“I told you, “Said he, “that the creatures of ELOHIM are double, for restraint also is double; for in some cases restraint has to be exercised, in others there is no need of restraint.” “Make known to me, sir,” say I, “in what cases restraint has to be exercised, and in what cases it has not.” “Restrain yourself in regard to evil, and do it not; but exercise no restraint in regard to good, but do it. For if you exercise restraint in the doing of good, you will commit a great transgression; but if you exercise restraint, so as not to do that which is evil, you are practicing great righteousness. Restrain yourself, therefore, from all iniquity, and do that which is good.”
“What, sir,” say I, “are the evil deeds from which we must restrain ourselves?” “Hear,” says he: “from adultery and fornication, from unlawful reveling, from wicked luxury, from indulgence in many kinds of food (gluttony) and the extravagance of riches, and from boastfulness, and haughtiness, and insolence, and lies, and backbiting, and hypocrisy, from the remembrance of wrong, and from all slander. These are the deeds that are most wicked in the life of men. From all these deeds, therefore, the servant of ELOHIM must restrain himself. For he who does not restrain himself from these, cannot live to ELOHIM. Listen, then, to the deeds that accompany these.”
When know that in Galatians 5 that all these mentioned above by the malach (angel) of repentance of deeds of the flesh and not the Spirit.
Galatians 5:19-21
“For you know the works of the flesh, which are these adultery, impurity, and lasciviousness (lust), idolatry, witchcraft, enmity, strife, jealousy, anger, stubbornness, treacheries, heresies, envy, murder, drunkenness, revelry and all like things. Those who do things like these, they will not inherit the Kingdom of ELOHIM.”
Most of these have been covered in the past few Shepherd of Hermas commands in great detail and he is reiterating how wicked they are here, so I’ll touch the new ones that have been mentioned.
Remembrance of wrong- This is when you are keeping tabs of all those who have wronged you and throwing it in their faces when you should be forgiving them.
Mathew 18:21
“Then, Peter drew near to Him and said, “My Master, how many times should I forgive My brother with me who is at fault. Should I forgive him up to seven times? YESHUA said to him, “I do not say to you up to seven times, rather, up to seventy times seven.”
Since ELOHIM does not keep track of the transgressions we committed against Him when we asked for forgiveness, then why are you keeping tabs on the wrong doings of your brothers and sisters?
Reveling- is when someone is enjoying himself in a lively and noisy festivities, especially when these involve drinking large amount of alcohol, so think of parties, clubs, sporting events etc. It includes rowdy, disorderly parties that go late into the night with feasting and bad behavior. Compellingtruth.org adds “In Greek culture a revel was a group of partiers who paraded through the streets after dinner drunk and unruly, singing and playing instruments in honor of Bacchus deity.”
This pagan deity Bacchus is found in 2 Maccabees 6:7
“And in the day of the king’s birth every month they were brought by bitter constraint to eat the sacrifices; and when the fast of Bacchus was kept, the Jews were compelled to go to procession to Bacchus, carrying ivy.”
Romans 13:13-14
“And let us walk decorously, as in daylight; not in merriment, nor in drunkenness, nor in impurity of the bed, nor in envy and strife. But clothe yourselves with our Master YESHUA HA’MASHICH: and pay no concern about your FLESH for the indulgence of appetites.”
Wicked luxury- lusting after riches, a condition of abundance or great ease and comfort where one trusts in his money.
Mathew 13:22
“And that which was sown into a thorny place is he that hears the word and the cares of this world and the deception of riches choke the word, and it becomes without fruit.”
Mathew 19:16-24 (Aramaic)
“A certain man came and drew near and said to Him, “Good teacher, what is good that I should do that I should have eternal life?” Then He said to him, “Why do you call Me good? (Most Scripture dictionaries say “Why do you question Me concerning this good thing?” There is none good except One ELOHIM? Now If you desire to enter into life, keep the commandments.” He said to Him, “Which ones?” Then YESHUA said to him, “That you will not kill, and not commit adultery, and you will not steal, and you will not give false witness, and honor your father and mother, and love your neighbor as yourself.” The young man said to him, “All these things I have obeyed them from my youth. What do I lack?” YESHUA said to him, “If you desire to be perfect, go sell your possessions and give them to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven, and come follow Me.” And that young man heard this word and went away sad, for he had many possessions.”
