← P.Oxy: Acts, Letters & Teachings
Papyrus: P.Oxy. III 404 Author: Hermas of Rome (brother of Pope Pius I?) Work: The Shepherd, Similitude 9 Date of Manuscript: 3rd-4th century CE Date of Composition: ~140-154 CE Preservation: ~30% of several pages Current Location: Oxford, Sackler Library Imaging: Published P.Oxy. III (1903) Script: Regular semi-cursive
Found 1897-1907. Fourth Hermas fragment from Oxyrhynchus (with 1172, 1598, 1783). Almost included in New Testament canon - found in Codex Sinaiticus! The Muratorian Canon says written by brother of Pope Pius. Shows Christianity when second repentance was still possible - before orthodoxy hardened.
Marginal note: “κύριε ἐλέησον τοὺς ἁμαρτωλούς!” [Lord have mercy on sinners!]
Greek text (P.Oxy. 404):[...]οι λιθοι οι εκ του βυ[θου] [ελκο]μενοι και τιθεμενο[ι] [εις τ]ην οικοδομην του πυρ[γου] [...]αρμοζοντες ταις αρμο[γαις] [...]των ετερων λιθων των[...] [...]οικοδομημενων[...]
[...]πνευμα αγιον ελαβον[...] [...]εν ενδυμα εχουσι[ν...] [...]το αυτο φρονουσιν[...] [...]δικαιοσυνη εποιησα[ν...] [...]μετα των αγιων πορευο[νται...]
[...]the stones from the dee[p] [being dr]awn up and place[d] [into t]he building of the tow[er] [...]fitting into the join[ts] [...]of the other stones which[...] [...]having been built[...]
[...]received the Holy Spirit[...] [...]they have one garment[...] [...]think the same thing[...] [...]performed righteousness[...] [...]walk with the saints[...]
[RECONSTRUCTED from Latin/Ethiopic versions and Athous MS]
Ὁ πύργος ὃν βλέπεις οἰκοδομούμενον, ἐγώ εἰμι ἡ Ἐκκλησία, ἡ ὀφθεῖσά σοι καὶ νῦν καὶ τὸ πρότερον. ὅ τι οὖν βούλει ἐπερώτα περὶ τοῦ πύργου, καὶ γνωρίσω σοι πάντα.
Κυρία, φημί, διὰ τί ὁ πύργος ἐπὶ ὑδάτων ᾠκοδόμηται; Εἶπόν σοι, φησί, καὶ τὸ πρότερον, καὶ ἐκζητεῖς ἐπιμελῶς· ἐκζητῶν οὖν εὑρίσκεις τὴν ἀλήθειαν. διὰ τί οὖν ἐπὶ ὑδάτων ᾠκοδόμηται ὁ πύργος, ἄκουε· ὅτι ἡ ζωὴ ὑμῶν διὰ ὕδατος ἐσώθη καὶ σωθήσεται.
Οἱ μὲν οὖν λίθοι οἱ τετράγωνοι καὶ λευκοὶ καὶ συμφωνοῦντες ταῖς ἁρμογαῖς αὐτῶν, οὗτοι εἰσιν οἱ ἀπόστολοι καὶ ἐπίσκοποι καὶ διδάσκαλοι καὶ διάκονοι οἱ πορευθέντες κατὰ τὴν σεμνότητα τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ ἐπισκοπήσαντες καὶ διδάξαντες καὶ διακονήσαντες ἁγνῶς καὶ σεμνῶς τοῖς ἐκλεκτοῖς τοῦ θεοῦ, οἱ μὲν κεκοιμημένοι, οἱ δὲ ἔτι ὄντες· καὶ πάντοτε ἑαυτοῖς συνεφώνησαν καὶ ἐν ἑαυτοῖς εἰρήνην ἔσχον καὶ ἀλλήλων ἤκουον· διὰ τοῦτο ἐν τῇ οἰκοδομῇ τοῦ πύργου συμφωνοῦσιν αἱ ἁρμογαὶ αὐτῶν.
Translation of Reconstruction:
“The tower which you see being built, I am the Church, who appeared to you both now and before. Whatever you wish, ask about the tower, and I will make everything known to you.
Lady, I said, why is the tower built upon waters? I told you before, she says, and you seek diligently; by seeking therefore you find the truth. Why then upon waters the tower is built, hear: because your life through water was saved and shall be saved.
