Toronto School of Theology

The Visions of the Shepherd of Hermas – A Rhetorical Mousetrap

RGB6910 The Apostolic Fathers

Jonathan Bernier

Kenneth Light

April 14, 2022

 The Shepherd of Hermas is a fascinating document that has survived from the period of the

Apostolic Fathers. It was widely popular at the time, and many manuscripts have survived. Yet

today, it is little known outside of theological circles. Dan Batovici comments that it is ‘replete of

allegorical material, occasionally inconsistent and largely repetitive, which leads modern readers

every now and again to describe it as naïve, dilettante, and incompetent, or plainly boring’1 In this

paper, we examine the first three visions of The Shepherd from a literary perspective and consider

what impact it may have on a sympathetic reader. We will see that the reader increasingly identifies

with the journey of the main character Hermas and, in the end, is led into a rhetorical trap where

the reader realizes that the story is about them. We will look at the circumstances in the text’s

formation and how it was received. We then look at the text itself and what it has to say and

consider how it may impact the reader.

Textual formation, reception, and influence

The ancient title was simply ‘[The] Shepherd’ in Codex Sinaiticus, and for the most part,

this is the title in patristic literature.2 Its title comes from the principal mediator of the revelations,

an angel of repentance who comes to Hermas in the guise of a shepherd.3

It was highly regarded in the Ancient Church and is quoted by Irenaeus in the west and

Clement of Alexandria in the east and is mentioned by both Tertullian and Origen.4 It was initially

written in Greek and subsequently translated into Latin and later into Coptic.5 In the first centuries

of the Christian era, we also see translations into Ethiopian, Georgian and Pahlavi.6 Information

about the author is based solely on internal evidence within the text itself. He identifies himself as

1
Bird and Harrower, Cambridge Companion, 290.
2
Bird and Harrower, 300.
3
Tagliabue, “Learning from Allegorical Images,” 221.
4
Verheyden, “The Shepherd of Hermas,” 397.
5
Verheyden, 197.
6
Tagliabue, “Learning from Allegorical Images,” 222.

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Hermas, abandoned as a child and then sold to a woman named Rhoda. He later becomes a

freedman. Hermas was at one time in business and currently has trouble with his family (7.1). He

does not seem to have any official standing in the Christian community7 but has been given a

message in the form of five visions to speak to the officials of the church (6.6).

The Shepherd is difficult to date. Irenaeus refers to it in Against Heresies, so it must have

been written before 175CE.8 The Muratorian Canon, dated to the last decades of the second

century,9 refers to The Shepherd stating that it was written ‘quite recently in our time in the city of

Rome while his brother Pius, the bishop, was sitting on the throne of the church…’ however,

Holmes urges caution saying it may be an attempt to discredit it.10 Internal evidence is scanty. In

Vis. 8:3, the elderly woman tells Hermas to write two books sending one to Clement and the other

to Grapte. It states, ‘Then Clement will send it to the cities abroad because that is his job. But

Grapte will instruct the widows and orphans.’ This may be the Clement of Rome who wrote 1

Clement, in which case that would place it in the last two decades of the first century.11

As for its provenance, The Shepherd was probably written in Rome. The city and the river

Tiber were mentioned by name in (1.1), and later in (22.1), Hermas mentions travelling on the Via

Campania, one of the main roads. The fact that Rome is a backdrop to this genre of literature does

not mean the location is necessarily imaginary.12,13

The Shepherd mentions no other New Testament writings, yet the thought-forms seem to

be in the text. Paul Foster posits that there are plausible literary dependencies on 1 Corinthians,

7
Verheyden, “The Shepherd of Hermas,” 398.
8
Holmes, The Apostolic Fathers, 174.
9
Sundberg, “Canon Muratori,” 3.
10
Holmes, The Apostolic Fathers, 174.
11
Holmes, 27.
12
Bird and Harrower, Cambridge Companion, 301.
13
Verheyden, “The Shepherd of Hermas,” 393.

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Ephesians, and James.14 In his Ph.D. dissertation, Jonathan Soyars argues that ‘the Shepherd

reveals significant and meaningful contact with, the influence of, and reuse of material from the

Pauline corpus.’15

The Shepherd was read widely and, at one point, was a contender to be included in the

canon.16 Clement of Alexandria quotes Hermas several times: "The Shepherd, the angel of

repentance" says to Hermas about the false prophet, "He speaks some words of truth. For the devil

fills him with his own spirit, to see if he will be able to break down any of the righteous.''

