Introduction

Occasionally it is argued that Hermas is not an apocalyptic work.[1]  Even Oseik, who argues that Hermas belongs to the apocalyptic literature states that “much of the content is devoted to paraenetic instruction, often the form of commandments, to the extent that the eschatological perspective seems frequently to get lost.”[2]  Joly’s comment, “toute la doctrine d’Hermas est commandee par l’imminence de la Parousie” may be extreme and doesn’t find a great deal of acceptance.[3]

When a reader exercises a great deal of patience in studying Hermas, they will be rewarded with a number of eschatological finds especially relating to the tribulation.  For example, the great tribulation is mentioned in Vis. 2.2.7; 2.3.4; 4.1.1,5-10; 4.2.4-5; 4.3.6. Vis. 3.6.5; 3.1.9; 3.2.1; 3.5.2; Sim 8.3.6-7, and is seen as imminent (Vis 4.2.5).  The beast, is not a political power, but is a type of the great tribulation to come (Vis. 4.2.5-8).  The coming tribulation can cause some to deny the faith (7.4; 22.1; 23.4f.; 24.6). The believers can respond to this time period in one of two ways.  They can waiver and become double minded (Vis 4.2.4) and go thorough the tribulation and plagues of God (Vis 4.2.6); or, they can prepare themselves to face it through repentance with the “whole heart” (Vis 4.2.6), put their entire trust in the Lord (Vis 4.2.4f.), face this period with courage (Vis 41.8) and be able to escape it (Vis 4.2.4).  Although the great tribulation is coming, within Hermas there exists an atmosphere of optimism since there is still time for repentance, and all those who repent with “their whole hearts” will be forgiven (Vis. 2.2.4).  By doing so they can bear “fruit in the world to come” (Sim 4.8).  There is still time for repentance since “the tower is still being built” (Sim 9.3 2.1).   

     The tower plays an important role in Hermas, especially in the Third Vision (Vis 3.3.3), where he specifically identifies the tower as the Church.  The tower, which is set in the plain, is almost finished thus the end is near.[4]  His eschatology, is not given for the purpose of spelling out a detailed chronology of the last days, but is primarily used to instill a sense of urgency, the need for repentance and holy conduct.  A good example of this mixture is seen in Vis 4.2.4-6.        

     There is no mention of the resurrection in Hermas but he does speak of the after life as “entering in with the angels” (Sim 9.25.2).  Some see this as a reference to the type of the resurrection body the believer will have in heaven.  This concept appears to be consistent with Mart Poly 2.3; 2 Baruch 51.5-12; Enoch 104.7, and was probably based on the words of Jesus in Matt 22:30 and Luke 20:36.[5]

His eschatology is on the focus of the completion of the building of the Church (16.9; 82.2)

The Church Goes Through the Tribulation[6]

Five lines of proof can be offered as to the fact the Church will go through the tribulation:

/1) The Vocabulary[7]/: The term qliyis is used in an eschatological sense as Dan 12:1,10; Matt 24:21; Mk 13:24; Rev 2:22, 7:14; Sib. 3.187; 2 Bar xlviii.31.  “That the tribulation is qualified by the term ‘great’ in Dan., Mt., Apoc., and Sib., as in Hermas tends to class the expression as stereotyped.  And the use of erxomenos and, two word so strongly leaning to the eschatological, leaves little doubt that the Great Trial to come of Hermas is no intermediate persecution.”[8]  In the LXX, Dan 12:1 uses the term  qliyis megela to refer to the coming tribulation period, as does Matt 24:15 and Hermas.

2) The Results: If the great tribulation is a time of persecution upon the Church, the very opposite results of what we find in Hermas would be expected.  Bauckmann (spelling) points out that if this period was merely a time of persecution, the very opposite results would be expected, in that the faithful would experience the persecution while those who turn from the Lord would enjoy acceptance.[9]  Thus we must seek an understanding beyond that of a persecution from a government. 

     The terminology used is that the believers can escape this time period (Vis 4.2.4). The escape of the faithful is not taken literally by many scholars.[10] The great tribulation is first introduced in Vis 2.2.7, where the Shepherd is told he needs to “patiently endure” (upomenein) it.  The ones that ekfeugein is equivalent to those who upomenein, “the faithful ‘escape’ the tribulation by enduring and not denying the Lord.”[11]  The term upomonh is often used in the New Testament as a godly characteristic in the midst of suffering (Rom 5:3, 1 Peter 2:20), and most significantly in Rev 1:9.  This word is also used in a section of the John’s Apocalypse where a group of people are suffering under the hands of another beast and are called to endure (Rev 13:10; 14:12).  The ones escaping in Vis 4.2.4 are referred to as patiently enduring (upomenete) and those who escape in Vis 4.3.6 are referred to as those who are “willing” (pqelhshte). 

     The great tribulation also results in purifying the Church to a degree. “Hermas has given it the ‘purgatorial’ quality which his own theology of repentance requires.”[12]  He applies the metaphor of fire both to the destruction of the world as well as to the purification of the Church.[13]  The emphasis in Hermas is definitely on a time of testing the faith of the individual which prepares them for membership in the Church (Vis 4.3.4- “useful for the building of the tower”).  Since the time period is for both the unbelievers (Vis 4.3.3- “this world must be destroyed by fire”) and believers will be “purified” by it (Vis 4.3.4), it indicates that it does not represent a time of persecution upon the Church by a government.  Dan 12:10 mentions those who go through the tribulation as coming out white and refined, where Hermas refers to the age to come as being represented by the color white (Vis 4.3.5) and being refined through the fire (Vis 4.3.4).     

