The Apostolic Fathers in English

by Michael W Holmes

  51 Title Parable 2 The ancient authorities read Another Parable or The Beginning of Another Parable or Second Parable.

  51.1 vine I.e., a grapevine. The use of elm trees in the cultivation of grape vines is well documented in central Italy. 51.5 power above An editor’s conjecture; another suggests other power. One ancient authority reads power before the Lord; another reads human power; some others read simply power.

  Parable 3

  Trees in Winter

  52 He showed me many trees that had no leaves, and they appeared to me to be withered, for they were all alike. And he said to me, “Do you see these trees?” “I see them, sir,” I said. “They are all alike, and withered.” Answering me he said, “These trees that you see are the people who live in this world.” 2 “So why, sir,” I asked, “do they look like they are withered and all alike?” “Because,” he said, “neither the righteous nor sinners are distinguishable in this world, but they are alike. For this world is winter to the righteous, and they cannot be distinguished, because they live with the sinners. 3 For just as in winter the trees, having shed their leaves, are all alike, and it is not apparent which are withered and which are living, so also in this world neither the righteous nor the sinners can be distinguished, but all are alike.”

  Parable 4

  Trees in Summer

  53 Again he showed me many trees, some of which were budding and some of which were withered, and he said to me, “Do you see,” he said, “these trees?” “I see them, sir,” I said. “Some are budding, but others are withered.” 2 “These trees,” he said, “that are budding are the righteous, who will live in the age to come; for the age to come is summer to the righteous but winter to the sinners. So when the mercy of the Lord shines forth, then those who serve God will be revealed; indeed, all people will be revealed. 3 For just as in summer the fruit of each one of the trees appears, and so it is known what kind they are, so also the fruit of the righteous will be revealed, and all will be known because they are flourishing in that world. 4 But the outsiders and the sinners, the withered trees that you saw, will be found to be withered and fruitless in that world, and will be burned as firewood, and will be obvious because their conduct in their life was evil. For the sinners will be burned because they sinned and did not repent, and the outsiders will be burned because they did not know the one who created them. 5 You, therefore, bear fruit, in order that in summer your fruit may be known. But avoid excessive involvement in business, and you will commit no sin. For those who are involved in business a great deal also sin a great deal, since they are distracted by their business and do not serve their own Lord in anything. 6 How, then,” he said, “can such persons ask for something from the Lord and receive it, seeing that they do not serve the Lord? For those who serve him receive their requests, but those who do not serve him receive nothing. 7 But if people are engaged in just one business, they are able to serve the Lord, for their mind will not be corrupted and turned away from the Lord, but they will serve him with a pure mind. 8 So, if you do these things, you will be able to bear fruit for the age to come; indeed, whoever does these things will bear fruit.”

  51.8 souls One editor suggests prayers. 52 Title Parable 3 The ancient authorities read Another Parable or The Beginning of Another Parable. 53 Title Parable 4 The ancient authorities read Another Parable or The Beginning of Another Parable or Fourth Parable. 53.2 indeed . . . revealed Some ancient authorities read to all they will be revealed.

  Parable 5

  True Fasting

  5.1

  54 As I was fasting while sitting on a certain mountain and giving thanks to the Lord for all that he had done for me, I saw the shepherd sitting next to me, and he said, “Why have you come here so early?” “Because, sir,” I replied, “I have a station.” 2 “What,” he said, “is a ‘station’?” “Sir,” I replied, “I am fasting.” “And what,” he continued, “is this fast you are keeping?” “I am fasting, sir,” I responded, “just as I have been accustomed to.” 3 “You do not know,” he said, “how to fast to God, and this useless fast that you are keeping for him is not a fast.” “Sir,” I said, “why are you saying this?” “I am telling you,” he said, “that even though you think you are fasting, this is not a fast. But I will teach you what a complete and acceptable fast to the Lord is.” “Yes, sir,” I said. “You will make me happy if I may learn about the fast acceptable to God.” “Listen,” he said. 4 “God does not desire such a worthless fast as this, for by fasting to God in this manner, you are accomplishing nothing with respect to righteousness. But keep a fast to God in this way: 5 Commit no evil in your life, and serve the Lord with a clean heart; keep his commandments and walk in his ordinances, and do not permit any evil desire to enter your heart, and believe in God. And if you do these things and fear him and restrain yourself from every evil deed, you will live to God; and if you do these things, you will complete a fast that is great and acceptable to God.”

