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Methodius of Olympus

4th century · AD 311 · Early Fathers (before Nicaea) · 206 passages

Background on Methodius of Olympus

In his own words on Galatians

  • Galatians 2:9

    Since then the children have invited us, and have given unto us the right hand of fellowship,

    Methodius Oration on the Psalms

  • Galatians 4:4

    But when He says, "As the years draw nigh, thou shalt be recognised "He means, as has been said before, that glorious recognition of our Saviour, God in the flesh, who is otherwise invisible to mortal eye; as somewhere Paul, that great interpreter of sacred mysteries, says: "But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth His Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons."

    Methodius Oration Concerning Simeon and Anna

  • Galatians 4:19

    For he says, "My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you; ". Receive the features, and the image, and the manliness of Christ, the likeness of the form of the Word being stamped upon them, and begotten in them by a true knowledge and faith, so that in each one Christ is spiritually born. And, therefore, the Church swells and travails in birth until Christ is formed in us,

    Methodius Discourse III. Thaleia

  • Galatians 5:17

    For there are two motions in us, the lust of the flesh and that of the soul, differing from each other,

    Methodius Discourse VIII. Thekla

  • Galatians 5:22

    The vine, and that not in a few places, refers to the Lord Himself, and the fig-tree to the Holy Spirit, as the Lord "maketh glad the hearts of men," and the Spirit healeth them. And therefore Hezekiah is commanded first to make a plaster with a lump of figs—that is, the fruit of the Spirit—that he may be healed—that is, according to the apostle—by love; for he says, "The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance;" which, on account of their great pleasantness, the prophet calls figs.

    Methodius Discourse X. Domnina

Quoted verbatim from public-domain English translations of the fathers — Aquinas's Catena Aurea, the Ante-Nicene and Nicene & Post-Nicene Fathers, and related editions. Each quotation links to its source.