The Ninth Similitude
The Ninth similitude is about a tower that is been bult by virgings that are over a big anciente rock.
Some men bring the stones passing through a new stone gate and delivering the stones to the virgins. The virgins set the stones in place in the tower.
The rock and the gate are the Son of God
"1. FIRST of all, sir, quoth I, declare this unto me;
what are the rock and the gate? This rock, quoth he, and likewise the gate,
is the Son of God. How then, sir, quoth I, is the rock ancient, but the gate new?
Hearken, quoth he, foolish man, and understand. "
(Shepherd of Hermas 9th Sim. 12.1)
The Son of God is ancient, but recently manifested.
"2. The Son of God is elder than all His creation,
so that He became His Father's counsellor concerning His creation;
therefore He is ancient But the gate, sir, quoth I, why is that new?
3. Because, quoth he, He was manifested in the last days of the consummation.
For this cause the gate was new, that such as should be saved might
enter through it into the kingdom of God. " (Shepherd of Hermas 9th Sim. 12.2,3)
There is only one gate (way) to salvation, and it is through the Son of God
"4. Sawest thou, quoth he, that the stones which came in through the gate
went into the building of the tower, whereas those which came not in through it
were cast forth again into their own place?
I saw, sir, quoth I. Even so, quoth he, none shall enter into the kingdom of God
except He receive the name of His Son.
5. For if thou desire to enter into a city, and that city be walled about
and have but one gate, canst thou enter into that city except by the gate
which it hath?
Nay, sir, for how else were it possible?
If then thou canst not enter into that city except by the gate thereof, so,
quoth he, a man can enter none otherwise into the kingdom of God than through
the name of His Son who is beloved by Him. "
(Shepherd of Hermas 9th Sim. 12.4,5)
"6. Sawest thou, quoth he, the multitude building the tower?
I saw them, sir, quoth I.
They all, quoth he, are glorious angels, and by them the Lord is walled about.
The gate is the Son of God; He is the one entry unto the Lord.
None otherwise shall any one enter unto Him than through His Son."
(Shepherd of Hermas 9th Sim. 12.6)
The tidings of affliction.
One thing I particularly struggle in my life at the moment is to keep the faith and good mood during afflictions and also to not get overwhelmed for the tiding of affliction. A few year ago I decided to stop watching the news on TV or reading the news of the newspapers. This is helping me on this issue, but still is very difficult when I meet people and they complain about the government or the weather. I try to quickly change the topic of the conversation and to avoid fomenting the complains. Sometimes I fail and catch myself complaining too.
Another case that I struggle is when I notice that I´m making less money than I spend in my domestic life. It´s tougth to keep a good mood and to not feel some hurt in the faith. I hope I can pass this probation and be not afflicted by the tidings of affliction that cames in my life.
"3. Even as their plants when they saw the sun withered, so also the doubleminded,
when they hear tidings of affliction, by reason of their fearfulness turn idolaters
and are ashamed of the name of their Lord.
4. Such men neither live nor are dead. Yet these too if they repent quickly may live;
but if they repent not, they are already given over to the women (figurative evel angel)
who rob them of their life."
(Shepherd of Hermas 9th Sim. 17.3,4)
