Part 30
Footnote 1634:
The Vat. adds: of God.
Footnote 1635:
_For ... truth._ For even they can become worthy of credit, if you will speak the truth in future; and if you keep the truth.—_Vat._
Footnote 1636:
_This thought._ The thought of another man’s wife or of fornication.
Footnote 1637:
_Questions._ “I charge you,” said he, “to guard your chastity, and let no thought enter your heart of another man’s marriage (_i.e._ wife), or of fornication, for this produces a great transgression. But be always mindful of the Lord at all hours, and you will never sin. For if this very wicked thought enter your heart, you commit a great sin, and they who practise such deeds follow the way of death. Take heed, therefore, and refrain from this thought. For where chastity remains in the heart of a righteous man, never ought there to arise any evil thought.” I said to him, “Sir, permit me to say a few words to you.” “Say on,” said he.—_Vat._
Footnote 1638:
Matt. v. 32, xix. 9.
Footnote 1639:
_Who ... actions._ But he who makes an image also commits adultery.—_Vat._
Footnote 1640:
_Any one._ She.—_Vat._
Footnote 1641:
_There ... cure._ God, who has power to heal, will provide a remedy.—_Vat._
Footnote 1642:
_Bear ... words._ Give me a few words of explanation.—_Vat._
Footnote 1643:
_Repentance ... wisdom._ For he who repents obtains great intelligence. For he feels that he has sinned and acted wickedly.—_Vat._
Footnote 1644:
_For ... them._ Since God knows the thoughts of all hearts and the weakness of men, and the manifold wickedness of the devil which he practises in plotting against the servants of God, and in malignant designs against them.—_Vat._
Footnote 1645:
_In ... life._ These words occur only in Pal.
Footnote 1646:
_With ... live._ With difficulty will he live to God.—_Vat._ and _Pal._
Footnote 1647:
It will be noticed that space is attributed to the heart or soul, and that joy and goodness expand the heart, and produce width, while sadness and wickedness contract and straiten.
Footnote 1648:
_But ... himself._ But rejoicing he will be expanded, and he will feast in the vessel in which he dwells, and he will serve the Lord joyfully in the midst of great peace.—_Vat._ He will serve the Lord in great gladness, having abundance of all things within himself.—_Pal._
Footnote 1649:
_For ... anger_, omitted in Vat.; fuller in Pal.: For the Lord dwells in calmness and greatness of mind, but anger is the devil’s house of entertainment.
Footnote 1650:
_Patience is polluted._ The mind is distressed.—_Vat._; om. in Pal.
Footnote 1651:
_I ... heart._ I, the angel [or messenger] of righteousness, am with you, and all who depart from anger, and repent with their whole heart, will live to God.—_Vat._
Footnote 1652:
_Are justified._ Are received into the number of the just by the most holy angel (or messenger).—_Pal._
Footnote 1653:
_Hear ... away._ “Hear now,” said he, “how great is the wickedness of anger, and how injurious, and in what way it overthrows the servants of God. For they who are full of faith receive no harm from it, for the power of God is with them; for it is the doubters and those destitute [of faith] that it overturns.”—_Vat._
Footnote 1654:
_You ... Lord._ You will be found by God in the company of purity and chastity.—_Vat._
Footnote 1655:
_And put ... them._ That you may live to God, and they who keep these commandments will live to God.—_Vat._
Footnote 1656:
_Forthwith ... heart_, omitted in Lips.
Footnote 1657:
_Transactions._ I think the writer means, when a longing is felt to engage with too great devotedness to business and the pursuit of wealth.
Footnote 1658:
_Trust ... deed._ Trust the angel of righteousness, because his instruction is good.—_Vat._
Footnote 1659:
_Faithful._ Most happy.—_Vat._
Footnote 1660:
_But to bid farewell._ The Vat. ends quite differently from this point: If, then, you follow him, and trust to his works, you will live to God; and they who trust to his works will live to God.—_Vat._
Footnote 1661:
Eccles. xii. 13.
Footnote 1662:
_Why ... they only who fear the Lord_, om. in Vat.
Footnote 1663:
_God._ Lord.—_Vat._
Footnote 1664:
_For ... sin_, om. in Lips.
Footnote 1665:
_From them ... all who act thus will love to God_, om. in Vat., which ends thus: If you keep all these commandments, you will live to God, and all who keep these commandments will live to God.
Footnote 1666:
_With difficulty be saved._ Will with difficulty live to God.—_Vat._
Footnote 1667:
_Lord._ God.—_Vat._
Footnote 1668:
The Vat. has here a considerable number of sentences, found in the Greek, the Palatine, and the Æthiopic, in Commandment Eleventh. In consequence of this transference, the Eleventh Commandment in the Vatican differs considerably from the others in the position of the sentences, but otherwise it is substantially the same.