  54 Title Parable 5 The ancient authorities read Another Parable or The Beginning of Another Parable or Fifth Parable. 54.3 Yes . . . God Some ancient authorities omit.

  The Parable of the Vineyard

  5.2

  55 “Listen to the parable that I am about to tell you about fasting. 2 A certain man had a field and many slaves, and in a part of the field he planted a vineyard. And as he was going away on a journey, he chose a certain slave who was trustworthy and pleasing to him and called him over and said to him, ‘Take this vineyard that I have planted and fence it in until I return, but do not do anything else to the vineyard. Obey this command of mine, and you will gain your freedom from me.’ Then the slave’s master went away on a journey. 3 When he had gone, the slave took and fenced in the vineyard. When he finished fencing in the vineyard, he noticed that the vineyard was full of weeds. 4 So he thought to himself, saying, ‘This command of the lord I have carried out. Next I will cultivate this vineyard; indeed, it will look better after it is cultivated, and, having no weeds, it will yield more fruit, because it will not be choked by weeds.’ So he took and cultivated the vineyard, and pulled out all the weeds that were in the vineyard, and the vineyard was very attractive and flourishing, because no weeds were choking it. 5 Some time later, the master of the slave and of the field returned, and he went to the vineyard. And when he saw the vineyard fenced in neatly, and cultivated as well, and all the weeds pulled out, and the vineyard flourishing, he rejoiced greatly at what his slave had done. 6 So he called his beloved son, who was his heir, and his friends, who were his advisers, and told them what he had commanded his servant to do and what he had found done. And they congratulated the slave on the testimony that his master gave him. 7 And he said to them, ‘I promised this slave his freedom if he obeyed the command that I gave him. He has obeyed my command, and has, to my great pleasure, done a good job in the vineyard besides. Therefore, in return for this work that he has done, I wish to make him joint heir with my son, because when the good idea occurred to him, he did not ignore it but did it.’ 8 The master’s son agreed with his decision that the slave should become joint heir with the son. 9 A few days later his master gave a feast and sent him a considerable amount of food from the feast. But when the slave received the food sent to him by the master, he took enough for himself and distributed the rest to his fellow slaves. 10 And when his fellow servants received the food, they rejoiced and began to pray for him, in order that he might find even greater favor with the master, because he had treated them so well. 11 His master heard about all these things that had happened, and again he rejoiced greatly at his conduct. Calling together again his friends and son, he reported to them what the slave had done with the food that he had received, and they all the more heartily approved of the slave’s being made a joint heir with his son.”

  55.2 as he . . . journey One ancient authority omits.

