Baptism
In Hermas, baptism is regarded as
the initiation rite that leads to incorporation into the church (Esp. Sim.
9.31.1, where the “seal” sigillum, refers to baptism). The concept
resembles that in, for instance, 1 Corinthians 12:13 (“we were all baptized
into one body,” εις εν σωμα εβαπτισθημεν,
eis hen sōma
ebaptisthēmen)),
but the terminology differs. The reference in Visions 3.7.3 to those who heard
the word and wanted to be baptized in the name of the Lord (presumably Jesus,
see esp. Sim. 9.12.4-5, 8; 9.13.2-3, 7; 9.16.3-4; cf., e.g., Acts 2:38; 10:48;
19:5) reminds us of several New Testament passages about catechumens (cf.,
e.g., Mark 4:14-20 parr.; Acts 2:37-38; 10:44-48; 19:5). The baptismal
statement in Visions 3.3.5 that “your life was saved [εσωθη, esōthē]
and will be saved [σωθησεται,
sōthēsetai] through water (δια υδατος, dia hydatos]” calls
to mind 1 Peter 3:20-21 (cf. esp. διεωθησαν δι’ υδατος . . . σωζει βαπτισμα, diesōthēsan di hydatos . . . sōzei baptisma, “were saved through water . . . baptism
saves”). The connection made in Mandates 4.3.6 (cf. v. 1) between calling (κλησις, klēsis) and baptism is analogous
to that in Ephesians 4:1, 4-5. The way in which Similitudes 0.16 speaks of
death and life in relation to baptism resembles that in Romans 6:1-11. Yet,
unlike Paul, Hermas does not use this language to describe the process of being
baptized into Jesus Christ’s death associated with the belief that one will
live to God, but to contrast the pre-baptismal with the post-baptismal state.
The description (in Sim. 9.16) of how deceased Christian preachers convert and
baptize deceased pre-Christian righteous ones, parallels the motif of the descensus
ad infernos (“descent into hell”; cf. Christ’s role in esp. 1 Pet 3:19-21;
4:6) and in some way also the notion of baptism for the deceased mentioned by
Paul (1 Cor 15:29). (Mark Grundeken, “The Shepherd of Hermas,” in The Apostolic
Fathers, ed. Paul Foster [Ancient Literature for New Testament Studies 4;
Grand Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan Academic, 2025], 124-25)
