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
If then, said I, sir, after the wife be put away she repent, and wish to return to her own husband, shall she not be received?
Yes, said he; if the husband do not receive her he sins and covers himself with great sin; but it is necessary to receive the sinner who repents, but not often, for the servants of God have but one repentance. Therefore, for the sake of repentance the husband ought not to marry.[*](This mandate is really explaining the practical problem which arose from the conflict between the Christian precept against divorce (Mt. 10,11 f.) and the equally early precept against having intercourse with immoral persons. As the inserted clause except for the cause of fornication in the Matthaean version of Mk. 10,11f. (Mt. 19, 9; cf. Mt. 5,32 and Lc. 16,18) shows, the latter precept was regarded as more important, and immoral wives were put away, but Hermas and other writers always maintained that this was not strictly divorce, as the innocent party was not free to remarry in order to give the other the opportunity of repenting and of returning.)
This is the course of action for wife and husband.Not only, said he, is it adultery if a man defile his flesh, but whosoever acts as do the heathen is also guilty of adultery, so that if anyone continue in such practices, and repent not, depart from him and do not live with him, otherwise you are also a sharer in his sin.
For this reason it was enjoined on you to live by yourselves, whether husband or wife, for in such cases repentance is possible.
I, therefore, said he, am not giving an opportunity to laxity that this business be thus concluded, but in order that he who has sinned sin no more,[*](Hermas is guarding against the imputation that he is lowering the standard of morality. This accusation was actually brought against him later by Tertullian.) and for his former sin there is one who can give healing, for he it is who has the power over all.
And I asked him again, saying: If the Lord has thought me worthy for you always to live with me, suffer yet a few words of mine, since I have no understanding and my heart has been hardened by my former deeds; give me understanding, for I am very foolish and have absolutely no understanding.
He answered me and said, I am set over repentance, and I give understanding to all those
who repent. Or do you not think, said he, that this very repentance is itself understanding? To repent, said he, is great understanding. For the sinner understands that he has done wickedly before the Lord, and the deed which he wrought comes into his heart, and he repents and no longer does wickedly, but does good abundantly, and humbles his soul and punishes it because he sinned. You see, therefore, that repentance is great understanding.For this reason then, sir, said I, I enquire accurately from you as to all things. First, because I am a sinner, that I may know what I must do to live, because my sins are many and manifold.
You shall live, he said, if you keep my commandments and walk in them, and whosoever shall hear and keep these commandments shall live to God.
I will yet, sir, said I, continue to ask.[*](Repentance for sin after baptism) Say on, said he. I have heard, sir, said I, from some teachers[*](Possibly a reference to Heb. 6, 4 ff.) that there is no second repentance beyond the one given when we went down into the water and received remission of our former sins.