  More about Fasting

  5.3

  56 “Sir,” I said, “I do not understand nor am I able to comprehend these parables unless
you explain them to me.” 2 “I will explain everything to you,” he said, “and will interpret for you whatever I say to you. Keep the Lord’s commandments, and you will be pleasing to him and will be enrolled among the number of those who keep his commandments. 3 But if you do anything good beyond God’s commandment, you will gain greater glory for yourself, and will be more honored in God’s sight than you otherwise would have been. So if while keeping God’s commandments you also add these services, you will rejoice, if you keep them in accordance with my commandment.” 4 I said to him, “Sir, whatever you command me, I will keep, for I know that you are with me.” “I will be with you,” he said, “because you have such a zeal for doing good; indeed, I will be with all those,” he said, “who have a zeal such as this. 5 This fasting,” he said, “is very good, if you keep the Lord’s commandments. This, therefore, is how you must keep this fast that you are about to keep: 6 First of all, guard against every evil word and every evil desire, and cleanse your heart of all the vanities of this world. If you observe these things, this fast of yours will be perfect. 7 And this is what you must do: when you have completed what has been written, you must taste nothing except bread and water on that day on which you fast. Then you must estimate the cost of the food you would have eaten on that day on which you intend to fast, and give it to a widow or an orphan or someone in need. In this way you will become humble-minded, so that as a result of your humble-mindedness the one who receives may satisfy his own soul and pray to the Lord on your behalf. 8 If, then, you complete the fast in this way, as I have commanded you, your sacrifice will be acceptable in God’s sight, and this fast will be recorded, and the service performed in this way is beautiful and joyous and acceptable to the Lord. 9 This is how you must observe these things with your children and your whole household, and in observing them, you will be blessed; indeed, all those who hear and observe them will be blessed, and whatever they ask from the Lord they will receive.”

  56.2 and will interpret . . . his commandments Some ancient authorities read including whatever I say to you. I will show you his commandments. • him One ancient authority reads God. 56.5 is very . . . commandments Or consisting of keeping the Lord’s commandments is very good.

  The Vineyard Parable Explained

  5.4

  57 I urgently asked him to explain to me the parable of the field and the master and the vineyard and the slave who fenced in the vineyard, and the fences and the weeds that were pulled up out of the vineyard and the son and the friends who were advisers, for I understood that all these things are a parable. 2 But he answered and said to me, “You are exceedingly arrogant in asking questions. You ought not,” he said, “to ask any questions at all, for if it is necessary for something to be explained to you, it will be explained.” I said to him, “Sir, whatever you show me and do not explain, I will have seen in vain and will not understand what it is. In the same way, if you tell me parables and do not interpret them, I will have heard something from you in vain.” 3 But again he answered and said to me: “Those,” he said, “who are servants of God and have their own Lord in their heart ask for understanding from him and receive it, and so they interpret every parable, and the words of the Lord spoken in parables are made known to them. But those who are weak and sluggish in prayer hesitate to ask of the Lord. 4 But the Lord is extraordinarily compassionate and unceasingly gives to those who ask of him. But you, who have been strengthened by the holy angel and have received from him such power of intercession and are not sluggish, why do you not ask for understanding from the Lord, and receive it from him?” 5 I said to him, “Sir, since I have you with me, I must of necessity ask you and inquire of you, for you show me everything and speak with me; but if I had seen or heard them without you, I would have asked the Lord, so that it might be explained to me.”

  5.5

  58 “I told you just now,” he said, “that you are sly and arrogant in asking about the interpretation of the parables. But since you are so stubborn, I will explain to you the parable about the field and all the rest that followed it, in order that you may make them known to everyone. Now listen,” he said, “and understand them. 2 The field is this world, and the lord of the field is the one who created all things and perfected them and endowed them with power, and the son is the holy spirit, and the slave is the Son of God, and the vines are this people that he himself planted. 3 The fences are the holy angels of the Lord who keep his people together, and the weeds that are pulled up out of the vineyard are the transgressions of God’s servants. The foods that he sent to him from the feast are the commandments that he gave to his people through his Son, and the friends and advisers are the holy angels who were created first; and the absence of the master is the time remaining until his coming.” 4 I said to him, “Sir, it is all great and marvelous, and all is glorious. Was it likely, then,” I said, “that I could have understood them? Nor could anyone else understand them, even if extremely intelligent. Furthermore, sir,” I continued, “explain to me what I am about to ask you.” 5 “Speak,” he replied, “if you want something.” “Why, sir,” I said, “is the Son of God presented in the parable in the guise of a slave?”