Footnote 1669:
_And ... business._ This part is omitted in the Leipsic Codex, and is supplied from the Latin and Æthiopic translations.
Footnote 1670:
_This ... repented_, omitted in Vat.
Footnote 1671:
_God._ The Lord.—_Vat._, _Æth._
Footnote 1672:
_God._ The Lord.—_Vat._
Footnote 1673:
_Grief._ Injustice.—_Vat._
Footnote 1674:
ἐξομολογούμενος one would expect here to mean “giving thanks,” a meaning which it has in the New Testament; but as ἐξομολογοῦμαι means to “confess” throughout the _Pastor of Hermas_, it is likely that it means “confessing” here also.
Footnote 1675:
_Is ... God._ He who sits in the chair is a terrestrial spirit.—_Vat._ And then follows the dislocation of sentences noticed above.
Footnote 1676:
_The spirit of all men is earthly_, etc. This passage, down to “it is not possible that the prophet of God should do this,” is found in the Vat. and other MSS. of the common translation, with the exception of the Lambeth, in Commandment Twelfth.
Footnote 1677:
_Angel of the prophetic Spirit._ The holy messenger (angel) of Divinity.—_Vat._
Footnote 1678:
_Earth._ After this the Vatican reads: Join yourself, therefore, to that which has power, and withdraw from that one which is empty.
Footnote 1679:
_For ... God._ This desire, therefore, is wicked and destructive, bringing death on the servants of God. Whoever, therefore, shall abstain from evil desire, shall live to God.—_Vat._
Footnote 1680:
_God._ The Lord.—_Vat._
Footnote 1681:
_Go ... wishes._ And you will obtain the victory, and will be crowned on account of it, and you will arrive at good desire, and you will deliver up the victory which you have obtained to God, and you will serve Him by acting even as you yourself wish to act.—_Vat._
Footnote 1682:
Chapters third, fourth, and part of fifth, are omitted in the Palatine.
Footnote 1683:
_God._ The Lord.—_Vat._
Footnote 1684:
_If ... kept_, omitted in Vat.
Footnote 1685:
Isa. xxix. 13; Matt. xv. 8.
Footnote 1686:
John xii. 40; 2 Cor. iii. 14.
Footnote 1687:
_Empty._ Half full.—_Vat._
Footnote 1688:
_Trust God._ Believe ye, then, who on account of your sins have forgotten God.—_Vat._
Footnote 1689:
_Practise ... days_, omitted in Vat.
Footnote 1690:
Matt. x. 28; Luke xii. 5.
Footnote 1691:
_Rule over ... commandments._ But we shall conquer him completely, if we can keep these commandments.—_Vat._
BOOK THIRD.—SIMILITUDES. SIMILITUDES WHICH HE SPAKE WITH ME.
SIMILITUDE FIRST. _As in this world we have no abiding city, we ought to seek one to come._
He says to me, “You know that you who are the servants of God dwell in a strange land; for your city is far away from this one. If, then,” he continues, “you know your city in which you are to dwell, why do ye here provide lands, and make expensive preparations, and accumulate dwellings and useless buildings? He who makes such preparations for this city cannot return again to his own. Oh foolish, and unstable, and miserable man! Dost thou not understand that all these things belong to another, and are under the power of another? for the lord of this city will say, ‘I do not wish thee to dwell in my city; but depart from this city, because thou obeyest not my laws.’ Thou, therefore, although having fields and houses, and many other things, when cast out by him, what wilt thou do with thy land, and house, and other possessions which thou hast gathered to thyself? For the lord of this country justly says to thee, ‘Either obey my laws or depart from my dominion.’ What, then, dost thou intend to do, having a law in thine own city, on account of thy lands, and the rest of thy possessions?[1692] Thou shalt altogether deny thy law, and walk according to the law of this city. See lest it be to thy hurt to deny thy law;[1693] for if thou shalt desire to return to thy city, thou wilt not be received, because thou hast denied the law of thy city, but wilt be excluded from it. Have a care, therefore: as one living in a foreign land, make no further preparations for thyself than such merely as may be sufficient; and be ready, when the master of this city shall come to cast thee out for disobeying his law, to leave his city, and to depart to thine own, and to obey thine own law without being exposed to annoyance, but in great joy. Have a care, then, ye who serve the Lord, and have Him in your heart, that ye work the works of God, remembering His commandments and promises which He promised, and believe that He will bring them to pass if His commandments be observed. Instead of lands, therefore, buy afflicted souls, according as each one is able, and visit[1694] widows and orphans, and do not overlook them; and spend your wealth and all your preparations, which ye received from the Lord, upon such lands and houses. For to this end did the Master make you rich, that you might perform these services unto Him; and it is much better to purchase such lands, and possessions, and houses, as you will find in your own city, when you come to reside in it. This is a noble and sacred expenditure, attended neither with sorrow nor fear, but with joy. Do not practise the expenditure of the heathen,[1695] for it is injurious to you who are the servants of God; but practise an expenditure of your own, in which ye can rejoice; and do not corrupt[1696] nor touch what is another’s, nor covet it, for it is an evil thing to covet the goods of other men; but work thine own work, and thou wilt be saved.”
