Ante-Nicene Fathers/Volume VIII/Apocrypha of the New Testament/The Gospel of Pseudo-Matthew/Chapter 21

Chapter 21.

And on the day after, when they were setting out thence, and in the hour in which they began their journey, Jesus turned to the palm, and said:&#160; This privilege I give thee, O palm tree, that one of thy branches be carried away by my angels, and planted in the paradise of my Father.&#160; And this blessing I will confer upon thee, that it shall be said of all who conquer in any contest, You have attained the palm of victory.&#160; And while He was thus speaking, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared, and stood upon the palm tree; and taking off one of its branches, flew to heaven with the branch in his hand.&#160; And when they saw this, they fell on their faces, and became as it were dead.&#160; And Jesus said to them:&#160; Why are your hearts possessed with fear?&#160; Do you not know that this palm, which I have caused to be transferred to paradise, shall be prepared for all the saints in the place of delights, as it has been prepared for us in this place of the wilderness?&#160; And they were filled with joy; and being strengthened, they all rose up.