mercredi 1 avril 2015

Saint MÉLITON de SARDES, évêque et confesseur


Saint Méliton de Sardes

À son époque, l'évêque de Sardes, Méliton (mort vers 190), a joui d'un grand prestige. Polycrate d'Éphèse dit que toutes ses actions furent animées par l'Esprit de Dieu. Eusèbe de Césarée (mort en 340) le présente comme l'une des grandes lumières de son temps et Saint Jérôme (mort en 420), comme un remarquable orateur et écrivain. Méliton va se documenter en Palestine sur les livres de l'Ancien Testament et adresse à l'empereur Marc-Aurèle une apologie en faveur des chrétiens. Son homélie sur la Pâque, récemment reconstituée à partir de fragments, est l'une des premières prédications chrétiennes et la plus ancienne homélie sur le mystère pascal que nous ayons.

Saint Méliton de Sardes

Évêque de Sardes ( 190)

Évêque de Sardes en Lydie (Asie Mineure), il s'était volontairement fait eunuque pour gagner le Royaume des cieux. Il composa de nombreux ouvrages à l'intention de ses fidèles. De lui nous reste un très beau discours sur la Pâque qui inspira par la suite la poésie liturgique byzantine et qui est proposée aux "Livres des Heures" de la liturgie latine.


Méliton de Sardes

L’intérêt de parler de cet évêque n’est pas dans les détails de sa vie, que nous ne connaissons pratiquement pas, mais pour l’excellence de ses écrits, et tout particulièrement pour son homélie sur la Pâque, tout récemment reconstituée à partir de fragments, dont on citera tout-à-l’heure deux longs passages.

Méliton fut évêque de Sardes en Lydie1 , au second siècle, sous les empereurs romains Antonin le Pieux († 161) et Marc-Aurèle († 180). Sa mort doit se placer avant 190.

Sardes était encore importante au début du christianisme : saint Jean la mentionne dans l’Apocalypse (Ap 1:11 ; 3:1-6).

Parlant de Méliton de Sardes, l’évêque Polycrate d’Éphèse, qui vivait vingt ans après lui, atteste que toutes ses actions furent animées de l’Esprit de Dieu.

Consulté par les fidèles de son temps sur l’autorité de l’Écriture sainte, il fit un voyage en Palestine pour apprendre quels étaient les véritables livres de l’Ancien Testament et dans quel ordre on devait les ranger. Il composa une Apologie adressée à l’empereur Marc-Aurèle en faveur des chrétiens. On lui a attribué d’autres ouvrages ; Eusèbe a donné le titre d’une vingtaine. De tout cela, en dehors des citations d’Eusèbe et d’Anastase le Sinaïte, il ne subsiste que des fragments grecs et syriaques qui ne sont pas tous d’une authenticité garantie. Tertullien et saint Jérôme ont qualifié Méliton d’excellent orateur et d’habile écrivain.

Polycrate se contente de dire que le corps de Méliton repose dans la ville de Sardes. Le Martyrologe Romain ne le mentionne pas actuellement, sans doute par manque d’informations historiques suffisantes, ce qui n’enlève rien à sa gloire.

Voici maintenant les deux passages de son Homélie sur la Pâque, repris dans la Liturgie des Heures (le Jeudi Saint et le Lundi de Pâques).

Bien des choses ont été annoncées par de nombreux prophètes en vue du mystère de Pâques qui est le Christ : à lui la gloire pour les siècles des siècles. Amen.

C’est lui qui est venu des cieux sur la terre en faveur de l’homme qui souffre ; il a revêtu cette nature dans le sein de la Vierge et, quand il en est sorti, il était devenu homme ; il a pris sur lui les souffrances de l’homme qui souffre, avec un corps capable de souffrir, et il a détruit les souffrances de la chair ; par l’esprit incapable de mourir, il a tué la mort homicide.

Conduit comme un agneau et immolé comme une brebis, il nous a délivrés de l’idolâtrie du monde comme de la terre d’Egypte ; il nous a libérés de l’esclavage du démon comme de la puissance de Pharaon ; il a marqué nos âmes de son propre Esprit, et de son sang les membres de notre corps.

C’est lui qui a plongé la mort dans la honte et qui a mis le démon dans le deuil, comme Moïse a vaincu Pharaon. C’est lui qui a frappé le péché et a condamné l’injustice à la stérilité, comme Moïse a condamné l’Egypte.

C’est lui qui nous a fait passer de l’esclavage à la liberté, des ténèbres à la lumière, de la mort à la vie, de la tyrannie à la royauté éternelle, lui qui a fait de nous un sacerdoce nouveau, un peuple choisi, pour toujours. C’est lui qui est la Pâque de notre salut.

C’est lui qui endura bien des épreuves en un grand nombre de personnages qui le préfiguraient : en Abel il a été tué ; en Isaac il a été lié sur le bois ; en Jacob il a été exilé ; en Joseph il a été vendu ; en Moïse il a été exposé à la mort ; dans l’agneau il a été égorgé ; en David il a été en butte aux persécutions ; dans les prophètes il a été méprisé.

C’est lui qui s’est incarné dans une vierge, a été suspendu au bois, enseveli dans la terre, ressuscité d’entre les morts, élevé dans les hauteurs des cieux.

C’est lui, l’agneau muet ; c’est lui, l’agneau égorgé ; c’est lui qui est né de Marie, la brebis sans tache ; c’est lui qui a été pris du troupeau, traîné à la boucherie, immolé sur le soir, mis au tombeau vers la nuit. Sur le bois, ses os n’ont pas été brisés ; dans la terre, il n’a pas connu la corruption ; il est ressuscité d’entre les morts et il a ressuscité l’humanité gisant au fond du tombeau.

Comprenez-le, mes bien-aimés : le mystère de la Pâque est ancien et nouveau, provisoire et éternel, corruptible et incorruptible, mortel et immortel.

Il est ancien en raison de la Loi, mais nouveau en raison du Verbe ; provisoire en ce qu’il est figuratif, mais éternel parce qu’il donne la grâce ; corruptible puisqu’on immole une brebis, mais incorruptible parce qu’il contient la vie du Seigneur ; mortel, puisque le Seigneur est enseveli dans la terre, mais immortel par sa résurrection d’entre les morts.

Oui, la Loi est ancienne, mais le Verbe est nouveau ; la figure est provisoire, mais la grâce est éternelle ; la brebis est corruptible, mais le Seigneur est incorruptible, lui qui a été immolé comme l’agneau, et qui ressuscita comme Dieu.

Car il a été conduit comme une brebis vers l’abattoir, alors qu’il n’était pas une brebis ; il est comparé à l’agneau muet, alors qu’il n’était pas un agneau. En effet, la figure a passé, et la vérité a été réalisée : Dieu a remplacé l’agneau, un homme a remplacé la brebis, dans cet homme, le Christ, qui contient toute chose.

Ainsi donc, l’immolation de la brebis et le rite de la Pâque et la lettre de la Loi ont abouti au Christ Jésus en vue de qui tout arriva dans la loi ancienne et davantage encore dans l’ordre nouveau.

Car la Loi est devenue le Verbe, et, d’ancienne, elle est devenue nouvelle (l’une et l’autre sorties de Sion et de Jérusalem), le commandement s’est transformé en grâce, la figure en vérité, l’agneau est devenu fils, la brebis est devenue homme et l’homme est devenu Dieu.

