{"author":null,"backreferences":[{"context_html":"<p class=\"c005\">I prayed him much that he would explain to me the similitude\r\nof the field, and of the master of the vineyard, and of\r\nthe slave who staked the vineyard, and of the stakes, and of\r\nthe weeds that were plucked out of the vineyard, and of the\r\nson, and of the friends who were fellow-councillors, for I\r\nknew that all these things were a kind of parable. And he\r\nanswered me, and said, “You are exceedingly persistent<a id=\"r1708\"></a><a class=\"c009 pginternal\" href=\"#f1708\"><sup>[1708]</sup></a> with\r\nyour questions. You ought not,” he continued, “to ask any\r\nquestions at all; for if it is needful to explain anything, it will\r\nbe made known to you.” I said to him, “Sir, whatsoever you\r\nshow me, and do not explain, I shall have seen to no purpose,\r\n<span class=\"pageno\" id=\"Page_385\">385</span>not understanding its meaning. In like manner, also, if you\r\nspeak parables to me, and do not unfold them, I shall have\r\nheard your words in vain.” And he answered me again,\r\nsaying, “Every one who is the servant of God, and has his\r\nLord in his heart, asks of Him understanding, and receives\r\nit, and opens up every parable; and the words of the Lord\r\nbecome known to him which are spoken in parables. But those\r\nwho are weak and slothful in prayer, hesitate to ask anything\r\nfrom the Lord; but the Lord is full of compassion, and gives\r\nwithout fail to all who ask Him. But you, having been\r\nstrengthened by the holy Angel, and having obtained from\r\nHim such intercession, and not being slothful, why do not\r\nyou ask of the Lord understanding, and receive it from Him?”\r\nI said to him, “Sir, having you with me, I am necessitated\r\nto ask questions of you, for you show me all things, and\r\nconverse with me; but if I were to see or hear these things\r\nwithout you, I would then ask the Lord to explain them.”</p>","headings":["The Writings of the Apostolic Fathers","THE PASTOR OF HERMAS.","BOOK THIRD.—SIMILITUDES. SIMILITUDES WHICH HE SPAKE WITH ME.","SIMILITUDE FIFTH. Of true fasting and its reward: also of purity of body."],"marker_anchor":null,"paragraph_id":"pg77576-paragraph-722"}],"canonical_references":[],"date_end":null,"date_start":null,"deduplication_fingerprint":"f50c123820e670393a757c863511e7baa3194b542c70d4bc2a060a280a61a58f","edition_title":"The writings of the Apostolic Fathers","edition_translators":["Alexander Roberts","James Donaldson","Frederick Crombie"],"edition_year":1870,"explicit_reference_candidates":[],"headings":[],"id":"pg77576-f1708","license_url":"https://www.gutenberg.org/policy/license.html","public_import_allowed":false,"record_kind":"original-editor-translator-note","review_required":["work and recension attribution","original-work chronology","Bible reference numbering and citation kind","English edition rights and attribution"],"review_status":"needs_review","rights_evidence":"Project Gutenberg metadata: Public domain in the USA. Historical 1870 English edition; electronic transcription subject to Project Gutenberg reuse terms.","source_anchor":"f1708","source_ebook":77576,"source_html":"<div class=\"footnote\" id=\"f1708\">\n<p class=\"c006\"><span class=\"label\"><a class=\"pginternal\" href=\"#r1708\">1708</a>. </span>Literally, “self-willed” (αὐθάδης).</p>\n</div>","source_sha256":"5cef11d737d7f5d65aa99f44ca2d8e967d725f3bed872960330e88c0905597a9","source_url":"https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/77576/pg77576-images.html#f1708","text_sha256":"a68f9b4186f259ddc8610d784188dbf194893687625f993c757b262a8812d6aa","verified":false,"work_id":null}