Hermogenes
Summary
Hermogenes was a Christian in the province of Asia who, along with Phygellus, abandoned the apostle Paul during his second imprisonment, being ashamed of his chains.
☩The Desertion
Hermogenes is mentioned with Phygellus as among those in Asia who 'turned away' from Paul. This occurred during the apostle's final imprisonment at Rome, when the peril of association with him became severe. The contrast is drawn with Onesiphorus, who was not ashamed of Paul's chain but diligently sought him out and refreshed him. Hermogenes and Phygellus are named as persons from whom such cowardice was particularly unexpected.
☩The Nature of Their Failure
The 'turning away' may not indicate complete apostasy from the faith but rather a failure of nerve and loyalty at a critical moment. They may have been present when Paul was arrested, perhaps at Nicopolis, and failed to stand by him when he was taken to Rome. Their names are specified because they had often been spoken of in conversations between Paul and Timothy when together in Asia, as men of supposedly stronger character.
Related Verses1 mention
2 Timothy· 1 verse
References
- 1.John McClintock and James Strong, "Hermogenes," in Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature, vol. IV (Harper & Brothers, 1867–1887).
- 2.George Morrish, "Hermogenes," in Morrish's Concise Bible Dictionary (George Morrish, 1898).
- 3.Andrew Robert Fausset, "Hermogenes," in The Englishman's Critical and Expository Bible Cyclopædia (Hodder & Stoughton, 1878).