Shepherd of Hermas

(1st half of 2nd century)

The Shepherd (POIMEN) is a writing modeled on the Jewish apocalypses. Probably written in Rome between 130 and 150.
The author of the Shepherd, whose name appears many times in the first part of the work – according to the Canon of Muratori – the brother of Pope Pius I, whose pontificate fell on the years 140-155 Hermes, raised in a Christian family, was sold as a slave to a Roman matron named Rode. After receiving his freedom, he became a merchant and farmer. In this way he acquired considerable wealth. He had a quarrelsome wife, prone to talkativeness, and children. Preoccupied with business, he neglected the upbringing of his children, who had gone astray. During the persecution, the children denied their faith and denounced their parents. This led to the confiscation of much of the property. Under the influence of these painful experiences, Hermes became a devout Christian. Then God commissioned him to preach repentance.

Origen, Eusebius and Jerome wrongly identified the author of the Shepherd with Hermas, mentioned by Saint Paul in the Letter to the Romans (Rom 16:14).
In Christian antiquity, the shepherd enjoyed great authority and popularity.
Irenaeus, Tertullian, Clement of Alexandria, and Origen included it among the canonical books.
Jerome reported that they read the Shepherd publicly in some churches in Greece, while it is unknown in the Latin world.
Until the 4th century, the Shepherd was the basis of teaching catechumens in Egypt.
This work was quoted by:
– Kommodian
– Athanasius the Great
– Cyril of Jerusalem
– Dydym the Blind
– Roof z Akwilei
– Jerome
– Prosper of Aquitaine
– Jan Kasjan
– The Venerable Bede
From the 4th century, it was increasingly classified as apocryphal and lost its importance.