The Shepherd of Hermas

Written in Rome, in Greek, over the course of the 2nd century AD — possibly in layers, by more than one hand. It was among the most widely read Christian books of antiquity, and one detail measures its standing: it is copied in full into Codex Sinaiticus, one of the two oldest manuscripts of the Greek Bible.

It came closer to the canon than almost any other text here. The Muratorian Fragment recommends reading it, but not publicly in church, because it is too recent and was written by a brother of bishop Pius rather than by an apostle. It was that criterion of date, more than content, that kept it out.

• The tower under construction is the most elaborate image of the church in early Christian literature: each stone is a person, and the fit decides who goes in.
• It addresses the question that troubled the 2nd-century church — whether there is forgiveness for sin committed after baptism — and answers that there is, once.
• The twelve Mandates form a complete moral treatise, from the fear of God to purity of thought.
• The woman who ages backwards is the Church, and the explanation is given on the spot, to Hermas himself.

Why is the Shepherd of Hermas not in the Bible?

Because it was written too late and not by an apostle. The Muratorian Fragment says so explicitly, recommending private reading while denying it a public place among prophets and apostles.

Is the Shepherd of Hermas in any Bible manuscript?

Yes. It appears in full in Codex Sinaiticus, a 4th-century Greek manuscript, right after the books of the New Testament — together with the Epistle of Barnabas.