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Canonical Epistle

Peter of Alexandria

Canon 3

About this work

Pastoral canons addressing Christians who compromised under persecution, distinguishing circumstances and degrees of responsibility while prescribing periods and forms of repentance and reconciliation within the church.

Author: Peter of Alexandria
Date: c. AD 306
Origin: Alexandria
Genre: Canon Law

The canons are transmitted in a complex textual history that should be reviewed against critical editions.

Canon III.

But as for those who have suffered none of

‹ Canon 2 Canon 4 ›

these

things

,

and

have

shown

no

fruit

of

faith

,

but

of

their

own

accord

have

gone

over

to

wickedness

,

being

betrayed

by

fear

and

cowardice

,

and

now

come

to

repentance

,

it

is

necessary

and

convenient

to

propose

the

parable

of

the

unfruitful

fig

-

tree

,

as

the

Lord

says

:

“

A

certain

man

had

a

fig

-

tree

planted

in

his

vineyard

;

and

he

came

and

sought

fruit

thereon

,

and

found

none

.

Then

said

he

unto

the

dresser

of

his

vineyard

,

Behold

,

these

three

years

I

come

seeking

fruit

on

this

fig

-

tree

,

and

find

none

:

cut

it

down

;

why

cumbereth

it

the

ground

?

And

he

answering

,

said

unto

him

,

Lord

,

let

it

alone

this

year

also

,

till

I

shall

dig

about

it

,

and

dung

it

.

And

if

it

bear

fruit

,

well

;

and

if

not

,

then

after

that

thou

shalt

cut

it

down

.

”

Keeping

this

before

their

eyes

,

and

showing

forth

fruit

worthy

of

repentance

,

after

so

long

an

interval

of

time

,

they

will

be

profited

.

Balsamon. Those who from fear only and timidity deserted the faith, and then had an eye towards repentance, the canon punishes with three years’ exclusion, according to the parable of the fig-tree in the Gospels. For the Lord said, Three years I come to it seeking fruit, and find none; but the vine-dresser replies, Lord, let it alone this year also.

Zonaras. But those, he says, who having suffered no hardness, have deserted from fear only and timidity, in that they of their own accord have approached to wickedness, and then looked towards repentance, their case the parable of the fig-tree in the Gospels will exactly suit. Let them keep this before their eyes, and show forth for an equal period labours worthy of penitence, and they shall be profited; that is, after the fourth year. For the Lord said, Three years I come to it seeking fruit, and find none; and the vine-dresser answered, Lord, let it alone this year also.