Le Seigneur, étant Dieu, revêtit l’homme, souffrit pour celui qui souffrait, fut enchaîné pour celui qui était captif, fut jugé pour le coupable, fut enseveli pour celui qui était enseveli. Il ressuscita des morts et déclara à haute voix : Qui disputera contre moi ? Qu’il se présente en face de moi ! C’est moi qui ai délivré le condamné ; c’est moi qui ai rendu la vie au mort ; c’est moi qui ai ressuscité l’enseveli. Qui ose me contredire ? C’est moi, dit-il, qui suis le Christ, qui ai détruit la mort, qui ai triomphé de l’adversaire, qui ai lié l’ennemi puissant, et qui ai emporté l’homme vers les hauteurs des cieux ; c’est moi, dit-il, qui suis le Christ.

Venez donc, toutes les familles des hommes, pétries de péchés, et recevez le pardon des péchés. Car c’est moi qui suis votre pardon, moi la Pâque du salut, moi l’agneau immolé pour vous, moi votre rançon, moi votre vie, moi votre résurrection, moi votre lumière, moi votre salut, moi votre roi. C’est moi qui vous emmène vers les hauteurs des cieux ; c’est moi qui vous ressusciterai ; c’est moi qui vous ferai voir le Père qui existe de toute éternité ; c’est moi qui vous ressusciterai par ma main puissante.
1 La Lydie était un royaume d’Asie Mineure, à l’ouest de l’actuelle Turquie d’Asie, sur la Mer Égée, et dont la capitale était Sardes. Là régna le fameux Crésus, puis la Lydie fut conquise par Cyrus, par Alexandre le Grand, enfin par Rome. Les restes archéologiques de Sardes sont près de l’actuelle Salihli, non loin de Izmir, le port de Smyrne.


Marie, la belle agnelle : homélie sur la Pâques de Méliton de Sardes (vers 160-170)

Méliton, évêque de Sardes en Asie mineure, fut très estimé de ses contemporains, comme étant un grand charismatique. Parmi ses nombreuses oeuvres, presque toutes perdues, est restée une homélie sur la Pâque, très belle dans la forme, substantielle dans les contenus. Il prononça l’homélie sur la Pâque, vers 160-170, dans le cadre de la veillée pascale, l’unique fête annuelle à cette époque (avant le concile de Nicée) qui, selon la tradition asiatique, avait lieu le 14 Nisan ; durant cette veillée on lisait Exode12, c’est-à-dire le récit de l’institution de la fête juive de Pâques. Au cours de l’homélie, Méliton mentionne quatre fois (§ 66.70.71.104) la Mère de Jésus, en mettant en évidence sa condition de Vierge, (§ 66. 70. 104), et en l’appelant « la belle (ou bonne - kalos en grec), agnelle » (§ 71). Marie, la belle agnelle C’est lui qui en une Vierge fut incarné, Qui sur le bois fut suspendu, Qui en terre fut enseveli, Qui d’entre les morts fut ressuscité, Qui vers les hauteurs des cieux fut élevé. C’est lui l’agneau sans voix, C’est lui l’agneau égorgé, C’est lui qui est né de Marie la bonne agnelle, C’est lui qui fut pris du troupeau Et à l’immolation fut traîné et le soir tué Et de nuit enseveli, Qui sur le bois ne fut pas broyé, En terre ne fut pas corrompu, Ressuscita des morts Et ressuscita l’homme du fond du tombeau. (Méliton de Sardes, sur la Pâque, n.70-71.Sources chrétiennes 123, Paris, Cerf, 1966, p.98-100) Une nuance cultuelle : L’affirmation « lui qui en une Vierge fut incarné » répond à des motivations d’ordre doctrinal mais le terme "Vierge" et surtout l’expression "la Vierge" désignent, en certains contextes, simplement et directement la mère du Seigneur et ont une nuance cultuelle, c’est-à-dire que ces expressions sont utilisées avec un sens de vénération et d’émerveillement devant le prodige de la maternité divine et virginale de Marie. L’attention des historiens de la pitié mariale est surtout attirée par la phrase : « C’est lui qui est né de Marie la bonne agnelle ». Dans le cadre du commentaire de l’Exode 12, l’évêque de Sardes projette sur la Vierge les caractéristiques du Fils, "l’agneau pascal", agneau "sans défauts et sans tache" (1 Pt 1,19; cfr. Ex 12,5). Elle est l’agnelle pure. Servite de Marie, professeur de la Pontificia Facoltà Marianum et au Pontificio Istituto Liturgico sant’Anselmo Une valeur doctrinale : Méliton, en associant l'incarnation, la croix et la résurrection, suggère que Marie est celle par qui le Christ a pu souffrir et ressusciter parce que d'abord il est né d'elle, véritablement homme. Méliton a eu l'intuition que la Vierge de l'Annonciation est déjà tendue vers l'oblation sacrificielle du Fils. Méliton fait ensuite le lien avec la Pâque juive où les hébreux immolaient l'agneau pascal et il montre le Christ comme le véritable agneau. Marie est appelée la bonne agnelle : la chair de l'agneau vient de l'agnelle. Marie est associée à la croix parce qu'elle a consenti au sacrifice. Calabuig (Père Ignazio Calabuig) 



L'Agneau sans défaut et sans tache

Bien des choses ont été annoncées par de nombreux prophètes en vue du mystère de Pâques qui est le Christ: à lui la gloire pour les siècles des siècles. Amen.

C'est lui qui est venu des cieux sur la terre en faveur de l'homme qui souffre; il a revêtu cette nature dans le sein de la Vierge et, quand il en est sorti, il était devenu homme; il a pris sur lui les souffrances de l'homme qui souffre, avec un corps capable de souffrir, et il a détruit les souffrances de la chair; par l'esprit incapable de mourir, il a tué la mort homicide.

Conduit comme un agneau et immolé comme une brebis, il nous a délivrés de l'idolâtrie du monde comme de la terre d'Egypte; il nous a libérés de l'esclavage du démon comme de la puissance de Pharaon; il a marqué nos âmes de son propre Esprit, et de son sang les membres de notre corps.

C'est lui qui a plongé la mort dans la honte et qui a mis le démon dans le deuil, comme Moïse a vaincu Pharaon. C'est lui qui a frappé le péché et a condamné l'injustice à la stérilité, comme Moïse a condamné l'Egypte.

C'est lui qui nous a fait passer de l'esclavage à la liberté, des ténèbres à la lumière, de la mort à la vie, de la tyrannie à la royauté éternelle, lui qui a fait de nous un sacerdoce nouveau, un peuple choisi, pour toujours. C'est lui qui est la Pâque de notre salut.

C'est lui qui endura bien des épreuves en un grand nombre de personnages qui le préfiguraient: en Abel il a été tué; en Isaac il a été lié sur le bois; en Jacob il a été exilé; en Joseph il a été vendu; en Moïse il a été exposé à la mort; dans l'agneau il a été égorgé; en David il a été en butte aux persécutions; dans les prophètes il a été méprisé.

C'est lui qui s'est incarné dans une vierge, a été suspendu au bois, enseveli dans la terre, ressuscité d'entre les morts, élevé dans les hauteurs des cieux.

C'est lui, l'agneau muet; c'est lui, l'agneau égorgé; c'est lui qui est né de Marie, la brebis sans tache ; c'est lui qui a été pris du troupeau, traîné à la boucherie, immolé sur le soir, mis au tombeau vers la nuit. Sur le bois, ses os n'ont pas été brisés; dans la terre, il n'a pas connu la corruption; il est ressuscité d'entre les morts et il a ressuscité l'humanité gisant au fond du tombeau."