SIMILITUDE SECOND. _As the vine is supported by the elm, so is the rich man helped by the prayer of the poor._
As I was walking in the field, and observing an elm and vine, and determining in my own mind respecting them and their fruits, the Shepherd appears to me, and says, “What is it that you are thinking about the elm and vine?” “I am considering,” I reply, “that they become each other exceedingly well.” “These two trees,” he continues, “are intended as an example for the servants of God.” “I would like to know,” said I, “the example which these trees, you say, are intended to teach.” “Do you see,” he says, “the elm and the vine?” “I see them, sir,” I replied. “This vine,” he continued, “produces fruit, and the elm is an unfruitful tree; but unless the vine be trained upon the elm, it cannot bear much fruit when extended at length upon the ground;[1697] and the fruit which it does bear is rotten, because the plant is not suspended upon the elm. When, therefore, the vine is cast upon the elm, it yields fruit both from itself and from the elm. You see, moreover, that the elm also produces much fruit, not less than the vine, but even more; because,”[1698] he continued, “the vine, when suspended upon the elm, yields much fruit, and good; but when thrown upon the ground, what it produces is small and rotten. This similitude, therefore, is for the servants of God—for the poor man and for the rich.” “How so, sir?” said I; “explain the matter to me.” “Listen,” he said: “The rich man has much wealth, but is poor in matters relating to the Lord, because he is distracted about his riches; and he offers very few confessions and intercessions to the Lord, and those which he does offer are small and weak, and have no power above. But when the rich man refreshes[1699] the poor, and assists him in his necessities, believing that what he does to the poor man will be able to find its reward with God—because the poor man is rich in intercession and confession, and his intercession has great power with God—then the rich man helps the poor in all things without hesitation; and the poor man, being helped by the rich, intercedes for him, giving thanks to God for him who bestows gifts upon him. And he still continues to interest himself zealously for the poor man, that his wants may be constantly supplied. For he knows that the intercession of the poor man is acceptable and influential with God. Both, accordingly, accomplish their work. The poor man makes intercession; a work in which he is rich, which he received from the Lord, and with which he recompenses the master who helps him. And the rich man, in like manner, unhesitatingly bestows upon the poor man the riches which he received from the Lord. And this is a great work, and acceptable before God, because he understands the object of his wealth, and has given to the poor of the gifts of the Lord, and rightly discharged his service to Him. Among men, however, the elm appears not to produce fruit, and they do not know nor understand that if a drought come, the elm, which contains water, nourishes the vine; and the vine, having an unfailing supply of water, yields double fruit both for itself and for the elm. So also poor men interceding with the Lord on behalf of the rich, increase their riches; and the rich, again, aiding the poor in their necessities, satisfy their souls. Both, therefore, are partners in the righteous work. He who does these things shall not be deserted by God, but shall be enrolled in the books of the living. Blessed are they who have riches, and who understand that they are from the Lord. [For they who are of that mind will be able to do some good.[1700]]”
SIMILITUDE THIRD. _As in winter green trees cannot be distinguished from withered, so in this world neither can the just from the unjust._
He showed me many trees having no leaves, but withered, as it seemed to me; for all were alike. And he said to me, “Do you see those trees?” “I see, sir,” I replied, “that all are alike, and withered.” He answered me, and said, “These trees which you see are those who dwell in this world.” “Why, then, sir,” I said, “are they withered, as it were, and alike?”[1701] “Because,” he said, “neither are the righteous manifest in this life, nor sinners, but they are alike; for this life is a winter to the righteous, and they do not manifest themselves, because they dwell with sinners: for as in winter trees that have cast their leaves are alike, and it is not seen which are dead and which are living, so in this world neither do the righteous show themselves, nor sinners, but all are alike one to another.”