Bauck has a good summary of this chapter:

“The concept of the great tribulation is further explained by the devices of the four colors of the monster’s head.  The first and last colors represent the two aeons: ‘this world in which you live’ and ‘the age to come, in which the elect of God will live’ (xxiv. 2,5).  Black is the appropriate for this color because (xcii. 1-4) it characterizes the vices which are attributes of the evil spirit.....the use of the color white represents the eschatological purity of the church.  The great tribulation is therefore the means of transition from this age to the next.  The function of the two intermediate colors is o explain how this transition is effected.  Red symbolizes the effect of the great tribulation upon ‘this world’: ‘The color of fire and blood means it is necessary for this world to be destroyed by blood and fire’ (xxiv. 3).  Gold represents its effect upon the Church, a purifying effect by which Christians are made ‘useful in the construction of the tower’, i.e., fit to be part of the eschatological Church of the next world (xxiv. 4).”[14]

     The other significant words are sorrow and tribulation.   “Parallel to the dross which gold casts off are not our sins and evil tendencies, as we might have expected, but sorrow and troubles!  With these words Hermas introduces the eschatological; his purifying fire stands at the doorway to anther world, and through it, as the text says, we are to gain entrance to the tower, the eschatological world to come, the transfigured Church.”[15]

3) There is no opportunity for repentance after the Tribulation: Vis 2.2.7-8 appears to make this point which would suggest a finality of God’s dealing with the Church and the world.  The passage does read as if he is referring to a last opportunity and a final trial for mankind.  It is also apparent that Hermas’ message is that every possibility of repentance will soon vanish.[16]

     Boyd offers the following three lines of proof to reject the idea that the tribulation is eschatological[17]: 1) The warning of a tribulation was given to forestall wealthy Christians from apostatizing due to their business interests (Vis. 1.1.8; 3.6.5-6).  2) The apostasy is not a warning about a future time period but a description of one which had already taken place. (Vis 5 and Similitude 10 are taken to refer to a persecution in the past where apostasy did take place and people denied the Lord).[18]  3) Maximus had already apostatized (2.3.4) and was capable of doing so again (palin).[19]

R. J. Bauckham, The Great Tribulation in the Shepherd of Hermas,” Journal of Theological Studies 25 (1974):35-40.

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[1](G.F. Snyder, The Shepherd of Hermas (Camden, NJ. 1968), p. 10- Cf. Humphrey (red book) p. 120- “the Shepherd exhibits far less interest in eschatology, especially imminent eschatology.”)

[2](Oseik, p. 115).

[3]R. Joly Hermas Le Pasteur (Paris: 1958), p. 236.

[4](9.2-4; 22.2; 90.1 new numbers ).

[5](cf. Justin Martyr, Dial 81).

[6]An exact parallel does not exist between the “Great Tribulation” mentioned in the Scriptures and that of the one spoken in Hermas.  The Best in Hermas is not a satanically controlled empire but is the tribulation itself (Vis. 4.2.5-8), and there is no mention of the wrath of God as emphasized in the book of Revelation.

[7]A. P. O’Hagan, “The Great Tribulation to Come in the Pastor of Hermas,” Studia Patristica 3(1959);309-310. Argues that Hermas understood the Great Tribulation in eschatological terms:

[8](p, 309-310- O’Hagan)

[9](Bauckman (spelling), p. 31).

[10]See O’Hagan, p. 307-309 article listed on page 27 of Bauckman)

[11](Bauckman, p. 31).

[12](Bauck, p. 36).

[13](Note at bottom- Sib. 2.252 refers to a river of fire which only the righteous will be able to pass through while the ungodly will suffer death. cf. Zech 13:9; Mal 3:1-3; 4 Esd 16.68-73 “...Then it will be seen that my chosen people have stood the test like gold in the assayer’s fire.”)

[14]Bauck p. 32-33)

[15](O’Hagan- The GT in...p, 310.)

[16] If has been argued convincingly (Note- Snyder, p. 37 mentions that 23.5-6 offers the possibility that life continues after the tribulation-Grant vol. 6- He suggests that the coming persecution threatened by Trajan which never materialized in Rome (Pliny Ep, X, 96, 97) (Snyder, p. 37).   

[17](Boyd- p. 110-111. The first two he himself agrees are not very convincing and are based on “presuppositions which are unverifiable” and admits that the arguments for it being eschatological are “more valid.”    

[18](See Sim  8.6.4; 9.19.1.)

[19]This point is only valid if one takes the position that there is not chance for repentance during the tribulation period.  This is not the position I have taken in this paper and for evidence see page======.  If it is true that Hermas doesn’t present an opportunity for repentance during the tribulation (Bauckman offers a solid rebuttal, “Hermas’ eschatology leads him to proclaim a final, but not a first opportunity of repentance.” (B, p. 29).