Shepherds, Not Hired Men

We have been told by Crementius the subdeacon, who came to us from you, that the blessed father Cyprian has withdrawn for a particular reason — and that in doing so he acted quite rightly, since he is a man of standing and a conflict is coming. God has allowed that conflict in the world so that he may work together with his servants as they struggle against the adversary; and he meant it to show angels and men alike that the victor will be crowned, while the one who is beaten will receive in himself the sentence that has been made plain to us. [a]

The duty falls to us, who seem to be set in a high place, standing in a shepherd’s position, to keep watch over the flock. If we are found negligent, what was said to those before us who were put in charge and were negligent in just this way will be said to us as well: that we have not gone looking for what was lost, have not corrected the one who wandered off, have not bound up what was broken, but have eaten their milk and clothed ourselves with their wool.

And then the Lord himself, carrying out what was written in the law and the prophets, teaches us: “I am the good shepherd, and I lay down my life for the sheep. But the hired man, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away, and the wolf scatters them.” He speaks to Simon this way too: “Do you love me?” He answered, “I do love you.” He said to him, “Feed my sheep.” We know that this saying came out of that very withdrawal of his — and the rest of the disciples did the same.

So, dearest brothers, we do not want you found to be hired men. We want you to be good shepherds. You know that no small danger hangs over you if you do not urge our brothers to stand firm in the faith — the whole brotherhood could be torn up by the roots, as people who rush headlong into idolatry.

And we are not urging this on you in words only. You can learn from the many who come to you from us that, with God blessing us, we have done and are still doing all of this ourselves, with every anxiety and every worldly risk, keeping the fear of God and everlasting suffering before our eyes rather than the fear of men and a short-lived discomfort. We have not abandoned the brothers. We urge them to stand firm in the faith and to be ready to go with the Lord. We have even called back men who were already on their way up to do what they were being forced to do.

The church stands firm in the faith, even though some have been driven to fall by sheer terror — whether because they were people of standing, or because when they were seized they were gripped by the fear of man. Even so, we did not abandon them, though they were cut off from us. We urged them, and we go on urging them, to repent, in case they may somehow receive pardon from the one who is able to grant it; otherwise, deserted by us, they may only turn out worse.

So you see, brothers, that you ought to do the same, so that even those who have fallen may set their minds right at your urging; and if they are seized a second time, may confess, and so make up for the sin they committed before.

There are other duties that belong to you as well, and we have added them here. If any who have fallen into this trial begin to be taken ill, and repent of what they did, and ask for communion, it should certainly be granted them. If you have widows, or people confined to bed who cannot support themselves, or people in prison, or people shut out of their own homes, in every case there ought to be someone to look after them. And when catechumens are taken ill, they must not be let down; help is to be given to them.

And this matters most of all: if the bodies of the martyrs and of others are left unburied, those whose task it is to bury them run a considerable risk. Whichever of you does this duty, and on whatever occasion it is done, we are certain he is counted a good servant — one who has been faithful in a very little, and will be put in charge of ten cities. And may God, who gives everything to those who hope in him, grant that all of us be found doing this work.

The brothers who are in chains greet you, and so do the elders and the whole church, which itself keeps watch with the deepest concern over everyone who calls on the name of the Lord. And we ask you in turn to remember us. You should know, too, that Bassianus has come to us. We ask you, who are zealous for God, to send a copy of this letter to anyone you can, as opportunities come, or to make your own opportunities, or to send word, so that they may stand firm and steady in the faith.

We pray that you, dearest brothers, may always be well.