Lost scriptures: books that did not make it into the New Testament (65 page)

While some of these books discuss the end of the world as we know it (e.g., some of the Montanist revelations, which are still lost to us), others narrate prophetic visions of the fate of individual souls rewarded with eternal bliss in heaven or damned to never-ending torments in hell (e.g., the Apocalypse of Peter). Others provide general warnings of future catastrophes on earth for which believers needed to prepare themselves (e.g., the
Shepherd
of Hermas). And yet others show how this world came into being in the first place, along with the supernatural realm and the human race (e.g., the Secret Book of John).

As with the other non-canonical books found in this collection, there is a range of perspective found here; some of these books are completely orthodox, but were excluded from the canon because they were known not to have been written by ancient apostles (e.g., the
Shepherd
); others were suspected of being forged (Apocalypse of Peter); and yet others were widely considered in proto-orthodox circles to contain heretical teachings that were to be attacked rather than affirmed (the Secret Book of John). The communities that revered such books, of course, thought just the opposite, that they were sacred texts providing divine revelations of the true nature of the world, of how it came into being (often based on an interpretation of the book of Genesis), and how we ourselves came to inhabit it. Not until the decisions determining the shape of orthodoxy were made were these books effectively silenced, and for the most part lost, until their fortuitous discovery in modern times.

The Shepherd of Hermas

The
Shepherd
was a popular book among Christians of the first four centuries. Written by Hermas, brother of Pius, bishop of Rome, during the first half of the second century, the book was regarded by some churches as canonical Scripture. It was eventually excluded from the canon, however, in part because it was known not to have been written by an apostle.1 Even so, it was still included as one of the books of the New Testament in the fourth-century codex Sinaiticus and is mentioned by other authors of the time as standing on the margins of the canon.2

The book takes its name from an angelic mediator who appears to Hermas in the form of a shepherd. Other angelic beings appear here as well, in particular an old woman who identifies herself as the personification of the Christian church. These various figures communicate divine revelations to Hermas and, upon request, interpret their meaning to him.

The book is divided into a series of five visions, twelve sets of commandments (or “mandates”), and ten parables (or “similitudes”). The visions and similitudes are enigmatic and symbolic; they are usually explained to Hermas as having a spiritual significance for the Christian here on earth.

The mandates are somewhat easier to interpret, consisting for the most part of direct exhortations to speak the truth, give alms, do good, and avoid sexual immorality, drunkenness, gluttony, and other vices.

Indeed, the entire book is driven by an ethical concern: what can Christians do if they have fallen into sin after being baptized? A number of early Christians had insisted that those who returned to lives of sin after joining the church had lost any hope of salvation. An alternative view is advanced by Hermas, who maintains, on the basis of divine revelations, that Christians who have fallen again into sin after their baptism have a second chance (but only one second chance) to repent and return to God’s good graces. Those who refuse to avail themselves of this opportunity, however, or who revert to sin again thereafter, will be forced to face the judgment of God on the day of reckoning soon to come.

1See the Muratorian Canon. 2See the Canons of Eusebius and Athanasius.

Translation by Bart D. Ehrman, in
The
Apostolic
Fathers,
vol. 2 (Loeb Classical Library; Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, 2003); used with permission.

251

252

NON-CANONICAL APOCALYPSES AND REVELATORY TREATISES

The
Shepherd
of Hermas is the longest work to survive from the first hundred years of the Christian church. The following extracts are representative of the whole.

Vision
One

of his holy church, created, increased,

and multiplied that which exists out of

(I,
1)

that which does not exist, is angry at you

1 The one who raised me sold me to for sinning against me.”

a certain woman named Rhoda, in

7
I answered her, “Have I sinned

Rome. After many years, I regained her

against you? In what way? When did I

acquaintance and began to love her as a

speak an inappropriate word to you?

sister.

Have I not always thought of you as a

2
When some time had passed, I saw

goddess? Have I not always respected

her bathing in the Tiber river; and I gave

you as a sister? Why do you make such

her my hand to help her out of the river.

evil and foul accusations against me, O

When I observed her beauty I began reawoman?”

soning in my heart, “I would be fortunate

8
But she laughed and said to me, “The

to have a wife of such beauty and chardesire for evil did rise up in your heart.

acter.” This is all I had in mind, nothing

Or do you not think it is evil for an evil

else.

desire to arise in the heart of an upright

3
When some time had passed, I was

man? Indeed,” she said, “it is a great sin.

traveling to the countryside, glorifying

For the upright man intends to do what

the creations of God and thinking how

is right. And so, when he intends to do

great, remarkable, and powerful they are.

what is right his reputation is firmly es

On the way I fell asleep and a spirit took

tablished in heaven and he finds that the

me and carried me through a certain de

Lord looks favorably on everything he

serted place that was impassable, for the

does. But those who intend in their hearts

place was steep and split up by the

to do evil bring death and captivity on

courses of water. When I crossed the river

themselves—especially those who are in

I came to level ground and bowed my

vested in this age, who rejoice in their

knees; and I began praying to the Lord

wealth and do not cling to the good things

and confessing my sins.

yet to come.

