Lake Apostolic Fathers 2 - Bible Translation

THE SHEPHERD, sim. v. vi. i-6
VI
1. " I/ISTkn/' said he: "The Son of God is not The son of
given the form of a servant, but is given great servant
power and lordship." "How, sir?" said I, " I do
not understand." 2. " Because God planted the
vineyard," said he, "that is, created the people, and
gave it over to his Son. And the Son appointed the
angels over them to keep them. And he himself
cleansed their sins, labouring much and undergoing
much toil. For no vineyard can be dug without
toil or labour. 3. When, therefore, he had cleansed
the sins of the people, he showed them the ways of
life, and gave them the law which he ' received from
his Father.' 4. But listen why the Lord took his Son
and the glorious angels as counsellors concerning the
heritage of the servant. 5. The Holy Spirit which
pre-exists, which created all creation, did God make
to dwell in the flesh which he willed. Therefore this
flesh, in which the Holy Spirit dwelled, served the
Spirit well, walking in holiness and purity, and did
not in any way defile the spirit. 6. When, there-
fore, it had lived nobly and purely, and had laboured
with the Spirit, and worked with it in every deed,
behaving with power and bravery, he chose it as
companion with the Holy Spirit ^ ; for the conduct
^ The meaning is apparently that the flesh (i.e. the human
being ?), in which the Spirit had been incarnate, was
elevated to be the companion, for the future, of the Father
and of the Son who is the Spirit.
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