The Peri Pascha attributed to Melito of Sardis : setting, purpose, and sources / by Lynn H. Cohick.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Cohick, Lynn H.

Series:

Brown Judaic studies ; no. 327.

Brown Judaic studies ; no. 327

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Melito, Saint, Bishop of Sardis, active 2nd century. Homily on the Passion.

Melito.

Christianity and antisemitism.

Bible--Homiletical use.

Bible.

Physical Description:

x, 187 pages ; 24 cm.

Place of Publication:

Providence : Brown Judaic Studies, [2000]

Contents:

Stories 1

Brief Summary of the Homily 2

History of the Text 4

Date of the Homily 6

Anti-Jewish Rhetoric in the Homily 7

Scriptural Quotations 7

Method and Organization of this Study 8

Part 1 Setting and Purpose of the Peri Pascha 11

Eusebius' information 11

Reliability of Eusebius' Information 12

Authorship Question 12

Polycrates' Evidence in Euesbius 13

Eusebius' Preface to the Homily 16

Two Paschal Homilies 19

Anonymous Work 21

Six Books of Extracts 21

Quartodeciman Position of the Homily 22

Quartodeciman Position and the Charge of Judaizing 29

Sardis Provenance 31

Possible Palestine Provenance 35

Interpretations of the Homily's First Line 37

Summary of Eusebius' evidence 39

Fragments attributed to Melito of Sardis 39

Authorship Claims among the Fragments 39

Fragment Variants: eis sphagen (to the slaughter) 41

Fragment Variants and Lists in PP 59 and PP 69 44

Summary of the Fragment Evidence 51

Anti-Judaism in the Homily 52

Ho laos and "Israel" in the Homily 54

Egypt Foreshadowing Both Jesus and "Israel" 62

Influence of the Temple's Destruction upon Christianity 62

Initial Perspectives on the Anti-Judaism in the Homily 63

Social/Political Roots of Anti-Judaism 64

Alleged Jewish Missionary Activity 68

Popularity of Judaism 70

Jews' Alleged Persecution of Christians 70

Tensions in Sardis 74

Additional Social Impetuses behind the Anti-Judaism 74

Self-Definition Roots of Anti-Judaism 76

Theological Roots of Anti-Judaism 77

Anti-Gnostic Polemics 80

Anti-Marcionite Polemics 81

Summary of the Homily's Anti-Judaism 85

Quotations Used in the Homily 89

Quotations Inform the Design of the Homily 91

The Passover Motif and Exodus 12 92

Early Jewish Passover Material 95

Exodus 12 and the Passover in Early Christian Writings 99

The Homily's Variants and their Sources 102

Questions concerning Sources for Passover Story 103

General Use of Sources by the Homilist 104

Sources Available in the Ancient World 105

Characteristics of Derivative Biblical Sources 111

The Human Predicament 113

Gen. 2.16-17 Quotation 116

Series Quotations, PP 61-64 121

Psalm 2.1-2 and Isaiah 53.7-8 122

Deuteronomy 28.66 126

Jeremiah 11.19 and the Composite Quotation 130

Composite Quotation 133

Isaiah 50.8 Quotation 137

Jeremiah 5.8 Passage 138

Summary of the Use of Derivative-Biblical Sources 139

Description of Sources 142

Conclusion: A New Model of Interpretation for the Peri Pascha 147

Challenges to Current Scholarship 147

Christian Self-Definition 149

The Homilist's Intention in Writing the Homily 150

A New Model for Interpreting the Homily 152

Appendix A Fragment 15 and Irenaeus 155

Secondary 160.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 159-177) and index.

ISBN:

1930675038

OCLC:

45044128