Her'mas

A Christian to whom Paul sent salutations in his epistle to the Romans. Ro 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.

Her'mas

(Mercury), the name of a Christian resident at Rome to whom St. Paul sends greetings in his Epistle to the Romans.

Ro 16:14

(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.