HERMAS
The Pastor of Hermas (c. AD 160) was “one of the most popular books, if not the most popular book, in the Christian church during the second, third, and fourth centuries. It occupied a position analogous in some respects to that of Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress in modern times.”[1] Its authorship is not certain, but its writing was early and it influence was immense. Origen considered it “divinely inspired,” while “Irenæus quotes it as Scripture,” and Eusebius mentions that many considered it an “admirable introduction to the Christian faith.”[2]
The second book of The Pastor of Hermas has three “commandments” with overtly spiritual warfare focused titles. The sixth Commandment is titled, “How to Recognise the Two Spirits Attendant on Each Man, and How to Distinguish the Suggestions of the One from Those of the Other.” The seventh Commandments is titled, “On Fearing God, and Not Fearing the Devil.” The twelfth Commandment is titled “On the Twofold Desire. The Commandments of God Can Be Kept, and Believers Ought Not to Fear the Devil.”
In the sixth Commandment the writer describes believers as inhabited by two angels, the angel of righteousness and the angel of iniquity. He implores the reader to “understand them, and trust the angel of righteousness; but depart from the angel of iniquity, because his instruction is bad in every deed.”[3] Although this commandment seems to imply that demons can possess believers, this commandment is best understood to describe the spiritual battle for our minds. The writer seeks to inspire the reader to awareness of and resistance to Satan’s temptations both in deceit and in behavior.
The writer uses the seventh Commandment to encourage the believer not to fear the devil, “for, fearing the Lord, you will have dominion over the devil, for there is no power in him.”[4] He instructs the believer to fear the Lord in such a way that one not only avoids “that which is evil,” but does “that which is good.”[5] A proper understanding of the power of the Lord is essential to a biblical understanding and application of the fear of the Lord.
The twelfth Commandment of Hermas again encourages the believer not to fear the devil because he cannot “hold sway over the servants of God, who with all their heart place their hopes in Him.”[6] He argues that the devil can wrestle against believers but true believers will resist the devil strongly and cannot be overthrown. He states that Satan has no way of entering into (possessing) believers and instead goes into those whom are empty (non-believers).[7] Instead of fearing the devil, the “angel of repentance” reminds believers that he was sent to be with those “who repent with all your heart, and to make you strong in faith.”[8] In the midst of repentance, there is not only strengthening, but there is healing of “former sins” by Christ.[9] No matter the “threats of the devil,” the believer must “fear them not at all, for he is powerless as the sinews of a dead man.”[10] Apart from Justin Martyr, the writer of The Pastor of Hermas provides the most depth and understanding to seeing the spiritual warfare beliefs and practices of the early church.
[1]A. Cleveland Coxe, “Introductory Note to The Pastor of Hermas” (ANF 2:3), accessed December 30, 2013, http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/anf02.ii.i.html.
[2]Ibid.
[3]Hermas, The Pastor of Hermas (ANF 2:20), accessed December 30, 2013, http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/anf02.ii.iii.html.
[4]Hermas, The Pastor of Hermas (ANF 2:25).
[5]Ibid.
[6]Hermas, The Pastor of Hermas (ANF 2:29).
[7]“So also the devil goes to all the servants of God to try them. As many, then, as are full in the faith, resist him strongly, and he withdraws from them, having no way by which he might enter them. He goes, then, to the empty, and finding a way of entrance, into them, he produces in them whatever he wishes, and they become his servants.” Ibid. This quote shows the early church understanding that only non-believers can be demonically possessed/inhabited.
[8]Ibid.
[9]Ibid.
[10]Ibid.