First Christian Voices: Practices of the Apostolic Fathers

Chapter 8: Warnings Against Division and the Demonic

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too, have surrendered themselves to slavery, that with the price which they received for themselves, they might provide food for others. Many women also, being strengthened by the grace of God, have performed numerous extraordinary feats. The blessed Judith, when her city was besieged, asked of the elders’ permission to go into the camp of the strangers and, subjecting herself to danger, she went out for the love for her country and people under siege. The Lord delivered Holofernes into the hands of a woman. Esther also, being perfect in faith, subjected herself to no less danger in order to deliver the twelve tribes of Israel from impending destruction. For with fasting and humiliation she entreated the everlasting God, who sees all things. And He, perceiving the humility of her spirit, delivered the people for whose sake she had encountered peril. Obscurity of the Spiritual Realm I gnatius to the T rallians 5: Am I not able to write to you about heavenly things? But I fear to do so in case I should inflict injury on you who are but babes. Forgive me in this respect in case you should be choked by them. For even I, though I am in chains, am not able to understand heavenly things and the places of the angels and their gatherings under their respective princes; these things that are visible and invisible. With reference to such mysterious subjects, I am still but a learner. For many things are lacking to us so that we may not be lacking of God. B arnabas 18: But let us now pass to another sort of knowledge and doctrine. There are two ways of doctrine W arning A gainst the D emonic