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The Pastor of Hermas
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Introductory Note to The Pastor of Hermas
[252] The Vatican here makes Hermas interrupt the Shepherd, and ask, “How greater than the vine?”
[253] [Based on Jas. i. 9-11, 27, and ii. 1–9: introducing the heathen world to just ideas of human brotherhood, and the mutual relations of the poor and the rich.]
[254] The translation of the text is based on the Palatine. Lips. Reads: “When the rich man fills out upon the poor.” Hilgenfeld amends this: “When the rich man recovers breath upon the poor.” Neither gives sense. The Æthiopic has: “But if the rich man lean on the poor;” and the Greek of Hilgenfeld might mean: “When the rich man recovers his breath by leaning on the poor.” The Vatican is quite different: “When, therefore, the rich man helps the poor in those things which he needs, the poor man prays to the Lord for the rich man, and God bestows all blessings upon the rich man, because the poor man is rich in prayer, and his prayer has great merit with God. Then the rich man accordingly assists the poor man’s things, because he feels that he is fully heard (exaudiri) by the Lord; and the more willingly and unhesitatingly does he give him every help, and takes care that he wants for nothing. The poor man gives thanks to God for the rich man, because they do their duty in respect to the Lord (a Domino).”
[255] [I note this use of the word “influential,” because it was formerly denounced as an Americanism.]
[257] The sentence in brackets is not in Lips. It is taken from Pal.
[258] The Vatican renders this thus: “Why do they resemble those that are, as it were, withered?”
[260] Summer. Throne.—Lips. [Rom. viii. 22-24.]
[261] The Vatican has, “And all the merry and joyful shall be restored in that age.”
[262] [1 Cor. vii. 30-35;Rom. xii. 11.]
[263] [This anachronism betrays the later origin of “The Pastor.” The Pauline Hermas would not have used this technical term. These fasts were very early fixed by canon for Wednesdays and Fridays. See Canon lxix. of canons called “Apostolical;” also Bingham, book xiii. cap. 9, and this volume, p. 34, note 4.]
[264] [See cap. iii. of this similitude.]
[265] The Vatican adds, “for his successors.”
[266] i.e., attach the vines to stakes.
[267] The Vatican adds, “Having called together his friends.” [The gospel parables of the vineyard, and of the sower, and of the man travelling into a far country, are here reflected passim. I cannot but refer to a parable which greatly resembles this, and is yet more beautiful, occurring in Mrs. Sherwood’s Stories on the Catechism (Fijou), a book for children. It is not unworthy of Bunyan.]
[268] [To read into this passage the idea of “supererogatory merit” is an unpardonable anachronism. (Compare Command. iv. 4.) The writer everywhere denies human merit, extols mercy, and imputes good works to grace. He has in view St. Paul’s advice (1 Cor. vii. 25-28), or our blessed Lord’s saying (Matt. xix. 12). The abuse of such Scriptures propped up a false system (2 Pet. iii. 16) after it had been invented by Pelagians and monastic enthusiasts. But it has no place in the mind of Hermas, nor in the mind of Christ.]
[269] [Thus he does not object to the “station,” if kept with evangelical acts of devotion and penitence. Isa. lviii. 5-8.]
[270] Pseudo-Athanasius gives this paragraph as follows: “First of all be on your guard to fast from every evil word and evil report, and purify your heart from every defilement and revenge, and base covetousness. And on the day on which you fast, be content with bread, and herbs, and water, giving thanks to God. And having calculated the amount of the cost of the meal which you intended to have eaten on that day, give it to a widow, or an orphan, or to some one in want, so that, having clearly filled his own soul, he shall pray to the Lord on your behalf. If you therefore perform your fasting as I enjoined you, your sacrifice will be acceptable before the Lord, and inscribed in the heavens in the day of the requital of the good things that have been prepared for the righteous.”
[271] [Note this detailed account of primitive fasting (2 Cor. vi. 5, ix. 27, xi. 27). Amid all the apostle’s sufferings and dying daily, he adds fastings to involuntary hunger and thirst.]
[272] Literally, “self-willed.” (αὐθάδης).
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