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''The Shepherd of Hermas'' ((ギリシア語:Ποιμὴν τοῦ Ἑρμᾶ); sometimes just called ''The Shepherd'') is a Christian literary work of the 2nd century, considered a valuable book by many Christians, and considered canonical scripture by some of the early Church fathers such as Irenaeus.〔(Newadvent.org )〕〔Davidson & Leaney, Biblical Criticism: p230〕 The Shepherd was very popular amongst Christians in the 2nd and 3rd centuries.〔"The Pastor of Hermas was one of the most popular books, if not the most popular book, in the Christian Church during the 2nd, 3rd and 4th centuries. It occupied a position analogous in some respects to Bunyan's ''Pilgrim's Progress'' in modern times." (F. Crombie, translator of Schaff, ''op. cit.'').〕 It was bound as part of the New Testament〔 in the ''Codex Sinaiticus'', and it was listed between the Acts of the Apostles and the Acts of Paul in the stichometrical list of the ''Codex Claromontanus''. The work comprises five visions, twelve mandates, and ten parables. It relies on allegory and pays special attention to the Church, calling the faithful to repent of the sins that have harmed it. The book was originally written in Rome,〔J.B. Lightfoot, ''The Apostolic Fathers,'' Macmillan & Co., 1891, p. 160; Reprint ISBN 0-8010-5514-8〕 in the Greek language, but a first Latin translation, the ''Vulgata'',〔Christian Tornau – Paolo Cecconi (Eda.), The Shepherd of Hermas in Latin. Critical Edition of the Oldest Translation Vulgata, Walter de Gruyter, Berlin/Boston 2014〕 was made very shortly afterwards. A second Latin translation, the ''Palatina'', was made at the beginning of the fifth century. Only the Latin version has been preserved in full. Of the Greek version the last fifth or so is missing. The shepherd is one of the meanings that was probably attached to some figurines of the ''Good Shepherd'' as well as a symbol for Christ, or a traditional pagan ''kriophoros''. ==Contents== The book consists of five visions granted to Hermas, a former slave. This is followed by twelve mandates or commandments, and ten similitudes, or parables. It commences abruptly in the first person: "He who brought me up sold me to a certain Rhoda, who was at Rome. After many years I met her again, and began to love her as a sister." As Hermas was on the road to Cumae, he had a vision of Rhoda. She told him that she was his accuser in heaven, on account of an unchaste thought the (married) narrator had once had concerning her, though only in passing. He was to pray for forgiveness for himself and all his house. He is consoled by a vision of the Church in the form of an aged woman, weak and helpless from the sins of the faithful, who tells him to do penance and to correct the sins of his children. Subsequently he sees her made younger through penance, yet wrinkled and with white hair; then again, as quite young but still with white hair; and lastly, she shows herself as glorious as a Bride. This allegorical language continues through the other parts of the work. In the second vision she gives Hermas a book, which she afterwards takes back in order to add to it. The fifth vision, which is represented as taking place 20 days after the fourth, introduces "the Angel of repentance" in the guise of a shepherd, from whom the whole work takes its name. He delivers to Hermas a series of precepts (''mandata'', ''entolai''), which form an interesting development of early Christian ethics. One point which deserves special mention is the assertion of a husband's obligation to take back an adulterous wife on her repentance. The eleventh mandate, on humility, is concerned with false prophets who desire to occupy the first seats (that is to say, among the presbyters). Some have seen here a reference to Marcion, who came to Rome c. 140 and desired to be admitted among the priests (or possibly even to become bishop of Rome). After the mandates come ten similitudes (''parabolai'') in the form of visions, which are explained by the angel. The longest of these (Similitude 9) is an elaboration of the parable of the building of a tower, which had formed the matter of the third vision. The tower is the Church, and the stones of which it is built are the faithful. But in the third vision it looked as though only the holy are a part of the Church; in Similitude 9 it is clearly pointed out that all the baptized are included, though they may be cast out for grave sins, and can be readmitted only after penance. In spite of the grave subjects, the book is written in a very optimistic and hopeful tone, like most early Christian works. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「The Shepherd of Hermas」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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