Introductory Notes to the Shepherd of Hermas
Written probably in the mid-second century, this book was one of the
most popular, if not the most popular, to circulate among early Eastern
Christians. It was added to several
lists of scriptural books, but was eventually classified simply as being good for spiritual edification but not for forming
doctrine. It formed a good introduction
to the Christian faith, and for this reason it was read publicly in churches for a long time. Its parallel in modern times would be Pilgrim’s
Progress.
Some think it was written by Paul’s associate Hermas (cf. Rom. 16:14),[1]
however the Muratorian Fragment says that, ‘The Shepherd was
written very lately in our times, in the city of Rome, by Hermas, while bishop
Pius, his brother, sat in the chair of the Church of the city of Rome.’ Otherwise, it could well be regarded simply
as a work of fiction. It is thought by
some to be an antidote to the excesses of the Montanist movement. The moral values it espouses reflect those expected
of early Christians in response to the excesses of surrounding Greek-Roman
society.
Some of the early Fathers were of opinion that The Shepherd was
divinely inspired: Irenaeus quoted from it (Against Heresies, iv.20.2); Clement of Alexandria spoke of it as making
its statements ‘divinely;’ (Strom., i.xxix. p.426). However, Tertullian, as a Montanist himself,
designated it as apocryphal (De Pudicitia c.xx., c.x.; De Oratione, c.xvi.)
The Shepherd of Hermas[2]
Book 1
First Vision
Against filthy and proud
thoughts, and the carelessness of Hermas in chastising his sons
Chapter 1
He who had brought me up, sold me to one Rhode in
Rome. Many years after this I recognized
her, and I began to love her as a sister.
Sometime after, I saw her bathe in the river Tiber; and I gave her my
hand, and drew her out of the river. The
sight of her beauty made me think with myself, “I should be a happy man if I
could but get a wife as handsome and good as she is.” This was the only thought that passed through
me: this and nothing more.
A short time after this, as I was walking on my
road to the villages, and magnifying the creatures of God, and thinking how
magnificent, and beautiful, and powerful they are, I fell asleep. And the Spirit carried me away, and took me
through a pathless place, through which a man could not travel, for it was
situated in the midst of rocks; it was rugged and impassible on account of
water. Having passed over this river, I
came to a plain. I then bent down on my
knees, and began to pray to the Lord and to confess my sins.
And as I prayed, the heavens were opened, and I see
the woman whom I had desired saluting me from the sky, and saying, “Hail,
Hermas!” And looking up to her, I said,
“Lady, what are you doing here?” And she
answered me, “I have been taken up here to accuse you of your sins before the
Lord.” “Lady,” said I, “are you to be
the subject of my accusation?” “No,”
said she; “but hear the words which I am going to speak to you. God, who dwells in the heavens, and made out
of nothing the things that exist, and multiplied and increased them on account
of His holy Church, is angry with you for having sinned against me.”
I answered her, “Lady, have I sinned against
you? How, or when spoke I an unseemly
word to you? Did I not always think of
you as a lady? Did I not always respect
you as a sister? Why do you falsely
accuse me of this wickedness and impurity?”
With a smile she replied to me, “The desire of
wickedness arose within your heart. Is
it not your opinion that a righteous man commits sin when an evil desire arises
in his heart? There is sin in such a
case, and the sin is great,” said she; “for the thoughts of a righteous man
should be righteous. For by thinking
righteously his character is established in the heavens, and he has the Lord
merciful to him in every business. But
those who entertain wicked thoughts in their minds are bringing upon themselves
death and captivity; and especially is this the case with those who set their
affections on this world, and glory in their riches, and look not forward to
the blessings of the life to come. For
many will their regrets be; for they have no hope, but have despaired of
themselves and their life. But do you
pray to God, and He will heal your sins, and the sins of your whole house, and
of all the saints.”
Chapter 2
After she had spoken these words, the heavens were
shut. I was overwhelmed with sorrow and
fear, and said to myself, “If this sin is assigned to me, how can I be saved,
or how shall I propitiate God in regard to my sins, which are of the grossest
character? With what words shall I ask
the Lord to be merciful to me?
While I was thinking over these things, and
discussing them in my mind, I saw opposite to me a chair, white, made of white
wool, of great size. And there came up
an old woman, arrayed in a splendid robe, and with a book in her hand; and she
sat down alone, and saluted me, “Hail, Hermas!”
And in sadness and tears I said to her, “Lady, hail!” And she said to me, “Why are you downcast,
Hermas? For you were wont to be patient
and temperate, and always smiling. Why
are you so gloomy, and not cheerful?
I answered her and said, “O Lady, I have been
reproached by a very good woman, who says that I sinned against her.” And she said, “Far be such a deed from a
servant of God. But perhaps a desire
after her has arisen within your heart.
Such a wish, in the case of the servants of God, produces sin. For it is a wicked and horrible wish in an
all-chaste and already well-tried spirit to desire an evil deed; and especially
for Hermas so to do, who keeps himself from all wicked desire, and is full of
all simplicity, and of great guilelessness.
Chapter 3
“But God is not angry with you on account of this,
but that you may convert your house, which have committed iniquity against the
Lord, and against you, their parents.
And although you love your sons, yet did you not warn your house, but
permitted them to be terribly corrupted.
On this account is the Lord angry with you, but He will heal all the
evils which have been done in your house.
For, on account of their sins and iniquities, you have been destroyed by
the affairs of this world. But now the
mercy of the Lord has taken pity on you and your house, and will strengthen
you, and establish you in his glory.
Only be not easy-minded, but be of good courage and comfort your
house. For as a smith hammers out his
work, and accomplishes whatever he wishes,” so shall righteous daily speech
overcome all iniquity. Cease not
therefore to admonish your sons; for I know that, if they will repent with all
their heart, they will be enrolled in the Books of Life with the saints.” Having ended these words, she said to me, “Do
you wish to hear me read?” I say to her,
“Lady, I do.” “Listen then, and give ear
to the glories of God.” And then I heard
from her, magnificently and admirably, things which my memory could not
retain. For all the words were terrible,
such as man could not endure. The last
words, however, I did remember; for they were useful to us, and gentle. “Lo, the God of powers, who by His invisible
strong power and great wisdom has created the world, and by His glorious
counsel has surrounded His creation with beauty, and by His strong word has
fixed the heavens and laid the foundations of the earth upon the waters, and by
His own wisdom and providence has created His holy Church, which He has
blessed, lo! He removes the heavens and the mountains, the hills and the seas,
and all things become plain to His elect, that He may bestow on them the
blessing which He has promised them, with much glory and joy, if only they
shall keep the commandments of God which they have received in great faith.”
Chapter 4
When she had ended her reading, she rose from the
chair, and four young men came and carried off the chair and went away to the
east. And she called me to herself and
touched my breast, and said to me, “Have you been pleased with my
reading?” And I say to her, “Lady, the
last words please me, but the first are cruel and harsh.” Then she said to me, “The last are for the
righteous: the first are for heathens and apostates.” And while she spoke to me, two men appeared
and raised her on their shoulders, and they went to where the chair was in the
east. With joyful countenance did she
depart; and as she went, she said to me, “Behave like a man, Hermas.”
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