The Shepherd of Hermas

Hermas

Hermas. The Apostolic Fathers with an English translation by Kirsopp Lake. In Two Volumes. Vol. II. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press; London: William Heinemann Ltd. 1913

Do you see, said he, the crowd which is building the tower? Yes, Sir, said I, I see it. They, said he, are all glorious angels; by these then the Lord[*](It is noteworthy that here the Lord is for the moment identified with the tower.) has been walled round. But the gate is the Son of God, this is the only entrance to the Lord. No man can enter in to him otherwise, than through his Son.

So[*](The six men) you see, said he, the six men, and the glorious and great man in their midst, who is walking round the tower and rejected the stones from the building? Yes, Sir, said I, I see him.

The glorious man, said he, is the Son of God, and[*](The glorious man)

those six are glorious angels supporting him on the right hand and on the left. None of these glorious angels, said he, can enter into God’s presence without him. Whoever receives not his name shall not enter into the kingdom of God.

But, said I, what is the tower? This[*](The Tower) tower, said he, is the Church.

And what[*](The Maidens) are these maidens?They, said he, are holy spirits. And a man cannot be found in the kingdom of God in any other way, except they clothe him with their clothing. For if you receive the name alone but do not receive the clothing from them, you will benefit nothing, for these maidens are the powers of the Son of God. If you bear the name, but do not bear his power you will be bearing his name in vain.

And the stones, said he, which you saw rejected, these are they who bore the name, but were not clothed with the raiment of the maidens. What, said I, is their raiment. Sir? Their names themselves, said he, are their raiment. Whoever bears the name of the Son of God must also bear their names; for even the Son himself bears the names of these maidens.[*](The explanation is given in Sim. ix. 15.)