The rich man had much luxury and was living in comfortability and did not want to depart from the comfortability of the lifestyle he was living. Later in the Shepherd of Hermas it is explained that those who have great riches are to look out for the poor for that is the reason why they were given the riches.
Extravagance of riches- wasteful or careless spending/ lack of restraint in spending or more than what is needed.
Boastfulness- is excessively proud and self-satisfied talk about one’s achievement, possessions, or abilities.
Jeremiah 9:23-24
“Thus says YAHWEH, let not the wise man BOAST in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man BOAST in his might, and let not the rich man BOAST in his riches; but let him who BOASTS boast in this: that He understands and knows Me, that I am YAHWEH who executes lovingkindness, justice, and righteousness in the earth; for in these things I delight, says YAHWEH.”
James 4:13-17
“But what will we say of those who say: “Today or tomorrow we will go to such or such a city and will abide there a year; and we will traffic and get gain?” And they do not know what will be tomorrow: for what is our life but an exhalation that is seen a little while and then vanishes and is gone? Whereas they should say: “If Master YAHWEH wills it, and we live, we will do this or that.” They BOAST in their arrogance. All such BOASTING IS EVIL. He that knows the good and does it not, to him is sin.”
Haughtiness- arrogant, pride, conceit, the appearance or quality of being arrogantly superior and disdainful.
Isaiah 3:16-17
“Because the daughters of Zion have become HAUGHTY, and walk with stretched forth necks, and wanton eyes, making a tingling with their feet, and thus provoking YAHWEH; therefore YAHWEH will bring low the heads of the daughters of Zion, and YAHWEH shall lay bare their secret parts.”
Proverbs 6:16-19
“There are six things which YAHWEH hates; yea, the seventh is an abomination to Him; HAUGHTY EYES, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked imaginations, feet that are swift in running to mischief, a false witness who speaks lies, and he who sows discord among brothers.”
Insolence- rude or disrespectful behavior.
2 Timothy 3:1-5
“But know this: That in the latter days hard times will come: and men will be lovers of themselves and lovers of money, boasters, proud, revilers, unyielding towards their own people, deniers of mercy, wicked, unloving, addicted to irreconcilable malicious gossips, ferocious, haters of the good, treacherous, rash, inflated, attached to pleasure more than to the love of ELOHIM, having a form of respect for ELOHIM but wide from the power of ELOHIM.”
2 Peter 2:10-17
“And especially them who go after the flesh in the lusts of pollution, and despise government. Daring and boasting without cause they do not quake with awe while they blaspheme; as opposed to the messengers/malachim/angels, greater than they in might and valor, do not bring against them a reproachful judgment. But these, like nasty beasts that by nature are for slaughter and corruption, while engaging in evil speech regarding things they don’t know, will perish in their own corruption; they being persons with whom iniquity is the reward of iniquity, and by them rioting in the daytime is accounted as delightful; defiled and to pleasure; having eyes that are full of adultery and transgressions that never end; seducing unstable souls; and having a heart exercised in greed; children of cursing; and having left the correct path, they have wandered and gone in the way of Balaam the son of Beor who loved the wages of iniquity, and who had for the corrector of his transgression a mute mule which, speaking with the speech of men, rebuked the madness of the prophet. These are wells without water, clouds driven by a storm, person for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness.”
Shepherd of Hermas continued: “Are there, sir,” said I, “any other evil deeds?” “There are,” says he; “and many of them, too, from which the servant of ELOHIM must restrain himself — theft, lying, robbery, false witness, overreaching (to get over on someone cunningly like extortion), wicked lust, deceit, vain esteem, boastfulness, and all other vices like to these.” “Do you not think that these are really wicked?” “Exceedingly wicked in the servants of ELOHIM. From all of these the servant of ELOHIM must restrain himself. Restrain yourself, then, from all these, that you may live to ELOHIM, and you will be enrolled amongst those who restrain themselves in regard to these matters. These, then, are the things from which you must restrain yourself.
Theft, lying, robbery, false witness, deceit:
Exodus 20:14
“You shall not steal.”
Leviticus 19:11
“You shall not steal; you shall deal falsely; neither shall you lie to one another.”
Proverbs 6:16-19
“There are six things which YAHWEH hates; yea, the seventh is an abomination to Him; haughty eyes, a LYING tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked imaginations, feet that are swift in running to mischief, a false witness who speaks LIES, and he who sows discord among brothers.”
