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Oration on the Palms

Methodius of Olympus

Section 3

About this work

Author: Methodius of Olympus

III. But while these things were doing, and the disciples

‹ Section 2 Section 4 ›

were

rejoicing

and

praising

God

with

a

loud

voice

for

all

the

mighty

works

that

they

had

seen

,

saying

,

Blessed

be

the

King

that

cometh

in

the

name

of

the

Lord

;

peace

in

heaven

,

and

glory

in

the

highest

;

the

city

began

to

inquire

,

saying

,

Who

is

this

?

stirring

up

its

hardened

and

inveterate

envy

against

the

glory

of

the

Lord

.

But

when

thou

hearest

me

say

the

city

,

understand

the

ancient

and

disorderly

multitude

of

the

synagogue

.

They

ungratefully

and

malignantly

ask

,

Who

is

this

?

as

if

they

had

never

yet

seen

their

Benefactor

,

and

Him

whom

divine

miracles

,

beyond

the

power

of

man

,

had

made

famous

and

renowned

;

for

the

darkness

comprehended

not

that

unsetting

light

which

shone

in

upon

it

.

Hence

quite

appositely

with

respect

to

them

hath

the

prophet

Isaiah

exclaimed

,

saying

,

Hear

,

ye

deaf

;

and

look

,

ye

blind

,

that

ye

may

see

.

And

who

is

blind

,

but

my

children

?

and

deaf

,

but

they

that

have

the

dominion

over

them

?

And

the

servants

of

the

Lord

have

become

blind

;

ye

have

often

seen

,

but

ye

observed

not

;

your

ears

are

opened

,

yet

ye

hear

not

.

See

,

beloved

,

how

accurate

are

these

words

;

how

the

Divine

Spirit

,

who

Himself

sees

beforehand

into

the

future

,

has

by

His

saints

foretold

of

things

future

as

if

they

were

present

.

For

these

thankless

men

saw

,

and

by

means

of

His

miracles

handled

the

wonder

-

working

God

,

and

yet

remained

in

unbelief

.

They

saw

a

man

,

blind

from

his

birth

,

proclaiming

to

them

the

God

who

had

restored

his

sight

.

They

saw

a

paralytic

,

who

had

grown

up

,

as

it

were

,

and

become

one

with

his

infirmity

,

at

His

bidding

loosed

from

his

disease

.

They

saw

Lazarus

,

who

was

made

an

exile

from

the

region

of

death

.

They

heard

that

He

had

walked

on

the

sea

.

They

heard

of

the

wine

that

,

without

previous

culture

,

was

ministered

;

of

the

bread

that

was

eaten

at

that

spontaneous

banquet

;

they

heard

that

the

demons

had

been

put

to

flight

;

the

sick

restored

to

health

.

Their

very

streets

proclaimed

His

deeds

of

wonder

;

their

roads

declared

His

healing

power

to

those

who

journeyed

on

them

.

All

Judea

was

filled

with

His

benefit

;

yet

now

,

when

they

hear

the

divine

praises

,

they

inquire

,

Who

is

this

?

O

the

madness

of

these

falsely

-

named

teachers

!

O

incredulous

fathers

!

O

foolish

seniors

!

O

seed

of

the

shameless

Canaan

,

and

not

of

Judah

the

devout

!

The

children

acknowledge

their

Creator

,

but

their

unbelieving

parents

said

,

Who

is

this

?

The

age

that

was

young

and

inexperienced

sang

praises

to

God

,

while

they

that

had

waxen

old

in

wickedness

inquired

,

Who

is

this

?

Sucklings

praise

His

Divinity

,

while

seniors

utter

blasphemies

;

children

piously

offer

the

sacrifice

of

praise

,

whilst

profane

priests

are

impiously

indignant

.

Notes

22
Luke xix. 37, 38.
23
Matt. xxi. 10.
24
John i. 5.
25
Isa. xlii. 18–20.
26
John ix.
27
John v. 5.
28
John xi. 44.
29
Matt. xiv. 26.
30
John ii. 7.
31
John vi. 11.
32
Luke viii. 29, etc.
33
Dan. iii. 56 (LXX.).
34
Matt. xxi. 15.