(Stromateis 1:85:4)17 Later, he quotes Vis. 12.3: So it was by divine inspiration that the power

addressed Hermas in a revelation: "These visions and revelations are for the sake of those divided

in mind, debating in their hearts whether these things are true or not." (Stromateis 1:29:181(1))18

Irenaeus also quotes Hermas with approval: Consequently, Scripture declared truth when it said,

“First of all, believe that God is one, who created all things and set them in order, and made out of

what did not exist everything that is.”19,20 Eusebius also mentions The Shepherd stating that the

author was the same Hermas mentioned in Romans 16. He tells us that The Shepherd was rejected

by some and should not be placed among approved works but has been judged as indispensable,

especially for those who need elementary instruction.21

Hermas hints at the persecution of his Christian community and that more persecution is

to come. He receives the message to tell church officials to be steadfast and not double-minded

and that those who patiently endure the coming great tribulation are blessed (6.7). In Vision 3, the

14
Bird and Harrower, Cambridge Companion, 117.
15
Soyars, “The Shepherd of Hermas and the Pauline Legacy,” 1.
16
Verheyden, “The Shepherd of Hermas,” 397.
17
Ferguson and Clement of Alexandria, Stromateis, Books 1-3, 88.
18
Ferguson and Clement of Alexandria, 154.
19
Against Heresies 4.20.2
20
Irenaeus and Payton, Irenaeus on the Christian Faith, 113.
21
Eccl. Hist. 3:11-13

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elderly woman tells him that those who sit on her ride hand side are those who have pleased God

and have suffered for the sake of the Name (9.9). This suggests some intense persecution in the

past that is temporally close enough to serve as an example of endurance.22 Scholars argue that the

lack of historical evidence for the persecution of Christians at that time suggests that Hermas was

either speaking eschatologically or alluding to earlier memories of the Neronian persecutions.23,24

The Shepherd represents concerns primarily of lower-class slaves and freedmen of marginal social

and economic standing.25

The work exhibits what seems to be a composite structure. It can be broken into three

loosely coupled parts, each of a different nature: Visions (chs. 1-25), Commandments (chs. 26-49),

and Parables (chs. 50-144).26 Carolyn Osiek leans toward the opinion that it was written in several

stages Visions 1-4, then Visions 5, and the Commandments, then the Parables.27 Whether it was

the work of a single author writing over a protracted period or multiple authors at different times

is still being debated.28

The world in the text

Now we consider the first three visions, the type of writing they represent, and the meaning

of the narrative world they construct. The Shepherd contains many features of the apocalyptic

literature of its era, such as visions, intermediaries, heavenly books and references to

eschatological events, so it is considered part of the larger pool of works such as 1 Enoch, 4 Ezra

and Revelation.29 Joseph Verheyden says that the Visions exhibit an apocalyptic genre in that

22
Bird and Harrower, Cambridge Companion, 21.
23
Bird and Harrower, 146.
24
Verheyden, “The Shepherd of Hermas,” 400.
25
Holmes, The Apostolic Fathers, 173.
26
Verheyden, “The Shepherd of Hermas,” 398.
27
Osiek, “The Shepherd of Hermas in Context,” 117.
28
Holmes, The Apostolic Fathers, 174.
29
Tagliabue, “Learning from Allegorical Images,” 222.

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Hermas plays the role of a visionary mediating a series of divine messages, but rather than

uncovering hidden schemes in world history or announcing the end times, the message is about

what to do in the here and now to prepare oneself for the end. So, it can best be described as an

‘apocalyptic procedure in action.’30 There seems to be a consensus that the Shepherd has a double

theological message; it offers a portrayal of the church and a call for its members to change or

repent (metanoia).31 Tagliabue also notes that the nature of the work is also paraenetical in that it

contains concise and benevolent moral injunctions inviting the church to undergo inner change.

The story comes in the form of a narrative during which Hermas receives five visions over a

several-year period. The narrative has a definite telos which becomes apparent near the end.