Revelation 21:8
“But to the timid and the unbelieving, and to the transgressors and polluted and to manslayers and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and to all false persons, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”
Revelation 22:15
“Without will be dogs and sorcerers, and whoremongers and manslayers and idolaters, and everyone that loves and does falsehood.”
1 Corinthians 6:9-10
“Or don’t you know, that the unrighteous will not inherit the Kingdom of ELOHIM? Make no mistake! Neither sexual sinners, nor idol-worshippers, nor adulterers, nor the corrupt, nor men who lay down with other men, nor the oppressors, nor thieves, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, will inherit the Kingdom of ELOHIM.”
Leviticus 19:13 (Samaritan)
“You shall not oppress nor ROB your friend…”
Vain esteem- pride in oneself or one’s achievements, excessive vanity, similar to boasting.
Philippians 2:3
“And do nothing in strife or VAIN ESTEEM; but, with humbleness of mind, let each regard his neighbor as better than himself.”
False-witness
Proverbs 6:16-19
“There are six things which YAHWEH hates; yea, the seventh is an abomination to Him; haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked imaginations, feet that are swift in running to mischief, a FALSE WITNESS who speaks lies, and he who sows discord among brothers.”
Exodus 20:16
“You shall not bear FALSE WITNESS against your neighbor.”
Shepherd of Hermas continued: “But listen,” says he, “to the things in regard to which you have not to exercise self-restraint, but which you ought to do. Restrain not yourself in regard to that which is good, but do it.” “And tell me, sir,” say I, “the nature of the good deeds, that I may walk in them and wait on them, so that doing them I can be saved.” “Listen,” says he, “to the good deeds which you ought to do, and in regard to which there is no self-restraint requisite. First of all there is faith, then fear of YAHWEH, love, concord, words of righteousness, truth, patience. Than these, nothing is better in the life of men. If any one attend to these, and restrain himself not from them, blessed is he in his life. Then there are the following attendant on these: helping widows, looking after orphans and the needy, rescuing the servants of ELOHIM from necessities:
All of the other good that was listed have been covered in great detail in the previous Shepherd of Hermas messages, the malach of repentance is just reiterating the importance of them, but a new one is to rescue the servants of ELOHIM from necessities.
James 2:15-17
“Or if a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, and one of you say to them, “Go in peace, warm yourselves, and be full;” and you do not give them the NECESSITIES of the body, what is the use? So also faith alone, without works is dead.”
James 1:27
“For the worship that is pure and set-apart before ELOHIM the Father, is this: to visit the fatherless and the widows in their affliction; and: that one keep himself without blemish from the world.”
Shepherd of Hermas continued: “The being hospitable — for in hospitality gooddoing finds a field —
Jasher 22:11-13
“And Abraham planted a large grove in Beersheba, and he made to it four gates facing the four sides of the earth, and he planted a vineyard in it, so that if a traveler came to Abraham he entered any gate which was in his road, and remained there and ate and drank and satisfied himself and then departed. For the house of Abraham was always open to the sons of men that passed and repassed, who came daily to eat and drink in the house of Abraham. And any man who had hunger and came to Abraham’s house, Abraham would give him bread that he might eat and drink and be satisfied, and any one that came naked to his house he would clothe with garments as he might choose, and give him silver and gold and make known to him YAHWEH who had created him in the earth; this Abraham did all his life.”
Genesis 18:1-7
“And YAHWEH revealed Himself to him by the oak of Mamre, as he was sitting in the door of the tent in the heat of the day; and he lifted up his eyes and at a distance from him; and when he saw them, he ran from the door of the tent to meet them and bowed himself to the ground. And said, O YAHWEH, if now I have found mercy in Your sight, do not pass away from Your servant; let me bring a little water and wash your feet and rest yourselves under the tree; and take a morsel of bread and sustain your hearts; after that You shall go on Your way, since you have come to Your servant. And they said, “So do as you have said.” So Abraham hastened into the tent to Sarah, and said, “Make ready quickly three measures of fine flour; knead it, and make cakes on a griddle. And Abraham ran to the herd, and took a calf fat and good, and gave it to a servant, and he hastened to prepare it. And he took butter and milk and the calf which he had prepared, and set them before them; and he stood by them under the tree, and they ate.”
Shepherd of Hermas continued: “Never opposing any one, the being quiet, having fewer needs than all men (looking after others instead of yourself/putting others first), reverencing the aged, practicing righteousness, watching the brotherhood, bearing insolence, being long-suffering, encouraging those who are sick in soul, not casting those who have fallen into sin from the faith, but turning them back and restoring them to peace of mind, admonishing sinners, not oppressing debtors and the needy, and if there are any other actions like these.”
