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About this book

Shepherd of Hermas

About this book

The Sixth Parable of the Two Shepherds

Chapter 61

1 While I was sitting in my house, glorifying the Lord for all the things I had seen, and reflecting on the commandments—how they were beautiful and powerful and joyous and glorious and able to save a person’s soul—I said to myself, “I will be blessed if I walk in these commandments; yes, and whoever walks in them will be blessed.” 2 As I was saying these things to myself, suddenly I saw him sitting beside me, saying, “Why are you doubting about the commandments I gave you? They are beautiful. Do not doubt at all, but clothe yourself in the faith of the Lord, and you will walk in them. For I will strengthen you in them. 3 These commandments are fitting for those who practice repentance; for if they do not walk in them, their repentance is worthless. 4 So you who repent, cast away the evil deeds of this world that oppress you; and, by putting on every virtue of righteousness, you will be able to observe these commandments, and add no more to your sins. If then you add no further sin at all, you will leave behind your former sins. Walk, then, in these commandments of mine, and you will live for God. I have told you all these things.” 5 After telling me these things, he said to me, “Let us go into the country, and I will show you the shepherds of the sheep.” “Let us go, Sir,” I said. We came to a plain, and he showed me a young man, a shepherd, clothed in a light cloak of saffron color;⁠ 6 he was feeding a great number of sheep, and these sheep were well fed and very lively, and were joyful as they jumped around here and there; and the shepherd himself was also joyful over his flock; and the shepherd’s face was very glad; and he ran about among the sheep.

Texts in conversation

Compare 4Q544 1:13 and Shepherd of Hermas 61:5 and Shepherd of Hermas 62:1

Dead Sea Scrolls, Biblical Retellings · Early Christian

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Summary

In 4Q544 from the Dead Sea Scrolls, the dark angel wears multicolored clothing. The Shepherd of Hermas similarly dresses its angel of indulgence in a saffron cloak, whose expensive dye connects his appearance with the luxury and pleasure he encourages.

Passages

4Q544 1:13

Dead Sea Scrolls, Biblical Retellings · Visions of Amram
10 in my vision, the vision of the dream. And behold, two were arguing over me and saying [… of his] 11 and they were holding a great dispute over me. And I asked them, “Who are you, that you thus [have power over me?” … And they said to me, “We] 12 [thus] are rulers, and rule over all the sons of Adam.” And they said to me, “Which of us do you [seek to be ruled by?” And behold, I lifted my eyes and saw,] 13 [and one] of them, his appearance was dreadful like a serpent, [and all] his clothing was many-colored, and he was dark with darkness. [His face …] 14 [And the other, I looked,] and behold … […] in his appearance, and his face was smiling, and [he was covered with clothing …]
160–60 BCE (scholarly estimate) Read in 4Q544

Shepherd of Hermas 61:5

Early Christian
5 After telling me these things, he said to me, “Let us go into the country, and I will show you the shepherds of the sheep.” “Let us go, Sir,” I said. We came to a plain, and he showed me a young man, a shepherd, clothed in a light cloak of saffron color; 6 he was feeding a great number of sheep, and these sheep were well fed and very lively, and were joyful as they jumped around here and there; and the shepherd himself was also joyful over his flock; and the shepherd’s face was very glad; and he ran about among the sheep.
90–140 CE (scholarly estimate) Read in the Shepherd of Hermas

Shepherd of Hermas 62:1

Early Christian
1 And he said to me, “Do you see this shepherd?” “I see him, Sir,” I said. “This,” he said, “is the angel of indulgence and deceit. He crushes the souls of God’s servants, and turns them away from the truth, leading them astray with evil desires, in which they perish. 2 For they forget the commandments of the living God, and walk in vain deceptions and acts of indulgence, and are destroyed by this angel—some to death, and others to corruption.”
90–140 CE (scholarly estimate) Read in the Shepherd of Hermas

References

“... Indirect evidence for a negative judgment of coloured clothes is present in the so-called Visions of Amram, found in multiple copies in Qumran cave 4. Amram sees two angels in a vision, apparently the angel of light and the angel of darkness, fighting over his own soul. The text proceeds with a very damaged description of the appear- ance and names of these two angels. The description of the colour and dress of the angel of light has not been preserved in the Visions of Amram, but one may assume that these were white or luminous. The point of interest here is that the description of the angel of darkness says that “all his clothing was coloured” [...] In this respect, there may be a con- nection between these Visions of Amram and the sixth Similitude of the Shepherd of Hermas, where the angel of luxury and deceit appears as a shepherd dressed in saffron-coloured clothes [...] In the Greek world dyes made from saffron stigmas were particu- larly associated with hetaerae. And, of course, as the most expen- sive spice in the world it is associated with luxury. ...”
Eibert J. C. Tigchelaar, “The White Dress of the Essenes and the Pythagoreans,” in Jerusalem, Alexandria, Rome: Studies in Ancient Cultural Interaction in Honour of A. Hilhorst, ed. Florentino García Martínez and Gerard P. Luttikhuizen, JSJSup 82 (Leiden: Brill, 2003), 320–321.

References are not endorsements of their contents. Read each reference in full to understand its author's intentions in using these texts.

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4Q544 1:13 and Shepherd of Hermas 61:5 and Shepherd of Hermas 62:1

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