  5.6

  59 “Listen,” he said. “The Son of God is not presented in the guise of a slave, but is presented in great power and lordship.” “How so, sir?” I asked. “I do not understand.” 2 “Because,” he said, “God planted the vineyard, that is, he created the people, and turned them over to his Son. And the Son placed the angels over them to protect them, and the Son himself cleansed their sins with great labor and enduring much toil, for no one can cultivate a vineyard without toil or labor. 3 So, when he himself had cleansed the sins of the people, he showed them the paths of life, giving them the law that he received from his Father. 4 You see,” he said, “that he is Lord of the people, having received all power from his Father. But hear why the Lord took his Son and the glorious angels as counselors concerning the inheritance of the slave. 5 The preexistent holy spirit, which created the whole creation, God caused to live in the flesh that he wished. This flesh, therefore, in which the holy spirit lived, served the spirit well, living in holiness and purity, without defiling the spirit in any way. 6 So, because it had lived honorably and chastely, and had worked with the spirit and had cooperated with it in everything, conducting itself with strength and bravery, he chose it as a partner with the holy spirit, for the conduct of this flesh pleased the Lord, because while possessing the holy spirit it was not defiled upon the earth. 7 So he took the Son and the glorious angels as counselors, in order that this flesh also, having served the spirit blamelessly, might have some place to live, and not appear to have lost the reward of its service. For all flesh in which the holy spirit has lived will, if it proves to be undefiled and spotless, receive a reward. 8 Now you have the explanation of this parable.”

  58.2 and the son . . . spirit Some ancient authorities omit. 59.1 not One ancient authority omits. 59.4 You see . . . Father Some ancient authorities omit. 59.6 the Lord One ancient authority reads God; others read him. 60.4 But now . . . ignorance Some ancient authorities read But now keep these things, and the Lord who is very compassionate will heal them; another omits. 61 Title Parable 6 One ancient authority reads The Beginning.

  5.7

  60 “I am glad, sir,” I said, “to hear this explanation.” “Listen, now,” he said. “Keep this flesh of yours clean and undefiled, so that the spirit that lives in it may bear witness to it, and your flesh may be justified. 2 See to it that the idea never enters your heart that this flesh of yours is mortal, lest you abuse it in some defiling way. For if you defile your flesh, you also defile the holy spirit; and if you defile the flesh, you will not live.” 3 “But if, sir,” I said, “there was any previous ignorance before these words were heard, how will the man who has defiled his flesh be saved?” “Concerning the former acts of ignorance,” he said, “God alone has the power to give healing, for all authority is his. 4 But now protect yourself, and the Lord, who i
s exceedingly compassionate, will give healing for your previous acts of ignorance, if from now on you defile neither your flesh nor the Spirit. For they belong together, and the one cannot be defiled without the other. Therefore keep both pure, and you will live to God.”

  Parable 6

  A Parable of Two Shepherds: The Danger of Luxury and Pleasure

  6.1

  61 As I sat in my house and glorified the Lord for all the things that I had seen, and was contemplating the commandments because they were beautiful and powerful and joyful and glorious, and able to save one’s soul, I said to myself, “I will be blessed if I walk in these commandments; indeed, whoever walks in them will be blessed.” 2 As I was saying these things to myself, I suddenly saw him sitting next to me and saying these things: “Why are you double-minded about the commandments that I gave you? They are beautiful. Do not be double-minded at all, but put on the faith of the Lord, and walk in them, for I will strengthen you in them. 3 These commandments are profitable to those who are about to repent, for if they do not walk in them, their repentance is in vain. 4 You, therefore, who repent, get rid of the evil things of this world that crush you; and by putting on every virtue of righteousness you will be able to keep these commandments and no longer add to your sins. So, by adding nothing you will cut off many of your former sins. Walk, therefore, in these commandments of mine, and you will live to God. All these things have been spoken to you by me.” 5 After he had spoken these things to me, 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. And we came to a plain, and he showed me a young shepherd dressed in a suit of yellow clothes. 6 He was feeding a large number of sheep, and these sheep seemed to be well fed and very frisky, and were happily skipping about here and there. And the shepherd himself was quite happy over his flock, and even the very appearance of the shepherd was exceedingly cheerful as he was running about among the sheep.