Homélie de Méliton de Sardes sur la Pâque

Prière

Notre Père

Dieu qu'il est juste d'aimer par-dessus tout, multiplie en nous les dons de ta grâce; dans la mort de ton Fils, tu nous fais espérer ce que nous croyons, accorde-nous, par sa résurrection, d'atteindre ce que nous espérons.

Préparé par l'Institut de Spiritualité:

Université Pontificale Saint Thomas d'Aquin



« Le mystère du Seigneur – qui a été préfiguré depuis longtemps et, aujourd’hui, est rendu visible – trouve sa créance parce qu’il a été accompli, bien qu’il soit jugé inouï pour les hommes. En effet ancien et nouveau est le mystère du Seigneur. Ancien selon la préfiguration, nouveau selon la grâce. Mais si tu regardes vers la préfiguration, tu verras le vrai à travers sa réalisation. Si donc tu veux que le mystère du Seigneur apparaisse, regarde vers Abel pareillement tué, vers Isaac pareillement lié, vers Joseph pareillement vendu, vers Moïse pareillement exposé, vers David pareillement persécuté, vers les prophètes pareillement souffrants à cause du Christ ; regarde aussi vers l’agneau qui fut immolé en Égypte, vers celui qui frappa l’Égypte et sauva Israël par le sang.

C’est lui, le Seigneur, qui pour avoir été amené comme une brebis et immolé comme un agneau, nous délivra du service du monde comme de la terre d’Égypte, nous délia des liens de l’esclavage du démon comme de la main de Pharaon, marqua nos âmes de son propre Esprit comme d’un sceau et les membres de notre corps de son propre sang. C’est lui qui couvrit la mort de confusion, qui mit le démon dans le deuil, comme Moïse Pharaon. C’est lui qui frappa l’iniquité, qui priva l’injustice de postérité comme Moïse l’Égypte, c’est lui qui nous arracha de l’esclavage pour la liberté, des ténèbres pour la lumière, de la mort pour la vie, de la tyrannie pour une royauté éternelle, lui qui fit de nous un sacerdoce nouveau et un peuple élu, éternel. C’est lui qui est la Pâque de notre salut. C’est lui qui en une vierge prit chair, qui sur le bois fut suspendu, qui en terre fut enseveli, qui ressuscita d’entre les morts et vers les hauteurs fut exalté. C’est lui, l’agneau sans voix, lui l’agneau égorgé, lui, né de Marie, lui pris du troupeau et traîné à l’immolation, et le soir, tué, et de nuit enseveli. »
Méliton de Sardes, IIIe siècle, Sur la Pâque 58.64...71, SC 123, p. 93..123.

April 1

St. Melito, Bishop of Sardes in Lydia, Confessor

 [In the reign of Marcus Aurelius]  TO that emperor, in 175, he addressed an elegant and modest apology for the faith. From an eminent spirit of prophecy with which he was endued by God, he was surnamed The Prophet, as St. Jerom 1 and Eusebius testify. 2

Note 1. Catal. c. 24. 


Note 2. Eus. b. 4. Hist. c. 26. b. 5. c. 24.

Rev. Alban Butler (1711–73).  Volume IV: April. The Lives of the Saints.  1866.



Melito of Sardis B (AC)


Died c. 180. Bishop Melito of Sardis, Lydia, was an ecclesiastical writer of the period of the apologists. There are some writings attributed him that are now believed to have been composed by an unknown writer. Nevertheless, he was endowed with a powerful gift of prophecy, which led to the surname of "the Prophet," as attested by Saint Jerome and Eusebius (Attwater2, Benedictines, Husenbeth).

SOURCE : http://www.saintpatrickdc.org/ss/0401.shtml


MELITO,  (d. c.190), Bishop. of Sardis. Apart from the fact that he made a visit to Palestine to visit the Holy Places, practically nothing is known of his life. He was described by Polycrates (ap. Eusebius, HE 5. 24. 5) as one of the great lights of Asia and an upholder of Quartodeciman practice, and the author of the ‘Little Labyrinth’ applauded him as an upholder of orthodox Christology. He was a prolific writer, but only fragments of his works were known until 1940, when C. Bonner published a work preserved in a papyrus shared between the Chester Beatty collection and the University of Michigan. The work bore no title in this papyrus, but a further text found among the Bodmer papyri (pub. 1960) and also the Coptic and Georgian versions provide the title ‘On the Pasch’ (Περὶ Πάσχα, Peri Pascha). A Latin epitome survives among the sermons of both Augustine and Leo I. Its main theme is the new Pasch inaugurated by Christ. The liturgical context appears to be the Quartodeciman Pasch, and there are interesting parallels with the Jewish Passover haggadah. There is much polemic against the Jews who crucified the Lord. The Christology of the work bears out Melito’s reputation: he describes Christ as ‘by nature God and Man’ (φύσει θεὸς ὢν καὶ ἄνθρωπος). There is an anti-Gnostic insistence on the true humanity of Christ and on the unity of the Old and New Covenants. Man was created a harmonious unity of body and soul, and Redemption consists in the restoration of this unity, which has been dissolved by sin and death. The surviving fragments of his other works include parts of an ‘apology’ addressed to the Emp. Marcus Aurelius and a treatise on Baptism, which seems to owe something to Stoic sources. Melito’s theology prob. influenced Irenaeus and Tertullian. Feast day, 1 Apr.

Crit. edn. with Fr. tr. of Peri Pascha and frags. of other works by O. Perler (SC 123; 1966); and with Eng. tr. by S. G. Hall (Oxford Early Christian Texts, 1979). Chester Beatty—Michigan papyrus of the Peri Pascha ed. C. Bonner (Studies and Documents, 12; Philadelphia and London, 1940); the Bodmer text by M. Testuz (Papyrus Bodmer, 13; Cologny and Geneva, 1960); and the Georgian version, with Eng. tr., by J. N. Birdsall in Muséon, 130 (1967), pp. 121–38. H. Chadwick, ‘A Latin Epitome of Melito’s Homily on the Pascha’, JTS NS11 (1960), pp. 76–82. A. Stewart-Sykes, The Lamb’s High Feast: Melito, Peri Pascha and the Quartodeciman Paschal Liturgy at Sardis (Supplements to VC, 42; 1998). F. L. Cross, The Early Christian Fathers (1960), pp. 103–9. CPG 1 (1983), pp. 35–43 (nos. 1092–8) and Suppl. (1998), p. 10. O. Perler in Dict. Sp. 10 (1980), cols. 979–90, s.v., with bibl.


St. Melito

Bishop of Sardis, prominent ecclesiastical writer in the latter half of the second century. Few details of his life are known. A letter of Polycrates of Ephesus to Pope Victor about 194 (Eusebius, Church History V.24) states that "Melito the eunuch [this is interpreted "the virgin" by Rufinus in his translation of Eusebius], whose whole walk was in the Holy Spirit", was interred at Sardis, and had been one of the great authorities in the Church of Asia who held the Quartodeciman theory. His name is cited also in the "Labyrinth" of Hippolytus as one of the second-century writers who taught the duality of natures in Jesus. St. Jerome, speaking of the canon of Melito, quotes Tertullian's statement that he was esteemed a prophet by many of the faithful.

