The Shepherd of
Hermas is an early Christian writing which contains teachings also for
the Christians of today. Hermas was vouchsafed a series of visions of
the Church, who appeared in the form of a Lady,
instructing him on the nature of the Church and on the moral obligations
of all Christians.
The Lady, (the Church) describes the body of the Church as a great tower:
Now the tower was being builded foursquare by
the six young men that came with her. And countless other men were
bringing stones, some of them from the deep, and others from the land,
and were handing them to the six young men. And
they took them and builded.
The stones that were dragged from the deep
they placed in every case, just as they were, into the building, for
they had been shaped, and they fitted in their joining with the other
stones; and they adhered so closely one with another
that their joining could not possibly be detected; and the building of
the tower appeared as if it were built of one stone.
and the building of the tower appeared as if it were built of one stone
But of the other stones which were brought
from the dry land, some they threw away, and some they put into the
building; and others they broke in pieces, and threw to a distance from
the tower. Now many other stones were lying round
the tower, and they did not use them for the building; for some of them
were mildewed, and others had cracks in them, and others were too short,
and others were white and round, and did not fit into the building. And
I saw other stones thrown to a distance
from the tower, and coming to the way, and yet not staying in the way,
but rolling to where there was no way; and others falling into the fire
and burning there; and others falling near the waters, and yet not able
to roll into the water, although they desired
to roll and to come to the water.
“Many shall hear; but when they hear, some of
them shall be glad, and others shall weep. Yet even these latter, if
they hear and repent, shall likewise be glad.”
Many shall hear; but when they hear, some
of them shall be glad, and others shall weep. Yet even these latter, if
they hear and repent, shall likewise be glad. The tower, which thou
seest building, is myself, the Church
“The tower, which thou seest building, is myself, the Church…
Hear then why the tower is builded upon waters; it is because your life
is saved and shall be saved by water. But the tower has been founded by
the word of the Almighty and Glorious Name, and is strengthened by the
unseen power of the Master.”
…your life is saved and shall be saved by water…
The Christian is saved by Baptism, and thereafter, by repentance - both are symbolised by water.
“Hear now concerning the stones that go to the building:
The stones that are squared and white, and that fit together in their
joints, these are the apostles and bishops and teachers and deacons, who
walked after the holiness of God, and exercised their office of bishop
and teacher and deacon in purity and sanctity
for the elect of God, some of them already fallen on sleep, and others
still living. And because they always agreed with one another, they both
had peace among themselves and listened one to another. Therefore their
joinings fit together in the building of
the tower.”
And because they always agreed with one
another, they both had peace among themselves and listened one to
another. Therefore their joinings fit together in the building of the
tower.
“But they that are dragged from the deep, and
placed in the building, and that fit together in their joinings with the
other stones that are already builded in, who are they?” “These are
they that suffered for the name of the Lord.”
“But the other stones that are brought from
the dry land, I would fain know who these are, lady.” She said, “Those
that go to the building, and yet are not hewn, these the Lord hath
approved because they walked in the uprightness
of the Lord, and rightly performed His commandments.”
“But they that are brought and placed in the
building, who are they?” “They are young in the faith, and faithful; but
they are warned by the angels to do good, because wickedness was found
in them.”
“But those whom they rejected and threw away,
who are they?” “These have sinned, and desire to repent, therefore they
were not cast to a great distance from the tower, because they will be
useful for the building, if they repent.
They then that shall repent, if they repent, will be strong in the
faith, if they repent now while the tower is building. But if the
building shall be finished, they have no more any place, but shall be
castaways. This privilege only they have, that they lie
near the tower.
But those whom they rejected and threw
away, who are they?” “These have sinned, and desire to repent, therefore
they were not cast to a great distance from the tower, because they
will be useful for the building, if they repent.
They then that shall repent, if they repent, will be strong in the
faith, if they repent now while the tower is building. But if the
building shall be finished, they have no more any place, but shall be
castaways. This privilege only they have, that they lie
near the tower.
But wouldst thou know about them that are
broken in pieces, and cast away far from the tower? These are the sons
of lawlessness. They received the faith in hypocrisy, and no wickedness
was absent from them. Therefore they have not
salvation, for they are not useful for building by reason of their
wickednesses. Therefore they were broken up and thrown far away by
reason of the wrath of the Lord, for they excited Him to wrath.
they are not useful for building by reason of their wickednesses. Therefore they were broken up and thrown far away
But the rest whom thou hast seen lying in
great numbers, not going to the building, of these they that are
mildewed are they that knew the truth, but did not abide in it, nor
cleave to the saints. Therefore they are useless.”
the rest…lying in great numbers…mildewed -
are they that knew the truth, but did not abide in it, nor cleave to
the saints. Therefore they are useless.
“But they that have the cracks, who are they?”
“These are they that have discord in their hearts against one another,
and are not at peace among themselves; who have an appearance of peace,
but when they depart from one another,
their wickednesses abide in their hearts. These are the cracks which the
stones have.