Being quiet:
Sirach 20:5-8
“There is one that keeps silence and is found wise: and another by much babbling becomes hateful. Some men hold their tongue, because they have nothing to answer: and some keep silence knowing their time. A wise man will hold his tongue until he sees opportunity: but a babbler and a fool will not regard time. He that uses many words shall be abhorred (hated)…”
Reverencing the aged:
Leviticus 19:32
“You shall rise up before an elder and honor the person who is older than you and revere your ELOHIM; I am YAHWEH your ELOHIM.”
1 Peter 5:5
“And you juniors submit yourselves to your seniors; and clothe yourselves, stringently, with lowliness of mind one towards another; because ELOHIM resists them who exalt themselves, and gives favor to the humble.”
Watching the brotherhood:
1 Peter 5:2-4
“Feed the flock of ELOHIM which is committed to you: have care for it spiritually; not from compulsion but voluntarily; not for base gain but with all your heart; not as masters of the flock but so as to be a good example for them: that when the Master Shepherd will be revealed you may receive from him a crown of esteem that does not fade.”
Being long suffering:
1 Peter 2:20-25
“But they who endure suffering due to their transgressions, what praise have they? But if, when you do well, they vex you and you endure it; then great is your praise with ELOHIM. For to this were you called; because the Messiah also died for us and left us this PATTERN that you should walk in His steps. He did no offence; neither was any deceit found in His mouth. When He was reviled, He did not revile; and He suffered but didn’t threaten, but committed His cause to the Righteous Judge. And He took away all our transgressions and, in His body lifted them to the stake; that we, when dead to transgression, might live by His righteousness; for by His wounds you are healed. For you had gone astray like sheep; but you have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.”
Admonishing sinners:
2 Esdras 14:13
“Now, therefore, set your house in order, and REPROVE (reprimand, rebuke) your people; comfort the lowly among them, and instruct those who are wise.”
1 Corinthians 5:11-13
“But this is what I wrote to you, that you don’t mix, if anyone is called a brother and is a sexual sinner; or greed for wealth, or an idol-worshipper, or a charlatan, or a drunkard, or greedy, with him who is such, not even to eat bread.”
Not oppressing debtors and needy:
Mathew 18:23-34
“Because of this the Kingdom of Heaven is likened to a king who desired to take an accounting from his servants. And when he began to take an accounting, they brought him one who owed ten thousand talents. And when he had no way to repay, his master commanded that he be sold, he and his wife, and his children and everything that he owns and he repay. And that servant fell down and worshipped him and said, ‘My master, be patient with me and every thing I will repay to you.’ And the master of that servant had compassion and released him and forgave him his debt. Now that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him one hundred denarii, and he seized him and was choking him and said to him, ‘Give to me that which you owe to me.’ And that fellow servant fell down upon his feet beseeching him and said to him, ‘Be patient with me and I will repay you.’ And he did not want to but went and cast him into prison until he paid him what he owed him.” And when their fellow servants saw the thing that had happened, it saddened them very much, and they made known to their master all that happened. Then his master called him and said to him, “Evil servant!” I forgave you all of that debt because you beseeched me, was it not right for you to have mercy on your fellow servant as I had mercy on you.”
Exodus 22:21, 25
“You shall neither harm a stranger nor oppress him; for you were strangers in the land of Egypt.” Verse 25 “If you lend money to any of my people who are the poor among you, you shall not be to him as an usurer, neither shall you take any usury from him.”
Deuteronomy 15:9-10
“Beware that there be not a wicked thought in your heart, and you say, the seventh year, the year of release, is near; and your eye be evil toward your poor brother, and you give him nothing; and he cry to YAHWEH against you, and it be transgression to you. You shall not be displeased when you give to him when you give to him…”
Shepherd of Hermas continued: “Do these seem to you good?” says he. “For what, sir,” say I, “is better than these?” “Walk then in them,” says he, “and restrain not yourself from them, and you will live to ELOHIM. Keep, therefore, this commandment. If you do good, and restrain not yourself from it, you will live to ELOHIM. All who act thus will live to ELOHIM. And, again, if you refuse to do evil, and restrain yourself from it, you will live to ELOHIM. And all will live to ELOHIM who keep these commandments, and walk in them.”
As always may our Father YAHWEH bless you in YESHUA’s Name!