 | ||
Similar On Pascha and fragments, The lamb's high feast, Epistle to Diognetus, The Shepherd of Hermas, Church History | ||
Peri Pascha (English title On the Pascha) is a 2nd-century homily of Melito of Sardis written between A.D.160 and 170 in Asia Minor. It describes Christian doctrine on the Paschal mystery in the style of Second Sophistic period. It's likely that it was recited with the kind of cantillation customary in scripture reading. Its first editor, Campbell Bonner, entitled it mistakenly On the Passion. It was corrected to On the Pascha, thanks to the title found in the Papyrus Bodmer XIII, one of the Bodmer Papyri.
Contents
Meditation on the Paschal mystery
The homily was initially pronounced during Easter festival night celebrated, according to the custom of Quartodecimans, together with Jewish Passover on the 14th of Nissan. It revealed the meaning of Christ's Paschal mystery. The very first known use of the term Paschal mystery (literally Mystery of the Pascha) is found in this early homily:
The text is inspired by Jewish Haggadah of Pesach, especially the following antitheses:
Eusebius writes about Melito in his Historia Ecclesiastica that he celebrates Passover on the fourteenth of Nisan, rather than the Sunday following, hence he was a Quartodeciman.
Charges against the Jews
In this homily, Melito formulated the charge of deicide, namely that Jews were responsible for the crucifixion of Jesus. He proclaimed that
Some believe his preaching later inspired pogroms against the Jews, though any such connections are historically tenuous. Scholars have pointed out this modern misreading of the text, and do not consider that Melito encouraged any form of anti-semitism, especially since he advocated Quartodeciman beliefs. As Hanneken stated, "In conclusion, we find Melito to be closer to the Prophets and the Sages than modern anti-Judaism. Melito identifies himself within the same tradition as those he criticizes, and he calls them to repentance with compassion." He preaches the victory over death achieved by Jesus having been himself led as a lamb. He clothed death with shame because he arose from the dead, and raised up mortals from the grave below (n. 67-68, cf. 100). In the context of Jesus' death and resurrection Melito preaches forgiveness. Christ speaks of himself as of the one who is forgivness itself:
The text is styled on the Gospel of John. Typical for Johannine eschatology is to assert that the salvation is already realized. The formula I am (Gr. Ego eimi) is borrowed from that Gospel e.g.: Jn 8:12; 11:25; 14:26.