Before Jerusalem Fell

88 BEFORE JERUSALEM FELL
Second, the earlier date is suggested by its authoritative usage in
Irenaeus, Ongen, Clement of Alexandria, Eusebius, and Jerome (On
th Lives of Illwtriow Men 10).9 Clearly Irenaeus considers it Scripture,
for in Against Heresies (4:20:2) he quotes it (citing Mandates 1:1) as
such. Origen in his commentary on Remans 16:14 says: “I think the
Hermas there mentioned [i.e., in Rem. 16] is the writer of the book
called Pmtoq which writing appears to me to be very useful, and as
I suppose, divinely inspired.”lo Tertullian, in his pre-Montanist days,
seems to have agreed. 11 In addition, The Shepherd is included in the
Codex Sinaiticus, indicating a strong respect for its authority. 12
It should be recognized, then, that “the history of the ecclesiastical
authority of Herrnas in the East begins with an unbounded
recognition of the same as a book resting on divine revelation.” 13
Lightfoot notes this same fact and adds that the book is “in general
circulation in the Eastern and Western Churches, soon after the
middle of the second century.” 14 And, thus, “since the universally
admitted requirement for this would be that they were considered to
be the work of at least an associate of the Apostles, a date of about
75 or 80 would be much more likely and more suitable for the subject
of the books in question as the writings of a Christian prophet .“ 15
A more recent early date advocate for The Shepherd of Hermas
is John A. T. Robinson. In his bombshell treatise, Retiting th NW
Testament, he sets forth a strong case for an early date for The
Shepherd:
With the Epistle of Barnabas must be considered its nearest associate,
the Shepherd of Hermas. This again has regularly been placed in the
middle of the second century, but solely on the ground of one piece
of external evidence, the Muratorian Fragment on the Canon. . . .
. . . .
9. Schti, Histoy 2:687n. See also Lightfwt and Harmer, Apostolic Fathers, p. 296.
10. Cited fmm Moses Stuart, Conrmentay on the Apoca~@e, 2 VOIS. (Andove~ Allen,
Mornll, and Wardwell, 1845) 1:120. See also Origen, Matthew 1421; On t/ze Ps-incijles
411.
11. De Orutionar 16.
12. Lightfmt and Harmer, Apostolic Fatbrs, p. 294.
13. Theodor Zahn, Der Hirt &s Het-tnas (Gotha: 1868). Cited in Schaff, Histoy 2:691
n. 1.
14. Lightfoot and Harmer, Apostohc Fathers, p. 293.
15. Ibid, p. 213.