Of Melito's numerous works almost all have perished, fortunately, Eusebius has preserved the names of the majority and given a few extracts (Church History IV.13, IV.26). They are (1) "An Apology for the Christian Faith", appealing to Marcus Aurelius to examine into the accusations against the Christians and to end the persecution (written apparently about 172 or before 177). This is a different work from the Syriac apology attributed to Melito, published in Svriae and English by Cureton from a British Museum manuscript. The latter, a vigorous confutation of idolatry and polytheism addressed to Antoninus Caesar, seems from internal evidence to be of Syrian origin, though some authorities have identified it with Melito's Peri aletheias. (2) Peri tou pascha, on Easter, written probably in 167-8. A fragment cited by Eusebius refers to a dispute that had broken out in Laodicea regarding Easter, but does not mention the precise matter in controversy. (3) Eklogai, six books of extracts from the Law and the Prophets concerning Christ and the Faith, the passage cited by Eusebius contains a canon of the Old Testament. (4) He kleis, for a long time considered to be preserved in the "Melitonis clavis sanctae scripturae", which is now known to be an original Latin compilation of the Middle Ages. (5) Peri ensomatou theou, on the corporeity of God, of which some Syriac fragments have been preserved. It is referred to by Origen (In Gen., i, 26) as showing Melito to have been an Anthropomorphite, the Syriac fragments, however, prove that the author held the opposite doctrine.
Fourteen additional works are cited by Eusebius. Anastasius Sinaita in his Hodegos (P.G., LXXXIX) quotes from two other writings: Eis to pathos (on the Passion), and Peri sarkoseos (on the Incarnation), a work in three books, probably written against the Marcionites. Routh (see below) has published four scholia in Greek from a Catena on the Sacrifice of Isaac as typifying the Sacrifice of the Cross, probably taken from a corrupt version of the Eklogai. Four Syriac fragments from works on the Body and Soul, the Cross, and Faith, are apparently compositions of Melito, though often referred to Alexander of Alexandria. Many spurious writings have been attributed to Melito in addition to the "Melitonis clavis sanctae scripturae" already mentioned e.g., a "Let ter to Eutrepius, "Catena in Apocalypsin", a manifest forgery compiled after A.D. 1200; "De passione S. Joannis Evangelistae" (probably not earlier than the seventh century), "De transitu Beatae Mariae Virginis" (see Apocrypha in I, 607). Melito's feast is observed on 1 April.

MacErlean, Andrew. "St. Melito." The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 10. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1911. 1 Apr. 2015 <http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/10166b.htm>.

Melito of Sardis

Introduction (1-10)

1. First of all, the Scripture about the Hebrew Exodus has been read and the words of the mystery have been explained as to how the sheep was sacrificed and the people were saved.

2. Therefore, understand this, O beloved: The mystery of the passover is new and old, eternal and temporal, corruptible and incorruptible, mortal and immortal in this fashion:

3. It is old insofar as it concerns the law, but new insofar as it concerns the gospel; temporal insofar as it concerns the type, eternal because of grace; corruptible because of the sacrifice of the sheep, incorruptible because of the life of the Lord; mortal because of his burial in the earth, immortal because of his resurrection from the dead.

4. The law is old, but the gospel is new; the type was for a time, but grace is forever. The sheep was corruptible, but the Lord is incorruptible, who was crushed as a lamb, but who was resurrected as God. For although he was led to sacrifice as a sheep, yet he was not a sheep; and although he was as a lamb without voice, yet indeed he was not a lamb. The one was the model; the other was found to be the finished product.

5. For God replaced the lamb, and a man the sheep; but in the man was Christ, who contains all things.

6. Hence, the sacrifice of the sheep, and the sending of the lamb to slaughter, and the writing of the law–each led to and issued in Christ, for whose sake everything happened in the ancient law, and even more so in the new gospel.

7. For indeed the law issued in the gospel–the old in the new, both coming forth together from Zion and Jerusalem; and the commandment issued in grace, and the type in the finished product, and the lamb in the Son, and the sheep in a man, and the man in God.

8. For the one who was born as Son, and led to slaughter as a lamb, and sacrificed as a sheep, and buried as a man, rose up from the dead as God, since he is by nature both God and man.

9. He is everything: in that he judges he is law, in that he teaches he is gospel, in that he saves he is grace, in that he begets he is Father, in that he is begotten he is Son, in that he suffers he is sheep, in that he is buried he is man, in that he comes to life again he is God.

10. Such is Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever. Amen.

I. The Meaning of the OT Passover (11-71)

A. The Biblical Setting–Exodus 12:11-30 (11-15)

11. Now comes the mystery of the passover, even as it stands written in the law, just as it has been read aloud only moments ago. But I will clearly set forth the significance of the words of this Scripture, showing how God commanded Moses in Egypt, when he had made his decision, to bind Pharaoh under the lash, but to release Israel from the lash through the hand of Moses.

12. For see to it, he says, that you take a flawless and perfect lamb, and that you sacrifice it in the evening with the sons of Israel, and that you eat it at night, and in haste. You are not to break any of its bones.

13. You will do it like this, he says: In a single night you will eat it by families and by tribes, your loins girded, and your staves in your hands. For this is the Lord's passover, an eternal reminder for the sons of Israel.

14. Then take the blood of the sheep, and anoint the front door of your houses by placing upon the posts of your entrance-way the sign of the blood, in order to ward off the angel. For behold I will strike Egypt, and in a single night she will be made childless from beast to man.

15. Then, when Moses sacrificed the sheep and completed the mystery at night together with the sons of Israel, he sealed the doors of their houses in order to protect the people and to ward off the angel.

B. Egypt's Calamities (16-29)

16. But when the sheep was sacrificed, and the passover consumed, and the mystery completed, and the people made glad, and Israel sealed, then the angel arrived to strike Egypt, who was neither initiated into the mystery, participant of the passover, sealed by the blood, nor protected by the Spirit, but who was the enemy and the unbeliever.

17. In a single night the angel struck and made Egypt childless. For when the angel had encompassed Israel, and had seen her sealed with the blood of the sheep, he advanced against Egypt, and by means of grief subdued the stubborn Pharaoh, clothing him, not with a cloak of mourning, nor with a torn mantle, but with all of Egypt, torn, and mourning for her firstborn.

18. For all Egypt, plunged in troubles and calamities, in tears and lamentations, came to Pharaoh in utter sadness, not in appearance only, but also in soul, having torn not only her garments but her tender breasts as well.

19. Indeed it was possible to observe an extraordinary sight: in one place people beating their breasts, in another those wailing, and in the middle of them Pharaoh, mourning, sitting in sackcloth and cinders, shrouded in thick darkness as in a funeral garment, girded with all Egypt as with a tunic of grief.

20. For Egypt clothed Pharaoh as a cloak of wailing. Such was the mantle that had been woven for his royal body. With just such a cloak did the angel of righteousness clothe the self-willed Pharaoh: with bitter mournfulness, and with thick darkness, and with childlessness. For that angel warred against the firstborn of Egypt. Indeed, swift and insatiate was the death of the firstborn.

21. And an unusual monument of defeat, set up over those who had fallen dead in a moment, could be seen. For the defeat of those who lay dead became the provisions of death.

22. If you listen to the narration of this extraordinary event you will be astonished. For these things befell the Egyptians: a long night, and darkness which was touchable, and death which touched, and an angel who oppressed, and Hades which devoured their firstborn.

