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Oration on the Palms

Methodius of Olympus

Section 4

About this work

Author: Methodius of Olympus

IV. O ye disobedient as regards the wisdom of the just

‹ Section 3 Section 5 ›

,

turn

your

hearts

to

your

children

.

Learn

the

mysteries

of

God

;

the

very

thing

itself

which

is

being

done

bears

witness

that

it

is

God

that

is

thus

hymned

by

uninstructed

tongues

.

Search

the

Scriptures

,

as

ye

have

heard

from

the

Lord

;

for

they

are

they

which

testify

of

Him

,

and

be

not

ignorant

of

this

miracle

.

Hear

ye

men

without

grace

,

and

thankless

,

what

good

tidings

the

prophet

Zechariah

brings

to

you

.

He

says

,

Rejoice

greatly

,

O

daughter

of

Zion

;

behold

thy

King

cometh

unto

thee

:

just

and

having

salvation

;

lowly

,

and

riding

upon

the

foal

of

an

ass

.

Why

do

ye

repel

the

joy

?

Why

,

when

the

sun

shineth

,

do

ye

love

darkness

?

Why

do

ye

against

unconquerable

peace

meditate

war

?

If

,

therefore

,

ye

be

the

sons

of

Zion

,

join

in

the

dance

together

with

your

children

.

Let

the

religious

service

of

your

children

be

to

you

a

pretext

for

joy

.

Learn

from

them

who

was

their

Teacher

;

who

called

them

together

;

whence

was

the

doctrine

;

what

means

this

new

theology

and

old

prophecy

.

And

if

no

man

hath

taught

them

this

,

but

of

their

own

accord

they

raise

the

hymn

of

praise

,

then

recognise

the

work

of

God

,

even

as

it

is

written

in

the

law

:

“

Out

of

the

mouth

of

babes

and

sucklings

hast

Thou

perfected

praise

.

”

Redouble

,

therefore

,

your

joy

,

that

you

have

been

made

the

fathers

of

such

children

who

,

under

the

teaching

of

God

,

have

celebrated

with

their

praises

things

unknown

to

their

seniors

.

Turn

your

hearts

to

your

children

,

and

close

not

your

eyes

against

the

truth

.

But

if

you

remain

the

same

,

and

hearing

,

hear

not

,

and

seeing

,

perceive

not

,

and

to

no

purpose

dissent

from

your

children

,

then

shall

they

be

your

judges

according

to

the

Saviour’s

word

.

Well

,

therefore

,

even

this

thing

also

,

together

with

others

,

has

the

prophet

Isaiah

spoken

before

of

you

,

saying

,

Jacob

shall

not

now

be

ashamed

,

neither

shall

his

face

now

wax

pale

.

But

when

they

see

their

children

doing

my

works

,

they

shall

for

me

sanctify

My

name

,

and

sanctify

the

Holy

One

of

Jacob

,

and

shall

fear

the

God

of

Israel

.

They

also

that

err

in

spirit

shall

come

to

understanding

,

and

they

that

murmured

shall

learn

obedience

,

and

the

stammering

tongues

shall

learn

to

speak

peace

.

Seest

thou

,

O

foolish

Jew

,

how

from

the

beginning

of

his

discourse

,

the

prophet

declares

confusion

to

you

because

of

your

unbelief

.

Learn

even

from

him

how

he

proclaims

the

God

-

inspired

hymn

of

praise

that

is

raised

by

your

children

,

even

as

the

blessed

David

hath

declared

beforehand

;

saying

,

Out

of

the

mouth

of

babes

and

sucklings

hast

Thou

perfected

praise

.

Either

then

,

—

as

is

right

,

—

claim

the

piety

of

your

children

for

your

own

,

or

devoutly

give

your

children

unto

us

.

We

with

them

will

lead

the

dance

,

and

to

the

new

glory

will

sing

in

concert

the

divinely

-

inspired

hymn

.

Notes

35
Luke i. 17.
36
John v. 39.
37
Zech. ix. 9.
38
Ps. viii. 2.
39
Luke i. 17.
40
Isa. vi. 10.
41
Matt. xii. 27.
42
Isa. xxix. 22, 24.