18. The disciples, going and doing just as Jesus had commanded them, brought the she-ass and the colt, etc., up to, He who is from Nazareth of Galilee ^[319]. Mark sets forth the passage in this way: “And going away they found a colt bound to the door outside on the street, and they loose it,” etc., up to, “Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David; peace in the highest” ^[320]. Luke also records these things: “Going away those who were sent found just as he said to them, a colt standing,” etc., up to, “If these were to keep quiet, the stones would have cried out” ^[321]. In a way that is consistent with our discussion concerning the two disciples sent to loose the bound she-ass and the colt with it and with all the things said about the passage, let us explain also the things set forth presently, in which it is said that The two disciples, going and doing the things the Savior commanded them, brought to him the she-ass and the colt. They did not leave [the animals] bare but placed around them a decoration with garments conveying gracefulness, adorning the she-ass and the colt with it that they had loosed with such things as they themselves were adorned and covered, in order that with the garments of the disciples who teach adorning the she-ass and the colt, the Logos of God might mou<nt upon and might> rest and seat himself upon [them], being the sole driver above those who were loosed and are bearing him. But Jesus is seated upon the garments from those who teach that were placed upon the she-ass and colt, since each persons needs to contribute something to Christ the lowly king seated on a beast of burden and young colt ***^[68]

<And a great crowd spread their own garments in the way, while others were cutting branches from the trees and spreading [them] in the way> ^[322]. So, there was a great crowd which enters into Jerusalem together with Jesus. And these people demonstrated the fruit of accepting the Savior by strewing their own garments under [him], just as they had done with the decoration and covering for when he was seated upon the she-ass and the colt. Moreover, in the way according to which he was leading the she-ass and the colt to Jerusalem, the great crowd spread their own garments, in order that with <feet> pure of earth and earthly matters and not having any dirt, the she-ass and the colt might travel to Jerusalem. Indeed there is also a third order now mentioned along with the two disciples and the great crowd that strews [their own] garments in the way. For others procure <some> fair adornment for the way through which Jesus was travelling to Jerusalem, riding on the aforementioned [animals]; and the fair adornment consisted of those branches cut from trees and spread out by each person whose garments were spread out. In this case, there would be a fourth order. For the disciples who loosed [the animals] are one thing, <and> the she-ass loosed and the colt with it are another, and third the great crowd, and fourth those who cut the branches from the trees and spread [them] in the way. It seems to me from these things also a fifth and sixth order is mentioned among those who go before Jesus and are following him. Indeed you might say those who go before [Jesus] are those from the people [of Israel] before the appearing,^[69] of the righteous perhaps and the prophets; but those who are following are from those who approach the Logos after the appearing and are following him, whether the righteous or indeed the apostles of Christ. However, those who are going before were not saying anything different than what those are following [were saying]; for all cried out together as a chorus agreeing and speaking in unison, and lauding the human [coming] of the Savior with Hosanna to the Son of David, and his second coming <with> Blessed is He who is coming in the name of the Lord, and the restoration to the Holy Place with Hosanna in the highest.

19. So, with these three acclamations being spoken by the unified voice of those going before and those following Jesus, he was entering into the true Jerusalem, on the one hand; but on the other hand, the heavenly powers being astonished—which are said to be the whole city, who were saying, Who is this? ^[323]—correspond to those things prophesied in the 23rd Psalm concerning the ascension of the Savior and of the astonishment of the heavenly powers who were astonished at the novel spectacle of his bodily riding. The Psalm reads this way: “Lift up your gates, O rulers, and be lifted up, O eternal gates, and the King of glory will enter,” etc. ^[324]. And in Isaiah something similar is prophesied concerning the ascent of the Savior after the economy,^[70] for it is said, “Who is this who is arriving from Edom, his garments red from Bosor, this one who is fair in robe?” ^[325]. As you read all the things with respect to this passage, you yourself may be able to contemplate, what the powers astonished at the bodily ascent of the Savior say and what is answered to them. But I have taken these things [in this way] as I desire to preserve the sequence of the tropology according to Scripture that After he entered into Jerusalem the whole city was stirred up, saying, Who is this? ^[326]. After this it is next written that many were saying, This is Jesus, the prophet who is from Nazareth of Galilee ^[327], [thereby] confessing what was prophesied that he who is devoted continually to God “will” properly “be called a Nazarean” ^[328]. But in accordance with this explanation let [our account of] the things with regard to the passage be circumscribed, and let us begin [to explain] what follows in another pericope, in order that someone (connecting with the explanation concerning these things from the earlier discussion) might not need to seek for [an explanation of] those people who are chastised by being cast out from the temple of God, as though they have made the house “of prayer” a “lair of brigands” ^[329]. I do not know if, even though someone be forced, one could preserve the whole sequence of what follows the present passages in a way consistent with “Rejoice exceedingly, O daughter of Zion,”

After these things let us examine also what Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is He who is coming in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest! might mean. Clearly, therefore, the expression Blessed is He who is coming in the name of the Lord occurs with this very wording in the Psalm before the great Psalm,^[71] which is called in certain manuscripts the 117th. But it seems to me that the things placed before “Blessed is He who is coming in the name of the Lord” have been set forth in the Hebrew language, “Hosanna to the Son of David,” rather than saying, “O Lord, save indeed.” Here is how the Hebrew text reads: ANNA ADONAI OSIANNA, ANNA ADONAI ASLIANNA, BAROUK ABBA BSAIM ADONAI.^[72] And so it seems to me that the Gospels, having been written consecutively by Greeks who did not know the [Hebrew] dialect, have commingled [the languages] used in this passage from the aforementioned Psalm.^[73] But if you desire to have the precise rendering of the text, listen to Aquila who translated in this way, “O Lord, save indeed; O Lord, help [us]; Blessed is He who is coming in the name of the Lord.” But let us recapitulate again the things according to the passage and let us say that, whether Paul and Peter or two other figures of those who are teaching, after loosing those from the circumcision and those from the uncircumicision from [their] bonds according to the command of Jesus, they adorned them and made them fitting for the Logos to ride upon them as he ascended to Jerusalem. And <in the same way also> the rest will be according to one explanation. But according to a different [explanation] it continually institutes ***^[74] for those who accept Jesus, who spread the way for him through their own garments and who adorn it with branches and who go before and who follow. And alternatively each person, through the things that have already been done, goes before Jesus, but through those things that will be done, he follows him and he says the things recorded. Such is what we understand about these passages, but let one who differs from us see and teach greater things. However, in one of our books on the Gospel according to John we examined these things to some degree, when it was set before [us] to explain, “On the morrow, therefore, a great crowd was coming to the feast” ^[330], etc.