23. But you must listen to something still more extraordinary and terrifying: in the darkness which could be touched was hidden death which could not be touched. And the ill-starred Egyptians touched the darkness, while death, on the watch, touched the firstborn of the Egyptians as the angel had commanded.
24. Therefore, if anyone touched the darkness he was led out by death. Indeed one firstborn, touching a dark body with his hand, and utterly frightened in his soul, cried aloud in misery and in terror: What has my right hand laid hold of? At what does my soul tremble? Who cloaks my whole body with darkness? If you are my father, help me; if my mother, feel sympathy for me; if my brother, speak to me; if my friend, sit with me; if my enemy, go away from me since I am a firstborn son!

25. And before the firstborn was silent, the long silence held him in its power, saying: You are mine, O firstborn! I, the silence of death, am your destiny.

26. And another firstborn, taking note of the capture of the firstborn, denied his identity, so that he might not die a bitter death: I am not a firstborn son; I was born like a third child. But he who could not be deceived touched that firstborn, and he fell forward in silence. In a single moment the firstborn fruit of the Egyptians was destroyed. The one first conceived, the one first born, the one sought after, the one chosen was dashed to the ground; not only that of men but that of irrational animals as well.

27. A lowing was heard in the fields of the earth, of cattle bellowing for their nurslings, a cow standing over her calf, and a mare over her colt. And the rest of the cattle, having just given birth to their offspring and swollen with milk, were lamenting bitterly and piteously for their firstborn.

28. And there was a wailing and lamentation because of the destruction of the men, because of the destruction of the firstborn who were dead. And all Egypt stank, because of the unburied bodies.

29. Indeed one could see a frightful spectacle: of the Egyptians there were mothers with dishevelled hair, and fathers who had lost their minds, wailing aloud in terrifying fashion in the Egyptian tongue: O wretched persons that we are! We have lost our firstborn in a single moment! And they were striking their breasts with their hands, beating time in hammerlike fashion to the dance for their dead.

C. Israel's Safety (30-33)

30. Such was the misfortune which encompassed Egypt. In an instant it made her childless. But Israel, all the while, was being protected by the sacrifice of the sheep and truly was being illumined by its blood which was shed; for the death of the sheep was found to be a rampart for the people.

31. O inexpressible mystery! the sacrifice of the sheep was found to be the salvation of the people, and the death of the sheep became the life of the people. For its blood warded off the angel. 

32. Tell me, O angel, At what were you turned away? At the sacrifice of the sheep, or the life of the Lord? At the death of the sheep, or the type of the Lord? At the blood of the sheep, or the Spirit of the Lord? Clearly, you were turned away

33. because you saw the mystery of the Lord taking place in the sheep, the life of the Lord in the sacrifice of the sheep, the type of the Lord in the death of the sheep. For this reason you did not strike Israel, but it was Egypt alone that you made childless.

D. Model versus Finished Product (34-38)

34. What was this extraordinary mystery? It was Egypt struck to destruction but Israel kept for salvation. Listen to the meaning of this mystery:

35. Beloved, no speech or event takes place without a pattern or design; every event and speech involves a pattern–that which is spoken, a pattern, and that which happens, a prefiguration–in order that as the event is disclosed through the prefiguration, so also the speech may be brought to expression through its outline.

36. Without the model, no work of art arises. Is not that which is to come into existence seen through the model which typifies it? For this reason a pattern of that which is to be is made either out of wax, or out of clay, or out of wood, in order that by the smallness of the model, destined to be destroyed, might be seen that thing which is to arise from it–higher than it in size, and mightier than it in power, and more beautiful than it in appearance, and more elaborate than it in ornamentation.

37. So whenever the thing arises for which the model was made, then that which carried the image of that future thing is destroyed as no longer of use, since it has transmitted its resemblance to that which is by nature true. Therefore, that which once was valuable, is now without value because that which is truly valuable has appeared.

38. For each thing has its own time: there is a distinct time for the type, there is a distinct time for the material, and there is a distinct time for the truth. You construct the model. You want this, because you see in it the image of the future work. You procure the material for the model. You want this, on account of that which is going to arise because of it. You complete the work and cherish it alone, for only in it do you see both type and the truth.

E. Relationship Between Old Testament and New Testament  (39-45)

39. Therefore, if it was like this with models of perishable objects, so indeed will it also be with those of imperishable objects. If it was like this with earthly things, so indeed also will it be with heavenly things. For even the Lord's salvation and his truth were prefigured in the people, and the teaching of the gospel was proclaimed in advance by the law.

40. The people, therefore, became the model for the church, and the law a parabolic sketch. But the gospel became the explanation of the law and its fulfillment, while the church became the storehouse of truth.

41. Therefore, the type had value prior to its realization, and the parable was wonderful prior to its interpretation. This is to say that the people had value before the church came on the scene, and the law was wonderful before the gospel was brought to light.

42. But when the church came on the scene, and the gospel was set forth, the type lost its value by surrendering its significance to the truth, and the law was fulfilled by surrendering its significance to the gospel. Just as the type lost its significance by surrendering its image to that which is true by nature, and as the parable lost its significance by being illumined through the interpretation,

43. so indeed also the law was fulfilled when the gospel was brought to light, and the people lost their significance when the church came on the scene, and the type was destroyed when the Lord appeared. Therefore, those things which once had value are today without value, because the things which have true value have appeared.

44. For at one time the sacrifice to the sheep was valuable, but now it is without value because of the life of the Lord. The death of the sheep once was valuable, but now it is without value because of the salvation of the Lord. The blood of the sheep once was valuable, but now it is without value because of the Spirit of the Lord. The silent lamb once was valuable, but now it has no value because of the blameless Son. The temple here below once was valuable, but now it is without value because of the Christ from above.

45. The Jerusalem here below once had value, but now it is without value because of the Jerusalem from above. The meager inheritance once had value; now it is without value because of the abundant grace. For not in one place alone, nor yet in narrow confines, has the glory of God been established, but his grace has been poured out upon the uttermost parts of the inhabited world, and there the almighty God has taken up his dwelling place through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory for ever. Amen.

F. Components of the Mystery of the Passover (46-71)

1. The Passover (46-47a)

46. Now that you have heard the explanation of the type and of that which corresponds to it, hear also what goes into making up the mystery. What is the passover? Indeed its name is derived from that event–"to celebrate the passover" (to paschein) is derived from "to suffer" (tou pathein). Therefore, learn who the sufferer is and who he is who suffers along with the sufferer.

47. Why indeed was the Lord present upon the earth? In order that having clothed himself with the one who suffers, he might lift him up to the heights of heaven.

2. The Creation and Fall of Man (47b-48)

In the beginning, when God made heaven and earth, and everything in them through his word, he himself formed man from the earth and shared with that form his own breath, he himself placed him in paradise, which was eastward in Eden, and there they lived most luxuriously.

Then by way of command God gave them this law: For your food you may eat from any tree, but you are not to eat from the tree of the one who knows good and evil. For on the day you eat from it, you most certainly will die.

48. But man, who is by nature capable of receiving good and evil as soil of the earth is capable of receiving seeds from both sides, welcomed the hostile and greedy counselor, and by having touched that tree transgressed the command, and disobeyed God. As a consequence, he was cast out into this world as a condemned man is cast into prison.

3. Consequences of the Fall (49-56)

49. And when he had fathered many children, and had grown very old, and had returned to the earth through having tasted of the tree, an inheritance was left behind by him for his children. Indeed, he left his children an inheritance–not of chastity but of unchastity, not of immortality but of corruptibility, not of honor but of dishonor, not of freedom but of slavery, not of sovereignty but of tyranny, not of life but of death, not of salvation but of destruction.

