Christian History Home > Issue 43 > Books That Almost Made It
Books That Almost Made It
Excerpt from a popular writing that some wanted to include in the New Testament: The Shepherd of Hermas
posted 7/01/1994 12:00AM
In this picturesque allegory, a shepherd (Jesus) gives strict moral guidance through visions, “mandates,” and “similitudes” to a man named “Hermas.” The former slave-turned-businessman wrote it between 90 and 157 in Rome. It was used as a textbook for new believers and was considered Scripture by Irenaeus (c. 130–c. 200) and Clement of Alexandria (c. 150–c. 215).
The Gift of Repentance
I asked [the shepherd], “Because my sins are abundant, what must I do to live?”
“You shall live,” he said, “if you keep my commandments and walk in them. Whosoever shall hear and keep these commandments shall live before God.”
“I must continue to question,” I said. “Some teachers say that there is no second repentance beyond what was granted when we were blessed in the water of baptism and received remission for our previous sins.”
He replied, “That is so; for he who has received remission for former sins ought never to sin again but live in purity. Since you never cease asking about such things, I will explain ... To view this item, you must be a member of ChristianHistory.net.
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