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Demonstration of the Apostolic Preaching
St Irenaeus of Lyons, tr. Robinson, 1920
Chapter 84
And the same says David again: Lift up1 your gates, ye rulers; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting gates, and the King of glory shall come in. For the everlasting gates are the heavens. But because the Word descended invisible to created things, He was not made known in His descent to them. Because the Word was made flesh, He was visible in His ascension; and, when the powers saw Him, the angels below cried out to those who were on the firmament: Lift up your gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting gates, that the King of glory may come in. And when they marvelled and said: Who is2 this? those who had already seen Him testified a second time: The Lord strong and mighty, he is the King of glory.3
Notes
- Ps. xxiv. 7.
- Ps. xxiv. 8 ff.
- Justin’s interpretation (Dial. 36) makes the humble form of our Lord’s humanity (ἀειδὴς καὶ ἄτιμος) the reason why He is not at once recognized. The interpretation given by Irenaeus corresponds to that of the Ascension of Isaiah: see Introd. p. 43.