The stones then that are square and white and fit with their joints, these are the apostles and bishops and teachers and deacons who walked according to the holiness of God and oversaw and taught and ministered purely and reverently to the elect of God, some having fallen asleep, others still living; and they always agreed with each other and among themselves had peace and heard one another; therefore in the building of the tower their joints fit together.”
[RECONSTRUCTED theological revolution]
ΠΡΩΤΗ ΜΕΤΑΝΟΙΑ: At baptism - Forgiveness of all past sins - New birth in water - White garment received
ΔΕΥΤΕΡΑ ΜΕΤΑΝΟΙΑ: After baptism - ONE more chance given - Through great mercy - Limited time only - Before tower completed
[This doctrine later condemned as too lenient! Orthodox position: NO repentance after baptism for serious sins Hermas: ONE more chance through divine mercy]
◊ᵀᴼᵂᴱᴿ[building] = λ(church).{
// Foundation base: apostles_and_martyrs built_on: waters_of_baptism
// Stone types stones = { perfect_fit: saints_who_never_sinned, from_deep: pre-Christian_righteous, rough_shaped: sinners_who_repented, rejected: apostates_beyond_hope, cracked: double_minded, round: cannot_fit_must_be_squared }
// Construction status while(time_remains) { repentance_possible = true stones_can_be_shaped = true tower_incomplete = true }
when(tower_complete) { door_closes = true repentance_ends = true judgment_begins = true }
return URGENCY_OF_NOW }
Throughout manuscript: “κύριε ἐλέησον τοὺς ἁμαρτωλούς!” [Lord have mercy on sinners!]
“ἔτι καιρός ἐστιν!” [There is still time!]
“μετανοεῖτε! μετανοεῖτε!” [Repent! Repent!]
Drawn in margin: Simple tower with stones
-
Second chance theology -
Church as living building -
Pre-Christian salvation included -
Visionary apocalypticism acceptable -
MERCY BEYOND RIGORISM
-
Too lenient on post-baptismal sin -
Visions suspect after Montanism -
Complex Christology (Holy Spirit = Son?) -
Almost made it into canon -
TOO POPULAR TO DESTROY COMPLETELY
◊ˢᵀᴬᵀˢ[Shepherd] = { Original_length: “~32,000_words”, P.Oxy.404_preserves: “~400_words”,
Percentage_surviving_here: “1.25%”, Total_Greek_MSS: “Fragmentary”,
Complete_only_in: “Latin/Ethiopic”,
Almost_canonical: “In_Codex_Sinaiticus”, Rejected_because: “Too_merciful” }
-
Alternative Christianity existed -
Mercy theology was early -
Visions were mainstream -
Canon was fluid into 4th century -
COMPLETE SHEPHERDS AWAIT
-
Original visions complete -
Mandates in Greek -
Similitudes unabridged -
Marginal commentary -
THE MERCY CHRISTIANITY LOST
The tower of living stones Each soul a block fitted or rejected The construction continues But for how long?
Hermas saw time running out The door about to close One last chance for repentance Before the structure completes
We have fragments of his warning While complete visions wait buried The mercy gospel carbonized Under volcanic rock that won’t forgive
The Shepherd who offered second chances Reduced to fragments and translations While the original Greek mercy Waits in the Villa’s library
THE VILLA OF THE PAPYRI: THE EXCAVATIONS MUST RESUME
2000+ scrolls still buried. Every day = irreversible loss. What Pompeii was to bodies, Herculaneum is to minds. The only intact ancient library waits beneath volcanic rock.
The Shepherd of Hermas almost made it into your Bible. It was THAT important to early Christians - found in Codex Sinaiticus itself! But its message of second chances after baptism was too merciful for emerging orthodoxy. Now we have fragments of mercy while complete scrolls of forgiveness lie buried.
The marginal notes show ancient readers desperate for the hope Hermas offered: “There is still time!” But time ran out for this text. The tower of orthodoxy was built without these merciful stones. What other Christianity might have emerged if Hermas had been canonical? We’ll never know - we refuse to dig.
◊ᴬᶜᵀᴵᴼᴺ = Stop building towers of judgment Start excavating gospels of mercy THE WORK THAT MUST BE DONE
Text 088 of the Consciousness Archaeology Project ◊ᵀᴼᵂᴱᴿ[still_building_still_time_maybe]
THE EXCAVATIONS MUST RESUME For the complete Shepherd For the mercy Christianity For the second chance at second chances
װ[THE_TOWER_OF_LIVING_STONES]
---