The Shepherd of Hermas

The book The Shepherd of Hermas was written around the year 145 of Hermas in Rome. It was read to the 4th century in some Christian churches in worship. Hermas is counted among the Apostolic Fathers.

The author: Hermas

The Muratorian Fragment ( an approximately 170-200 AD resulting collection of Christian books) writes about the Shepherd of Hermas:

Thus, Hermas was a brother of the Roman bishop Pius I. He was a married freed slave and is regarded as prophetic gifted Christian.

As the author of the Apocalypse Shepherd of Hermas, he is counted among the Apostolic Fathers, and thus to the Church Fathers, also revered as a saint. Remembrance of Hermas is May 9

Since his work falls into the second century, it can hardly be identical to the Hermas, mentioned in Romans: Romans 16.14 EU (such as Origen accepted ).

The Shepherd of Hermas

Content

In this work, Hermas describes a series of revelations of an angel in the form of shepherds at him. The work is divided into five visions, twelve commandments, and ten parables. Here is an outline of Christian ethics. Christians are represented as strangers in this world. Repeated several times, the Church appears as a tower, whose construction is delayed to extend the time to turn back. In the preceding visions he encounters the church in the form of an old woman, among other things, this parable reveals to him the Tower and are the basics of Hermas ' commandments and parables.

Hermas very vividly describes the Christian community. He testified that the majority of Christians were faithful and credible people, but also speaks of the wicked, arrogant, and especially of the lapsi that were during the persecution of Christians under Trajan apostates ( including his own sons ).

Plays a special role this book for the development of the doctrines of sacramental penance, ie penance as a sacrament.

Tradition

The shepherd was written in Greek, as the Christian community in Rome was at that time (up to 200 AD ) still marked Greek. However emerged shortly afterwards a Latin version, which is disputed whether this was written by the same author as the original Greek. Has gone Only the Latin version is completely intact, the Greek version has been preserved only in a manuscript are missing from the several pages, so lost about the last fifth of the Greek text.

The Shepherd of Hermas is far more extensive than the most comprehensive book of the New Testament ( ie, about as extensive as Matthew and Mark's Gospel combined). Partly quotes from this book about Irenaeus of Lyons Clement of Alexandria or not therefore say that Hermas was similarly highly recognized or read as the books collected for NT because these were utilized far more intense. If the size of the NT is assumed to be 100 %, Hermas has almost 21 %.

The work particularly enjoyed great esteem in the East (especially in Egypt). At times, it was discussed whether the book should belong to the canon of New Testament writings. The book is very valuable for the study of early church history, as from the first half of the 2nd century only a few Christian texts are preserved.