50. Extraordinary and terrifying indeed was the destruction of men upon the earth. For the following things happened to them: They were carried off as slaves by sin, the tyrant, and were led away into the regions of desire where they were totally engulfed by insatiable sensual pleasures–by adultery, by unchastity, by debauchery, by inordinate desires, by avarice, by murders, by bloodshed, by the tyranny of wickedness, by the tyranny of lawlessness.

51. For even a father of his own accord lifted up a dagger against his son; and a son used his hands against his father; and the impious person smote the breasts that nourished him; and brother murdered brother; and host wronged his guest; and friend assassinated friend; and one man cut the throat of another with his tyrannous right hand.

52. Therefore all men on the earth became either murderers, or parricides, or killers of their children. And yet a thing still more dreadful and extraordinary was to be found: A mother attacked the flesh which she gave birth to, a mother attacked those whom her breasts had nourished; and she buried in her belly the fruit of her belly. Indeed, the ill-starred mother became a dreadful tomb, when she devoured the child which she bore in her womb.

53. But in addition to this there were to be found among men many things still more monstrous and terrifying and brutal: father cohabits with his child, and son and with his mother, and brother with sister, and male with male, and each man lusting after the wife of his neighbor.

54. Because of these things sin exulted, which, because it was death's collaborator, entered first into the souls of men, and prepared as food for him the bodies of the dead. In every soul sin left its mark, and those in whom it placed its mark were destined to die.

55. Therefore, all flesh fell under the power of sin, and every body under the dominion of death, for every soul was driven out from its house of flesh. Indeed, that which had been taken from the earth was dissolved again into earth, and that which had been given from God was locked up in Hades. And that beautiful ordered arrangement was dissolved, when the beautiful body was separated (from the soul).

56. Yes, man was divided up into parts by death. Yes, an extraordinary misfortune and captivity enveloped him: he was dragged away captive under the shadow of death, and the image of the Father remained there desolate. For this reason, therefore, the mystery of the passover has been completed in the body of the Lord.

4. Predictions of Christ's Sufferings (57-65)

57. Indeed, the Lord prearranged his own sufferings in the patriarchs, and in the prophets, and in the whole people of God, giving his sanction to them through the law and the prophets. For that which was to exist in a new and grandiose fashion was pre-planned long in advance, in order that when it should come into existence one might attain to faith, just because it had been predicted long in advance.

58. So indeed also the suffering of the Lord, predicted long in advance by means of types, but seen today, has brought about faith, just because it has taken place as predicted. And yet men have taken it as something completely new. Well, the truth of the matter is the mystery of the Lord is both old and new–old insofar as it involved the type, but new insofar as it concerns grace. And what is more, if you pay close attention to this type you will see the real thing through its fulfillment.

59. Accordingly, if you desire to see the mystery of the Lord, pay close attention to Abel who likewise was put to death, to Isaac who likewise was bound hand and foot, to Joseph who likewise was sold, to Moses who likewise was exposed, to David who likewise was hunted down, to the prophets who likewise suffered because they were the Lord's anointed.

60. Pay close attention also to the one who was sacrificed as a sheep in the land of Egypt, to the one who smote Egypt and who saved Israel by his blood.

61. For it was through the voice of prophecy that the mystery of the Lord was proclaimed. Moses, indeed, said to his people: Surely you will see your life suspended before your eyes night and day, but you surely will not believe on your Life.     Deut. 28:66.

62. And David said: Why were the nations haughty and the people concerned about nothing? The kings of the earth presented themselves and the princes assembled themselves together against the Lord and against his anointed.     Ps. 2:1-2.

63. And Jeremiah: I am as an innocent lamb being led away to be sacrificed. They plotted evil against me and said: Come! let us throw him a tree for his food, and let us exterminate him from the land of the living, so that his name will never be recalled.     Jer. 11:19.

64. And Isaiah: He was led as a sheep to slaughter, and, as a lamb is silent in the presence of the one who shears it, he did not open his mouth. Therefore who will tell his offspring?     Isa. 53:7

65. And indeed there were many other things proclaimed by numerous prophets concerning the mystery of the passover, which is Christ, to whom be the glory forever. Amen.

5. Deliverance of Mankind through Christ (66-71)

66. When this one came from heaven to earth for the sake of the one who suffers, and had clothed himself with that very one through the womb of a virgin, and having come forth as man, he accepted the sufferings of the sufferer through his body which was capable of suffering. And he destroyed those human sufferings by his spirit which was incapable of dying. He killed death which had put man to death.

67. For this one, who was led away as a lamb, and who was sacrificed as a sheep, by himself delivered us from servitude to the world as from the land of Egypt, and released us from bondage to the devil as from the hand of Pharaoh, and sealed our souls by his own spirit and the members of our bodies by his own blood.

68. This is the one who covered death with shame and who plunged the devil into mourning as Moses did Pharaoh. This is the one who smote lawlessness and deprived injustice of its offspring, as Moses deprived Egypt. This is the one who delivered us from slavery into freedom, from darkness into light, from death into life, from tyranny into an eternal kingdom, and who made us a new priesthood, and a special people forever.

69. This one is the passover of our salvation. This is the one who patiently endured many things in many people: This is the one who was murdered in Abel, and bound as a sacrifice in Isaac, and exiled in Jacob, and sold in Joseph, and exposed in Moses, and sacrificed in the lamb, and hunted down in David, and dishonored in the prophets.

70. This is the one who became human in a virgin, who was hanged on the tree, who was buried in the earth, who was resurrected from among the dead, and who raised mankind up out of the grave below to the heights of heaven.

71. This is the lamb that was slain. This is the lamb that was silent. This is the one who was born of Mary, that beautiful ewe-lamb. This is the one who was taken from the flock, and was dragged to sacrifice, and was killed in the evening, and was buried at night; the one who was not broken while on the tree, who did not see dissolution while in the earth, who rose up from the dead, and who raised up mankind from the grave below.

II. The Death of Christ and Israel's Sin (72-99)

A. Place and Cause of Christ's Death (72-86)

72. This one was murdered. And where was he murdered? In the very center of Jerusalem! Why? Because he had healed their lame, and had cleansed their lepers, and had guided their blind with light, and had raised up their dead. For this reason he suffered. Somewhere it has been written in the law and prophets,

"They paid me back evil for good, and my soul with barrenness     Ps. 34:12

plotting evil against me     Ps. 34:4; 40:8

saying, Let us bind this just man because he is troublesome to us."     Isa. 3:10 (LXX).

73. Why, O Israel did you do this strange injustice? You dishonored the one who had honored you. You held in contempt the one who held you in esteem. You denied the one who publicly acknowledged you. You renounced the one who proclaimed you his own. You killed the one who made you to live. Why did you do this, O Israel?

74. Hast it not been written for your benefit: "Do not shed innocent blood lest you die a terrible death"? Nevertheless, Israel admits, I killed the Lord! Why? Because it was necessary for him to die. You have deceived yourself, O Israel, rationalizing thus about the death of the Lord.

75. It was necessary for him to suffer, yes, but not by you; it was necessary for him to be dishonored, but not by you; it was necessary for him to be judged, but not by you; it was necessary for him to be crucified, but not by you, nor by your right hand.

76. O Israel! You ought to have cried aloud to God with this voice: "O Lord, if it was necessary for your Son to suffer, and if this was your will, let him suffer indeed, but not at my hands. Let him suffer at the hands of strangers. Let him be judged by the uncircumcised. Let him be crucified by the tyrannical right hand, but not by mine."