We now turn to the plot and characters in the first three visions of The Shepherd. A

narrative involves a cast of characters, told in a particular way, to produce desired effects on its

readers.’32 Here we examine the characters, their interaction, and the outcome. In general, a story’s

plot has a beginning, a middle, and an end.33 It often begins with a situation or dilemma where

things are not as they should be. The middle of the story presents attempts to make things right,

usually with twists or turns and unexpected events. The story ends with some type of resolution,

not necessarily what was expected or hoped for.34

We start by looking at the characters. Seymour Chatman distinguishes at least two types of

characters ‘round’ and ‘flat’. Round characters display a complex set of character traits, sometimes

at odds with one another, causing internal conflict. Round characters are unpredictable and capable

of change. A flat character exhibits very few traits and is highly predictable. Our protagonist

30
Verheyden, “The Shepherd of Hermas,” 398.
31
Tagliabue, “Learning from Allegorical Images,” 222.
32
Donaldson, “Lecture 3 - Elements of a Story,” 1.
33
Chatman, Story and Discourse, 47.
34
Donaldson, “Lecture 3 - Elements of a Story,” 4.

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Hermas is a round character. When we first meet him, he lusts after a bathing woman telling

himself he has done nothing wrong. He is sensitive to spiritual matters and often prays

(1.4;5.2;6.1;9.1;9.6). When confronted with his sin at first, he denies it but, on further reflection,

admits that he did wrong (5.2). On the surface, he is self-controlled, patient, good-natured, and

happy (2.3). Beneath the surface, he has trouble in his marriage and family, and probably his

business (3.1). He is concerned about his spiritual state and is consistently honest with the Lady

Church. He exhibits an unquenchable thirst to learn and has a teachable spirit, constantly peppering

other characters with questions about things he does not understand to the point he annoys them

(1.7; 9.2;11.1,5; 12.1). However, when it comes to his family, he has significant blind spots (3.2;

6.2). He is sincere, self-controlled, and loyal to God (7.2). He is conscious of his sin to the point

that he has to be reminded to look beyond himself (9.6).

The elderly lady, who later is identified as Lady Church, first appears wearing a shining

garment carrying a book (2.2). She is compassionate with Hermas and is perceptive. She tells him

that he is self-controlled, good-natured, crafty, and shameless in asking for revelations. She is

expressive and smiles and, in the third vision, is cheerful and extremely happy (18.5). She is polite

and often asks questions to seek approval to proceed or gauge his reaction to events. In (3.3), she

asks if he wants to hear her read and at the end asks if it pleased him and in (16.1) asks if he would

like to see something else. In (9.6), she stands by him, listens attentively, and later asks if he is sad

(9.9). She is tactile and touches Hermas (9.6) and raises him by the hand when he kneels (9.7,

10.5). However, she is uncompromising in her message and has a strong prophetic edge (2.4;4.2;

5.3; 6.6).

The other characters in the narrative, such as Lady Church’s attendants and those involved

in building the tower and angels, are flat characters who make cameo appearances to support the

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main characters. However, Rhoda is a beautiful woman who is wealthy enough to buy slaves.

Hermas initially loving her as a sister was probably not erotic and likely means she was also a

Christian.35 We do not know a lot about her; she is a flat character whose purpose in the narrative

is to raise the initial charge against Hermas.

In the plot, Hermas’ dilemma starts in the first scene of the Visions. He claims he is living

a good life, but his lustful thoughts are publicly exposed, which causes him grief. In his walk along

the Tiber river, he spots a beautiful woman bather that he knows named Rhoda and stops to help

her out. He claims he only thought he would like a wife with her beauty and character. Sometime

later, a spirit takes him away, and he kneels to pray and confess his sins. Rhoda appears in heaven,

accusing him of lusting after her. He vehemently denies her accusations (1.9). Shaken, he finds

himself before a magistrate-like elderly lady seated in a great white chair holding a book - Lady

Church (2.2).36 She asks why he is upset as he usually is patient, good-natured, and always

laughing. He pleads his case, but she is unconvinced and confirms his sin, inviting him to call his

household to repentance.37 She announces that he is complicit in familial sin and is entrapped by

the cares of life. She assures him that God is compassionate and will work in his family like a

blacksmith shapes metal (3.2). She reads him a message telling him that the God of hosts is indeed

at work and levelling all things for his elect that he may keep His promises (3.4).38 He is left shaken

and upset. Given his and his family’s sin, what hope does he have?

In Vision 2, the plot starts to take a twist. Hermas’ attitude has shifted; he acknowledges

his sin and is thankful his former sins have been revealed (5.2). Lady Church appears, walking and

35
Osiek, The Shepherd of Hermas A Commentary, 42.
36
The image of a Roman judge or magistrate. She sits while he stands, an indicator of their different social standing.
37
Under Roman law, the male head of the family was responsible and prosecutable for the conduct, finances and legal
obligations of the household. See Osiek 1999, p. 49. Cf. 1 Tim. 3:1-7
38 Cf. John the Baptist in Luke 3:4-6.

