Sermons Based on the Lectionary of the Church

Melito of Sardis, On Pascha 44

Once, the slaying of the sheep was precious,
but it is worthless now because of the life of the Lord;
the death of the sheep was precious,
but it is worthless now because of the salvation of the Lord;
the blood of the sheep was precious,
but it is worthless now because of the Spirit of the Lord;
a speechless lamb was precious,
but it is worthless now because of the spotless Son;
the temple below was precious,
but it is worthless now because of the Christ above.

About the Author:

Melito, bishop of Sardis, was a prominent figure of second-century Christianity. Melito was a leader of the Church in Asia.
According to Eusebius of Caesarea, Melito was a supporter of the Quartodeciman theory. The Quartodecimans were early Christians who maintained the tradition derived from Judaism, and observed Pascha on the same occasion that the Jews observed Passover.
Hippolytus reports that Melito was among the earliest proponents of the two natures in Christ, and Jerome echoes Tertullian in noting that Melito was considered a prophet by many in his own day.
The present text, On Pascha, was written in c. 167/168. It is believed to be one of the earliest Christian sermon that has survived from antiquity.

Source: Orthodox Bookstore/SOCM Forum

See Also:

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