77. But you, O Israel, did not cry out to God with this voice, nor did you absolve yourself of guilt before the Lord, nor were you persuaded by his works.

78. The withered hand which was restored whole to its body did not persuade you; nor did the eyes of the blind which were opened by his hand; nor did the paralyzed bodies restored to health again through his voice; nor did that most extraordinary miracle persuade you, namely, the dead man raised to life from the tomb where already he had been lying for four days. Indeed, dismissing these things, you, to your detriment, prepared the following for the sacrifice of the Lord at eventide: sharp nails, and false witnesses, and fetters, and scourges,

79. and vinegar, and gall, and a sword, and affliction, and all as though it were for a blood-stained robber. For you brought to him scourges for his body, and the thorns for his head. And you bound those beautiful hands of his, which had formed you from the earth. And that beautiful mouth of his, which had nourished you with life, you filled with gall. And you killed your Lord at the time of the great feast.

80. Surely you were filled with gaiety, but he was filled with hunger; you drank wine and ate bread, but he vinegar and gall; you wore a happy smile, but he had a sad countenance; you were full of joy, but he was full of trouble; you sang songs, but he was judged; you issued the command, he was crucified; you danced, he was buried; you lay down on a soft bed, but he in a tomb and coffin.

81. O lawless Israel, why did you commit this extraordinary crime of casting your Lord into new sufferings–your master, the one who formed you, the one who made you, the one who honored you, the one who called you Israel?

82. But you were found not really to be Israel, for you did not see God, you did not recognize the Lord, you did not know, O Israel, that this one was the firstborn of God, the one who was begotten before the morning star, the one who caused the light to shine forth, the one who made bright the day, the one who parted the darkness, the one who established the primordial starting point, the one who suspended the earth, the one who quenched the abyss, the one who stretched out the firmament, the one who formed the universe,

83. the one who set in motion the stars of heaven, the one who caused those luminaries to shine, the one who made the angels in heaven, the one who established their thrones in that place, the one who by himself fashioned man upon the earth. This was the one who chose you, the one who guided you from Adam to Noah, from Noah to Abraham, from Abraham to Isaac and Jacob and the Twelve Patriarchs.

84. This was the one who guided you into Egypt, and guarded you, and himself kept you well supplied there. This was the one who lighted your route with a column of fire, and provided shade for you by means of a cloud, the one who divided the Red Sea, and led you across it, and scattered your enemy abroad.

85. This is the one who provided you with manna from heaven, the one who gave you water to drink from a rock, the one who established your laws in Horeb, the one who gave you an inheritance in the land, the one who sent out his prophets to you, the one who raised up your kings.

86. This is the one who came to you, the one who healed your suffering ones and who resurrected your dead. This is the one whom you sinned against. This is the one whom you wronged. This is the one whom you killed. This is the one whom you sold for silver, although you asked him for the didrachma.

B. Israel Brought to Trial (87-93)

87. O ungrateful Israel, come here and be judged before me for your ingratitude. How high a price did you place on being created by him? How high a price did you place on the discovery of your fathers? How high a price did you place on the descent into Egypt, and the provision made for you there through the noble Joseph?

88. How high a price did you place on the ten plagues? How high a price did you place on the nightly column of fire, and the daily cloud, and the crossing of the Red Sea? How high a price did you place on the gift of manna from heaven, and the gift of water from the rock, and the gift of law in Horeb, and the land as an inheritance, and the benefits accorded you there?

89. How high a price did you place on your suffering people whom he healed when he was present? Set me a price on the withered hand, which he restored whole to its body.

90. Put me a price on the men born blind, whom he led into light by his voice. Put me a price on those who lay dead, whom he raised up alive from the tomb. Inestimable are the benefits that come to you from him. But you, shamefully, have paid him back with ingratitude, returning to him evil for good, and affliction for favor and death for life–

91. a person for whom you should have died. Furthermore, if the king of some nation is captured by an enemy, a war is started because of him, fortifications are shattered because of him, cities are plundered because of him, ransom is sent because of him, ambassadors are commissioned because of him in order that he might be surrendered, so that either he might be returned if living, or that he might be buried if dead.

92. But you, quite to the contrary, voted against your Lord, whom indeed the nations worshipped, and the uncircumcised admired, and the foreigners glorified, over whom Pilate washed his hands. But as for you–you killed this one at the time of the great feast.

93. Therefore, the feast of unleavened bread has become bitter to you just as it was written: "You will eat unleavened bread with bitter herbs." Bitter to you are the nails which you made pointed. Bitter to you is the tongue which you sharpened. Bitter to you are the false witnesses whom you brought forward. Bitter to you are the fetters which you prepared. Bitter to you are the scourges which you wove. Bitter to you is Judas whom you furnished with pay. Bitter to you is Herod whom you followed. Bitter to you is Caiaphas whom you obeyed. Bitter to you is the gall which you made ready. Bitter to you is the vinegar which you produced. Bitter to you are the thorns which you plucked. Bitter to you are your hands which you bloodied, when you killed your Lord in the midst of Jerusalem.

C. Gentiles Are Witnesses of Israel's Crime (94-98)

94. Pay attention, all families of the nations, and observe! An extraordinary murder has taken place in the center of Jerusalem, in the city devoted to God's law, in the city of the Hebrews, in the city of the prophets, in the city thought of as just. And who has been murdered? And who is the murderer? I am ashamed to give the answer, but give it I must. For if this murder had taken place at night, or if he had been slain in a desert place, it would be well to keep silent; but it was in the middle of the main street, even in the center of the city, while all were looking on, that the unjust murder of this just person took place.

95. And thus he was lifted up upon the tree, and an inscription was affixed identifying the one who had been murdered. Who was he? It is painful to tell, but it is more dreadful not to tell. Therefore, hear and tremble because of him for whom the earth trembled.

96. The one who hung the earth in space, is himself hanged; the one who fixed the heavens in place, is himself impaled; the one who firmly fixed all things, is himself firmly fixed to the tree. The Lord is insulted, God has been murdered, the King of Israel has been destroyed by the right hand of Israel.

97. O frightful murder! O unheard of injustice! The Lord is disfigured and he is not deemed worthy of a cloak for his naked body, so that he might not be seen exposed. For this reason the stars turned and fled, and the day grew quite dark, in order to hide the naked person hanging on the tree, darkening not the body of the Lord, but the eyes of men.

98. Yes, even though the people did not tremble, the earth trembled instead; although the people were not afraid, the heavens grew frightened; although the people did not tear their garments, the angels tore theirs; although the people did not lament, the Lord thundered from heaven, and the most high uttered his voice.

D. Israel Questioned and Sentenced to Death (99)

99. Why was it like this, O Israel? You did not tremble for the Lord. You did not fear for the Lord. You did not lament for the Lord, yet you lamented for your firstborn. You did not tear your garments at the crucifixion of the Lord, yet you tore your garments for your own who were murdered. You forsook the Lord; you were not found by him. You dashed the Lord to the ground; you, too, were dashed to the ground, and lie quite dead.

III. The Final Triumph of Christ (100-105)

100. But he arose from the dead and mounted up to the heights of heaven. When the Lord had clothed himself with humanity, and had suffered for the sake of the sufferer, and had been bound for the sake of the imprisoned, and had been judged for the sake of the condemned, and buried for the sake of the one who was buried,

101. he rose up from the dead, and cried aloud with this voice: Who is he who contends with me? Let him stand in opposition to me. I set the condemned man free; I gave the dead man life; I raised up the one who had been entombed.