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reading a book. She gives more detail about his family sin and tells him that his wife will become

like a sister to him because she can’t control her tongue.39 Again, the last message is reinforced: if

they sincerely repent of their sins and stop vacillating in their faith (which he calls double-

mindedness), they will be forgiven. However, now he is invited to speak to the church elders so

that they might live righteously to receive God’s promises, and she warns of the great tribulation

to come (6.7). He is cautioned not to hold a grudge against his family since he is complicit in their

behaviour and has his own set of transgressions. He is told that his sincerity, self-control, and

dedication to God will save him, and if others follow suit, they will also inherit eternal life. As he

sleeps, he receives a messenger informing him that the elderly lady is not the Sybil 40 as he had

thought but instead is the church for whose sake the world was formed. Lady Church appears

again, asking him to write two books and take the message to all the elect, including Clement, who

will send the message to the cities abroad. At this point, Hermas has been conscripted to be God’s

messenger (8.3).

In Vision 3, Hermas continues to plead with God, and once again, Lady Church appears

ostensibly because Hermas is poorly instructed and eager to learn (9.2). As he sees an ivory couch,

he is frightened, his hair standing on end, which is the expected reaction to the numinous

presence.41 As she arrives, she stands by him as he confesses his sin and then forcibly draws his

attention away from his sin toward his responsibility to his family. They sit on the couch together,

and she insists that he takes her left-hand side as her right hand is reserved for those who have

been persecuted. The left-hand side is for the others who follow God. Then she reveals the

construction of the church tower and its builders (10.3-15.6). Stones are dragged out of the water

39
This probably means Hermas is to practice sexual abstinence. See Osiek 1999, p54 .
40
Perhaps the Cumaean Sybil, a priestess presiding over the Apollonian oracle at Cumae.
41
Osiek and Koester, The Shepherd of Hermas Commentary, 62.

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and others from the land. Some stones are placed, some thrown out, and others broken into pieces

and thrown far away. She explains that the stones are people and that the building is the church

being fitted together. She lists numerous stones representing various kinds of people and their

interaction with the church. The best-fitting stones are the apostles, bishops, teachers, and deacons

who live in unity and peace and listen to each other, and then those who have suffered for the faith

or are walking with God in obedience. Other stones represent those who are young in the faith, the

unrepentant and wicked, and damaged stones represent those who know the truth but disobey. The

cracked stones represent those who are bitter against each other and divided. Short stones are those

who live partially for God, but they hold back, so they are unusable. Lastly, white round stones

are those who have faith but are wealthy and are useless unless the Lord cuts their riches away.

She reminds Hermas that he was useless while rich, but now he is useful to God (14.7). She then

eagerly shows him seven women who personify the virtues that support the tower. She explains

that their powers are controlled by one another, and they follow one another in the order they were

born. She then lists a progression of virtues: From Faith is born Self-control; from Self-control,

Sincerity; from Sincerity, Innocence; from Innocence, Reverence; from Reverence, Knowledge;

and from Knowledge, Love. It is noteworthy that it starts with Faith and ends with Love which is

also seen in a similar list in 2 Pet. 1:5-7.42 She tells him that their works are pure, reverent, and

divine and that whoever serves these and manages to master their works will have a dwelling place

in the tower with the saints (16.8). Near the end of the vision, Hermas asks her if the tower has

been completed, she upbraids him, saying it is still being built, and its construction was revealed

to him so he could take her message to the church so they would hear, obey, and be cleansed of

their sin. (16.1-16.9)

42
Osiek and Koester, 77. Notes that under the guise of a catalog of virtues personified in these women there is a moral and
ethical instruction at work and that treatises on virtues and vices are common in Greco-Roman paraenetic literature.

Page 10
 She then addresses the saints directly instead of talking to Hermas. She tells them that even

though God has been working in their midst, they haven’t ceased their wickedness. They should

be at peace among themselves, be concerned for each other, and share with those in need. She is

particularly hard on the wealthy: Some overeat while others are hungry and wasting away. She

challenges them to change lest the Lord shuts them and their wealth outside the tower door. The

leaders are accused of callousness and not wanting to cleanse their hearts. She scolds them on their

divisions and tells them to be teachable and have peace among themselves. As she disappears into

the tower, Hermas asks why her appearance differs in the three visions, but he receives no answer.