SIMILITUDE FOURTH. _As in summer living trees are distinguished from withered by fruit and living leaves, so in the world to come the just differ from the unjust in happiness._
He showed me again many trees, some budding, and others withered. And he said to me, “Do you see these trees?” “I see, sir,” I replied, “some putting forth buds, and others withered.” “Those,” he said, “which are budding are the righteous who are to live in the world to come; for the coming world is the summer[1702] of the righteous, but the winter of sinners. When, therefore, the mercy of the Lord shines forth, then shall they be made manifest who are the servants of God, and all men shall be made manifest. For as in summer the fruits of each individual tree appear, and it is ascertained of what sort they are, so also the fruits of the righteous shall be manifest, and all who have been fruitful in that world shall be made known.[1703] But the heathen and sinners, like the withered trees which you saw, will be found to be those who have been withered and unfruitful in that world, and shall be burnt as wood, and [so] made manifest, because their actions were evil during their lives. For the sinners shall be consumed because they sinned and did not repent, and the heathen shall be burned because they knew not Him who created them. Do you therefore bear fruit, that in that summer your fruit may be known. And refrain from much business, and you will never sin: for they who are occupied with much business commit also many sins, being distracted about their affairs, and not at all serving their Lord. How, then,” he continued, “can such a one ask and obtain anything from the Lord, if he serve Him not? They who serve Him shall obtain their requests, but they who serve Him not shall receive nothing. And in the performance even of a single action a man can serve the Lord; for his mind will not be perverted from the Lord, but he will serve Him, having a pure mind. If, therefore, you do these things, you shall be able to bear fruit for the life to come. And every one who will do these things shall bear fruit.”
SIMILITUDE FIFTH. _Of true fasting and its reward: also of purity of body._
CHAP. I.
While fasting and sitting on a certain mountain, and giving thanks to the Lord for all His dealings with me, I see the Shepherd sitting down beside me, and saying, “Why have you come hither [so] early in the morning?” “Because, sir,” I answered, “I have a station.” “What is a station?” he asked. “I am fasting, sir,” I replied. “What is this fasting,” he continued, “which you are observing?” “As I have been accustomed, sir,” I reply, “so I fast.” “You do not know,” he says, “how to fast unto the Lord: this useless fasting which you observe to Him is of no value.” “Why, sir,” I answered, “do you say this?” “I say to you,” he continued, “that the fasting which you think you observe is not a fasting. But I will teach you what is a full and acceptable fasting to the Lord. Listen,” he continued: “God does not desire such an empty fasting. For fasting to God in this way you will do nothing for a righteous life; but offer to God a fasting of the following kind: Do no evil in your life, and serve the Lord with a pure heart: keep His commandments, walking in His precepts, and let no evil desire arise in your heart; and believe in God. If you do these things, and fear Him, and abstain from every evil thing, you will live unto God; and if you do these things, you will keep a great fast, and one acceptable before God.”
CHAP. II.
“Hear the similitude which I am about to narrate to you relative to fasting. A certain man had a field and many slaves, and he planted a certain part of the field with a vineyard,[1704] and selecting a faithful and beloved and much valued slave, he called him to him, and said, ‘Take this vineyard which I have planted, and stake[1705] it until I come, and do nothing else to the vineyard; and attend to this order of mine, and you shall receive your freedom from me.’ And the master of the slave departed to a foreign country. And when he was gone, the slave took and staked the vineyard; and when he had finished the staking of the vines, he saw that the vineyard was full of weeds. He then reflected, saying, ‘I have kept this order of my master: I will dig up the rest of this vineyard, and it will be more beautiful when dug up; and being free of weeds, it will yield more fruit, not being choked by them.’ He took, therefore, and dug up the vineyard, and rooted out all the weeds that were in it. And that vineyard became very beautiful and fruitful, having no weeds to choke it. And after a certain time the master of the slave and of the field returned, and entered into the vineyard. And seeing that the vines were suitably supported on stakes, and the ground, moreover, dug up, and all the weeds rooted out, and the vines fruitful, he was greatly pleased with the work of his slave. And calling his beloved son who was his heir, and his friends who were his councillors, he told them what orders he had given his slave, and what he had found performed. And they rejoiced along with the slave at the testimony which his master bore to him. And he said to them, ‘I promised this slave freedom if he obeyed the command which I gave him, and he has kept my command, and done besides a good work to the vineyard, and has pleased me exceedingly. In return, therefore, for the work which he has done, I wish to make him co-heir with my son, because, having good thoughts, he did not neglect them, but carried them out.’ With this resolution of the master his son and friends were well pleased, viz. that the slave should be co-heir with the son. After a few days the master made a feast,[1706] and sent to his slave many dishes from his table. And the slave receiving the dishes that were sent him from his master, took of them what was sufficient for himself, and distributed the rest among his fellow-slaves. And his fellow-slaves rejoiced to receive the dishes, and began to pray for him, that he might find still greater favour with his master for having so treated them. His master heard all these things that were done, and was again greatly pleased with his conduct. And the master again calling together his friends and his son, reported to them the slave’s proceeding with regard to the dishes which he had sent him. And they were still more satisfied that the slave should become co-heir with his son.”
CHAP. III.