102. Who is my opponent? I, he says, am the Christ. I am the one who destroyed death, and triumphed over the enemy, and trampled Hades under foot, and bound the strong one, and carried off man to the heights of heaven, I, he says, am the Christ.

103. Therefore, come, all families of men, you who have been befouled with sins, and receive forgiveness for your sins. I am your forgiveness, I am the passover of your salvation, I am the lamb which was sacrificed for you, I am your ransom, I am your light, I am your saviour, I am your resurrection, I am your king, I am leading you up to the heights of heaven, I will show you the eternal Father, I will raise you up by my right hand.

104. This is the one who made the heavens and the earth, and who in the beginning created man, who was proclaimed through the law and prophets, who became human via the virgin, who was hanged upon a tree, who was buried in the earth, who was resurrected from the dead, and who ascended to the heights of heaven, who sits at the right hand of the Father, who has authority to judge and to save everything, through whom the Father created everything from the beginning of the world to the end of the age.

105. This is the alpha and the omega. This is the beginning and the end–an indescribable beginning and an incomprehensible end. This is the Christ. This is the king. This is Jesus. This is the general. This is the Lord. This is the one who rose up from the dead. This is the one who sits at the right hand of the Father. He bears the Father and is borne by the Father, to whom be the glory and the power forever. Amen.

The Peri Pascha of Melito. Peace to the one who wrote, and to the one who reads, and to those who love the Lord in simplicity of heart.

SOURCE : http://www.kerux.com/doc/0401A1.asp

San Melitone di Sardi Vescovo


Non è un santo molto noto, ma tutti i cristiani, che amano seguire l’ufficiatura del Giovedì Santo in preparazione alla Pasqua, hanno certamente ascoltato la sua più celebre Omelia che in quel giorno viene proclamata in tutte le Chiese. Essa è la più antica omelia pasquale cristiana giunta fino a noi, ed è tutta una contemplazione della Persona e del Mistero di Cristo, messo al centro del cosmo e della storia: «È Lui, che in una Vergine s’incarnò, che sul legno fu sospeso, che in terra fu sepolto, che dai morti fu risuscitato, che alle altezze del cielo fu elevato. È Lui l’agnello muto, è Lui l’agnello sgozzato, è Lui che nacque da Maria, l’Agnella pura, è Lui che fu preso dal gregge e all’immolazione fu trascinato, è Lui che di sera fu immolato e di notte seppellito; è Lui che sul legno non fu spezzato, che in terra non andò dissolto, che dai morti è risuscitato. È Lui che ha risollevato l’uomo dal profondo della tomba». Anche l’inno dell’«Exultet», che ascoltiamo sempre con gioia durante la notte di Pasqua, s’ispira agli scritti di questo santo che fu vescovo della Chiesa di Sardi, in Asia minore sul finire del II secolo. È perciò bello ricordarlo in questo primo giorno di aprile in cui la sua festa (secondo il rito orientale) coincide con la Domenica delle Palme, che apre la Settimana Santa. Di lui lo storico Eusebio di Cesarea ci dà una sola notizia, ma affascinante, narrando che «viveva completamente nello Spirito Santo». E sembra anche che egli sia stato uno dei primi vescovi a recarsi pellegrino in Palestina per compiere ricerche e verifiche sui luoghi biblici. Fu martirizzato nell’anno 194.

Ben poche cose si conoscono di questo personaggio; le fonti storiche tacciono quasi completamente sul suo conto e la sua abbondante produzione letteraria è quasi completamente scomparsa. Secondo Eusebio di Cesarea, Policrate, vescovo di Efeso, è il primo a fare il nome di Melitone in una lettera scritta verso il 190 al papa Vittore per difendere l'uso asiatico di celebrare la Pasqua il 14 del mese di nisn (quartodecimani). Per appoggiare la sua tesi Policrate citava, «fra i grandi luminari che riposano (quindi già morti) in Asia», diversi vescovi e terminava il suo elenco con il nome di Melitone «l'eunuco (cioè continente volontario), che viveva completamente nello Spirito Santo, e riposa a Sardi nell'attesa della visita che viene dai Cieli e nella quale risusciterà dai morti».

Sebbene Policrate non qualifichi esplicitamente Melitone come vescovo, il fatto che lo citi in una lista di vescovi permette di concludere che lo fosse. O. Perler, il recente editore dell'omelia di Melitone sulla Pasqua, riassume in modo assai conciso le altre scarse informazioni su di lui che si possono trarre da antichi autori: «Clemente d'Alessandria fa menzione di Melitone, ma probabilmente senza qualifica, in occasione della controversia pasquale. Delle due citazioni di Origene una sola ricorda la sua origine asiatica. L'autore del Piccolo labirinto (Ippolito) enumera il nostro autore, strettamente legato a sant'Ireneo, tra gli scrittori che hanno proclamato che il Cristo è Dio e uomo (Eusebio, op. cit., V. XXVIII, 5). In tutti questi testi sembra si tratti di uno stesso personaggio, scrittore e teologo, di cui si trovano tracce anche in altri autori come Apollinare di Gerapoli (?), Tertulliano, sant'Ireneo, Ippolito, Clemente, Metodio, Alessandro di Alessandria, ecc. Occorre giungere però ad Eusebio di Cesarea per trovare la qualifica di vescovo della Chiesa di Sardi.

«S. Girolamo, nel De viris illustribus riferisce che Tertulliano (montanista) "si è fatto gioco del genio elegante e retorico di Melitone nei sette libri scritti contro la Chiesa in favore di Montano, dicendo che la maggior parte dei nostri (i cattolici) lo consideravano un profeta"».

Eusebio fa l'elenco degli scritti di Melitone di cui cita anche qualche frammento nel corso di tutta la sua opera. Non è nostra intenzione riprodurre in questa sede l'elenco, ma dato che esso potrebbe essere d'aiuto per precisare la cronologia di questo santo, converrà tenere conto di alcune delle informazioni fornite da Eusebio.

Secondo O. Perler «Melitone sarebbe stato un personaggio noto già ai tempi di Antonino Pio (138-161). Al tempo di Marc'Aurelio poi, egli usava di tutte le sue risorse. A questo imperatore, infatti, indirizzò, tra il 169 e il 177, un'apologia (una difesa della filosofia, cioè del modo di vita, cristiana). Secondo un frammento tratto dalle Eclogae Melitone si recò in Oriente e visitò i luoghi santi per informarsi sul canone dei libri dell'Antico Testamento.

Un recente studio di I. Wellesz ha messo in rilievo come la già citata Omelia sulla Pasqua, oltre ad informarci sulla teologia cristologica di Melitone, è un prezioso documento che ebbe profonda influenza sull'enfatica e declamatoria letteratura innografica bizantina.

Non sembra che Melitone abbia goduto di un culto molto esteso né in Oriente né in Occidente. Diversi calendari (Acta SS., citt.) lo celebrano il 1° aprile associandolo talvolta con un omonimo vescovo di Sulcitana in Sardegna.

Autore:
Joseph-Marie Sauget



Voir aussi : R Cantalamessa Méliton de Sardes. Une christologie antignostique du IIe siècle
Revue des Sciences Religieuses Année 1963 Volume 37 Numéro 1 pp. 1-26 -  http://www.persee.fr/web/revues/home/prescript/article/rscir_0035-2217_1963_num_37_1_2334

http://faithofthefathersearlychurchfathers.blogspot.ca/2005/12/saint-melito-of-sardis-early-church.html