He explains to the reader that in the first vision, she was elderly, sitting in a chair. In the second

vision, she had a more youthful face, although her body and hair were old and she spoke standing

up, and in the third vision, she was altogether more youthful and exceedingly beautiful, except her

hair was old. Being persistent, he continues to pray, and an angel appears at night with an

explanation.

Hermas is surprised as the angel reveals that each of the visions reflects Hermas himself.

In Vision 1, the woman is old and sitting on a chair because weak people sit on a chair. It reflects

Hermas’ spirit being old, withered, and powerless because of his weakness and indecision; he is

told that he had no hope of renewal and was weakened by the cares of life and his indifference to

the Lord. In Vision 2, she is standing and has a more youthful face, but her body and hair are old.

He is told that he was like an older man living in weakness and poverty that finds he has an

inheritance left to him; he no longer sits but has courage. Hermas has heard that the Lord has

compassion on him, and it has renewed his spirit, so he lays aside his weakness and is given

strength and becomes powerful in the faith, so the Lord will reveal to him the tower and will show

him more if he wholeheartedly remains at peace with others. In Vision 3, where she unveils the

Page 11
church, she is more youthful, beautiful, and cheerful. This symbolizes that when good news comes

to the grieving, they forget their sorrow, and as they concentrate on what they have heard, their

spirits are lifted, and they do better. She sits on a couch, symbolizing stability because it has four

feet. This message is that those who have fully repented will be young and stable.

Hermas is a model of what the author wants to see transpire in the reader. Tagliabue notes

that Hermas’ inner change occurs in two stages: his initial acknowledgment of the sin of lustfulness

for bathing Rhoda and then his transformation later in the text into a brave leader able to invite his

household and the Christian community to metanoia (Chs. 9-12).43

How might the Visions impact the ancient and current readers? This task needs to be

undertaken with caution. As interpreters, we occupy a twenty-first-century horizon of historical

understanding, and the text has a different horizon from ours. We come to the text with our

prejudices and pre-understandings. So, there is always an element of uncertainty.44 The author’s

overall rhetorical strategy can be expressed in Aldo Tagliabue’s words: ‘Hermas learns about the

Church by identifying himself with her and being established as a member, and this form of

learning develops progressively throughout the Book of Visions.’45 In each of the visions, there is

a process for understanding them. The reader is drawn to the vision, and the allegory is interpreted

with the help of an interpreter, whether it be Lady Church or some other intermediary. The

interpretation drives home some form of moral instruction.

The Visions are written so that the reader develops a strong identification with Hermas. He

is an ordinary individual with recognizable struggles. The narrative starts with an age-old story –

a middle-aged man meets an attractive woman from his past and starts to imagine an affair.

43
Tagliabue, “Learning from Allegorical Images,” 227.
44
Brown, “Hermeneutical Theory,” 114.
45
Tagliabue, “Learning from Allegorical Images,” 228.

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Subsequently, he has a vision in which the woman before God accuses him of sin. Of course, he

will deny everything and justify himself; after all, as we find out, he is a married man. Conscience

struck, he wonders if God can ever forgive him. Lady Church appearing as a magistrate evokes a

sense of seriousness, and her response to his upset by noting his usual good behaviour might seem

ironic.46 As she confirms the accusation and expresses shock that a man of his reputation entertains

this, a thoughtful reader might also reflect on moments of their temptation of forbidden fruit. And

in Roman times, as today, infidelity was not a rare event. To our surprise, God is not angry that

Hermas was tempted (3.1) but rather his failure to be a good father and spiritual guide to his family.

Lady Church then kindly reassures him that God will work in his family. To the reader, the problem

changes from a sexually tempted man to domestic issues, which most people have experienced.

The man is tied up in his business affairs, isn’t there for his wife and children, and has lost his

spiritual edge. Some women readers may begin to identify with the story because it encompasses

the male and the entire household. Lady Church leaves with an encouraging note that God is at

work amongst the elect (his people) and smiles and tells Hermas to be courageous. The fact that

she was able to see the truth of the matter and respond with compassion but firmness establishes

to the reader that she is a reliable and even-handed person, so this makes her future

pronouncements trustworthy.