4
While I was praying the sky opened

9
Those who have no hope but have

up and I saw the woman I had desired,

already abandoned themselves and their

addressing me from heaven: “Hermas,

lives will regret it. But pray to God, and

greeting!” I looked at her and said,

he will heal your sins, along with those

“Lady, what are you doing here?”

of your entire household and of all the

5
She replied to me, “I have been taken

saints.”

up to accuse your sins before the Lord.”

6
I said to her, “So now are you accus

(I,
2)

ing me?” “No,” she said, “but listen to

2

what I have to say to you. The God who

After she had spoken these words,

the skies were shut; I was tremdwells in heaven and who, for the sake bling all over and upset. I began saying

THE SHEPHERD OF HERMAS

253

to myself, “If this sin is recorded against

committed. For you yourself have been

me, how can I be saved? Or how will I

brought to ruin by the affairs of daily

appease God for the sins I have recently

life—because of their sins and lawless

committed?a What words can I use to ask

acts.

the Lord for mercy?”

2
But the Lord’s compassion has

2
While I was mulling these things

granted you and your household mercy,

over in my heart and trying to reach a

and it will make you strong and establish

decision, I saw across from me a large

you in its glory. But you must not relax;

white chair, made of wool, white as snow.

instead, take courage and strengthen your

And an elderly woman came, dressed in

household. For as the coppersmith hamradiant clothes and holding a book in her mers his work to master the material as

hands. She sat down, alone, and adhe wants, so also the upright word spoken dressed me, “Greetings, Hermas.” And I

every day masters all evil. Do not stop

said, still upset and weeping, “Greetings

exhorting your children. For I know that

Lady.”

if they repent from their whole heart, they

3
She said to me, “Why are you sad,

will be recorded with the saints in the

Hermas—you who are patient, slow to

books of the living.”

anger, and always laughing? Why are you

3
When she finished these words, she

so downcast, and not cheerful?” I replied

said to me, “Do you want to hear me

to her, “Because of a very good woman

read?” I replied to her, “Yes, Lady, I do.”

who has been telling me that I sinned

She said to me, “Be a hearer and hear the

against her.”

glories of God.” I heard great and amaz

4
And she said, “May such a thing

ing matters that I could not remember.

never happen to a slave of God! But

For all the words were terrifying, more

probably something did rise up in your

than a person can bear. But I have reheart about her. This kind of notion membered the final words, for they were

brings the slaves of God into sin. For

beneficial to us, and gentle:

when someone longs to do what is evil,

4
“Behold, the powerful God, who

it is an evil and shocking notion, directed

with his invisible power, might, and great

against a fully reverend and tested spirit—

understanding created the world, and by

especially

for

Hermas,

the

self-

his glorious plan encompassed his creacontrolled, who abstains from every evil tion with beauty, and by his powerful

desire and is full of all simplicity and

word fixed the sky and founded the earth

great innocence.

upon the waters, and by his unique wisdom and foreknowledge created his holy
(I,
3)

church, which he also blessed—behold,

3 “Still, God is angry with you, not he transforms the skies and the mountains about this, but so that you may

and the hills and the seas, and everything

convert your household, which has acted

becomes level for his elect, that he may

lawlessly against the Lord and against

deliver over to them the promise he made,

you, their parents. But since you yourself

with great glory and joy, if they keep the

are so fond of your children you do not

ordinances of God, which they received

admonish your household, and so you

in great faith.”

allow it to be terribly ruined. This is why

the Lord is angry with you. But he will

heal every evil your household formerly

aOr:
for
the
sins
I
am
yet
to
commit
254

NON-CANONICAL APOCALYPSES AND REVELATORY TREATISES

(I,
4)

thing, letter by letter, for I could not dis4 Then, when she finished reading tinguish between the syllables. And then, and rose up from the chair, four

when I completed the letters of the book,

young men came and took the chair and

it was suddenly seized from my hand; but

went away to the east.

I did not see by whom.

2
She called me over and touched my

breast and said to me, “Did my reading

(II,
2)

please you?” I said to her, “Lady, these

last words are pleasing to me, but the

6 Fifteen days later, after I had fasted

and asked the Lord many things,

earlier ones were difficult and hard.” She

the meaning of the writing was revealed

said to me, “These last words are for

to me. These are the words that were

those who are upright, but the former are

written:

for the outsiders and apostates.”

2
“Your offspring, Hermas, have re

3
While she was speaking with me,

jected God, blasphemed the Lord, and

two other men appeared and took her by

betrayed their parents with a great evil.

the arms and went away to the east,

And even though they have been called

where the chair was. She went away

betrayers of their parents, they have

cheerfully; and while she was going she