…They that have the cracks…are they that
have discord in their hearts against one another, and are not at peace
among themselves; who have an appearance of peace, but when they depart
from one another, their wickednesses abide
in their hearts
But they that are broken off short, these have
believed, and have their greater part in righteousness, but have some
parts of lawlessness; therefore they are too short, and are not
perfect.”
“But the white and round stones, which did not
fit into the building, who are they, lady?” She answered and said to
me, “How long art thou foolish and stupid, and enquirest everything, and
understandest nothing? These are they that
have faith, but have also riches of this world. When tribulation cometh,
they deny their Lord by reason of their riches and their business
affairs.”
…the white and round stones, which did
not fit into the building… are they that have faith, but have also
riches of this world. When tribulation cometh, they deny their Lord by
reason of their riches and their business affairs
And I answered and said unto her, “When then,
lady, will they be useful for the building?” “When,” she replied, “their
wealth, which leadeth their souls astray, shall be cut away, then will
they be useful for God. For just as the
round stone, unless it be cut away, and lose some portion of itself,
cannot become square, so also they that are rich in this world, unless
their riches be cut away, cannot become useful to the Lord. Learn first
from thyself When thou hadst riches, thou wast
useless; but now thou art useful and profitable unto life. Be ye useful
unto God, for thou thyself also art taken from the same stones.
“But the other stones which thou sawest cast
far away from the tower and falling into the way and rolling out of the
way into the regions where there is no way, these are they that have
believed, but by reason of their double heart
they abandon their true way. Thus thinking that they can find a better
way, they go astray and are sore distressed, as they walk about in the
regions where there is no way. But they that fall into the fire and are
burned, these are they that finally rebelled
from the living God, and it no more entered into their hearts to repent
by reason of the lusts of their wantonness and of the wickednesses which
they wrought.
…the other stones which thou sawest cast
far away from the tower and falling into the way and rolling out of the
way into the regions where there is no way…are they that have believed,
but by reason of their double heart they
abandon their true way. Thus thinking that they can find a better way,
they go astray and are sore distressed, as they walk about in the
regions where there is no way. But they that fall into the fire and are
burned, these are they that finally rebelled from
the living God, and it no more entered into their hearts to repent
But the others, which are near the waters and
yet cannot roll into the water, wouldest thou know who are they? These
are they that heard the word, and would be baptized unto the name of the
Lord. Then, when they call to their remembrance
the purity of the truth, they change their minds, and go back again
after their evil desires.”
..the others, which are near the waters
and yet cannot roll into the water, …are they that heard the word, and
would be baptized unto the name of the Lord. Then, when they call to
their remembrance the purity of the truth, they
change their minds, and go back again after their evil desires
So she finished the explanation of the tower.
Still importunate, I asked her further,
whether for all these stones that were rejected and would not fit into
the building of the tower that was repentance, and they had a place in
this tower. “They can repent,” she said, “but they
cannot be fitted into this tower. Yet they shall be fitted into another
place much more humble, but not until they have undergone torments, and
have fulfilled the days of their sins. And they shall be changed for
this reason, because they participated in the
Righteous Word; and then shall it befall them to be relieved from their
torments, if the evil deeds, that they have done, come into their heart;
but if these come not into their heart, they are not saved by reason of
the hardness of their hearts.”
With so many pitfalls, what is a Christian to do to be saved and fit into the building of the great tower? The Lady answers:
“Seest thou seven women round the tower?” “I
see them, lady,” say I. “This tower is supported by them by commandment
of the Lord. Hear now their employments. The first of them, the woman
with the strong hands, is called Faith; through
her are saved the elect of God. And the second, that is girded about and
looketh like a man, is called Continence; she is the daughter of Faith.
Whosoever then shall follow her, becometh happy in his life, for he
shall refrain from all evil deeds, believing
that, if he refrain from every evil desire, he shall inherit eternal
life.”
Whosoever then shall follow {Faith}
becometh happy in his life, for he shall refrain from all evil deeds,
believing that, if he refrain from every evil desire, he shall inherit
eternal life
“And the others, lady, who be they?” “They are
daughters one of the other. The name of the one is Simplicity, of the
next, Knowledge, of the next, Guilelessness, of the next, Reverence, of
the next, Love. When then thou shalt do
all the works of their mother, thou canst live.”
From Faith is born Continence, from Continence
Simplicity, from Simplicity Guilelessness, from Guilelessness
Reverence, from Reverence Knowledge, from Knowledge Love. Their works
then are pure and reverent and divine. Whosoever therefore
shall serve these women, and shall have strength to master their works,
shall have his dwelling in the tower with the saints of God.”
Whosoever therefore shall serve these
women, and shall have strength to master their works, shall have his
dwelling in the tower with the saints of God
Anonymous. The Shepherd of Hermas
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