A year later, our protagonist appears to have redeemed himself and admits that he was

wrong. The lady reappears not as a magistrate but as a younger lady walking and carrying a book

with a message. She wants to recruit Hermas to take a message to God’s people. The reader

naturally asks: what message is Hermas to bring? Intriguingly, he can’t read it, so he makes a copy.

He wrestles with God, who eventually reveals it. The message has more detail about family

46
Today’s reader might see the irony or a bit of sarcasm in this.

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problems. This is relevant to Hermas because, in Roman culture, the father is responsible for the

family’s behaviour. The alert reader will realize that Hermas is being groomed to lead, so it is

highly likely that he will be held to a higher standard.47 The message also chides church leaders

over their double-mindedness. For the reader, the message now starts to expand beyond Hermas

and his family. The reader might identify with Hermas wanting to bear a grudge against his family,

as his wife can’t hold her tongue, and his children are wayward, but Lady Church nips that

temptation in the bud. At the end of Vision 2, if they can identify with Hermas, the reader rests

assured that they too are doing some things right and God will save them. The reader may well

agree with Hermas’ initial thought that the lady is the Sybil.48 Sybils were prophetesses or oracles

in the ancient world, and sibylline oracles were kept at the temple of Jupiter in Rome. And like an

Oracle, the lady was elderly, seated and holding a book full of secrets. It may have surprised the

reader to realize that the church is identified as the source of wisdom and truth. In Vision 3, the

reader is given an allegory of the church as accurate today as when it was written. Some readers

can put people’s names on the various stones. They know those who are dedicated, work well with

others and practice listening to other people. There were probably those who had suffered for their

faith and others who were dedicated believers who lived righteous lives. Some were young in the

faith and were catechumens awaiting baptism. Then, some know the truth and then decide they

want nothing to do with it, so they have become indifferent. The cracked stones are also well

known; for some reason, they are angry with one another even though they appear fine, and their

bitterness alienates them. And then there are the short stones that would be labelled lukewarm in

St. John’s Apocalypse. Through the mouth of Lady Church, Hermas informs us that those who are

47
Cf. 1 Tim. 31-7 and Paul’s comments about leaders.
48
Tagliabue, “Learning from Allegorical Images,” 231. Tagliabue says that a close analysis of the passage suggests that Hermas’
mistake is understandable as the portrait of the Lady does not immediately recall the church but rather resembles the prophetess’
usual description’.

Page 14
wealthy simply have no place. The metaphor hints that they are too fattened by riches to fit into

the structure and will only do so once their wealth is cut away. If Hermas’ prime audience was the

lower classes in the Roman world, many readers might agree with Lady Church. All in all, Hermas

paints a picture of the Church that we can all relate to.

In chapter 18, Hermas reveals to the reader that Lady Church has a different physical

appearance in each vision; she appears to be getting younger and more beautiful. A mirror is held

up to the reader because of her strong identification with Hermas as the angel interprets the three

visions and how they have transformed Hermas. The reader realizes that she is Hermas and has

been given a prescription for spiritual renewal. Vision 1 starts highly reminiscent of David and

Bathsheba, but when Hermas repents, he is told that the problem of sin runs much deeper and is

systemic and infects his family and all the saints. This has echoes of Isaiah’s call, whereupon

seeing Yahweh, he cries, “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in

the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts!”49. Like

Isaiah, once Hermas begins repenting, he is conscripted into God’s larger plan, which includes the

church. But he cannot remain naïve about it; he will encounter many people with varying

motivations at different stages in their spiritual lives. That community is not perfect but is a work

in progress that needs to be held together by practicing virtues that start with Faith and will grow

into Love.

In some respects, Hermas is the second-century forebear of Christian in The Pilgrim’s

Progress. He is on a search for truth and has a teachable spirit willing to admit when he has done

wrong. The author intends that the reader will identify with Hermas’ intense desire to know the

truth and follow God. There is a strong parallel between Hermas and the prophet Nathan. Nathan

49
Isaiah 6:5

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had to confront David about his sin with Bathsheba and her husband. Instead, Nathan chooses to

talk about a rich man with many flocks who stole the one beloved lamb of his poor neighbour. In

David’s outrage at the injustice of the situation, he is trapped and condemns himself. So too, when

we read the first three visions of the Shepherd, we realize the story is not just about a middle-aged

man and his business and family problems who struggles with his faith and the church, but it is

also about us and our call to the life of faith.

Page 16
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