Melito of Sardis
Encyclopedia
Melito of Sardis was the bishop of Sardis
near Smyrna
in western Anatolia, and a great authority in Early Christianity
: Jerome
, speaking of the Old Testament
canon
established by Melito, quotes Tertullian
to the effect that he was esteemed a prophet by many of the faithful. His feast is celebrated on April 1.
. Aside from a homily
Peri Pascha
(On the Passover
) in the Bodmer Papyri
, only fragments of his works survive.
for Christianity which he sent to Marcus Aurelius, begging him "not overlook us in the midst of such lawless plundering by the mob."
observing Easter
on the Jewish Passover
date of 14 Nisan, as did Polycrates of Ephesus
et al., writing On the Passover and other works, which were destroyed after Easter observance was fixed on Sunday and they were declared heretics.
, a term he coined. A passage cited by Eusebius contains Melito's famous canon of the Old Testament. Melito presented elaborate parallels between the Old Testament
or Old Covenant
, which he likened to the form or mold, and the New Testament
or New Covenant
, which he likened to the truth that broke the mold, in a series of Eklogai, six books of extracts from the Law and the Prophets presaging Christ and the Christian faith.
of Christ
on Earth, and followed Irenaeus
in his views.
Jerome [Comm. on Ezek. 36 ] and Gennadius [De Dogm. Eccl., Ch. 52] both affirm that he was a decided millennarian.
, or relying on teachings of Church fathers to condone it (Melito's Apology addressed to Marcus Aurelius Antoninus).
, in a brief note, relates that Melito ascribed corporeality to God
, and believed that the likeness of God is preserved in the human body. The note is too brief to tell exactly what Melito might have meant by this.
to Pope Victor I
written in about 194, mentioned by Eusebius
, (H.E. 5.24) states that "Melito the eunuch
" was interred at Sardis.
Melito's reputation as a writer remained strong into the Middle Ages: numerous works were pseudepigraphically ascribed
to him.
See of Sardis
The See of Sardis was an episcopal see in Sardis. It was one of the Seven Churches of the Apocalypse, held by metropolitan bishops since the middle to late 1st century, with jurisdiction over the province of Lydia...
near Smyrna
Smyrna
Smyrna was an ancient city located at a central and strategic point on the Aegean coast of Anatolia. Thanks to its advantageous port conditions, its ease of defence and its good inland connections, Smyrna rose to prominence. The ancient city is located at two sites within modern İzmir, Turkey...
in western Anatolia, and a great authority in Early Christianity
Early Christianity
Early Christianity is generally considered as Christianity before 325. The New Testament's Book of Acts and Epistle to the Galatians records that the first Christian community was centered in Jerusalem and its leaders included James, Peter and John....
: Jerome
Jerome
Saint Jerome was a Roman Christian priest, confessor, theologian and historian, and who became a Doctor of the Church. He was the son of Eusebius, of the city of Stridon, which was on the border of Dalmatia and Pannonia...
, speaking of the Old Testament
Old Testament
The Old Testament, of which Christians hold different views, is a Christian term for the religious writings of ancient Israel held sacred and inspired by Christians which overlaps with the 24-book canon of the Masoretic Text of Judaism...
canon
Biblical canon
A biblical canon, or canon of scripture, is a list of books considered to be authoritative as scripture by a particular religious community. The term itself was first coined by Christians, but the idea is found in Jewish sources. The internal wording of the text can also be specified, for example...
established by Melito, quotes Tertullian
Tertullian
Quintus Septimius Florens Tertullianus, anglicised as Tertullian , was a prolific early Christian author from Carthage in the Roman province of Africa. He is the first Christian author to produce an extensive corpus of Latin Christian literature. He also was a notable early Christian apologist and...
to the effect that he was esteemed a prophet by many of the faithful. His feast is celebrated on April 1.
Peri Pascha
Melito was a prolific early Christian writer, judging from lists of his works preserved by Eusebius and JeromeJerome
Saint Jerome was a Roman Christian priest, confessor, theologian and historian, and who became a Doctor of the Church. He was the son of Eusebius, of the city of Stridon, which was on the border of Dalmatia and Pannonia...
. Aside from a homily
Homily
A homily is a commentary that follows a reading of scripture. In Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, and Eastern Orthodox Churches, a homily is usually given during Mass at the end of the Liturgy of the Word...
Peri Pascha
Peri Pascha
Peri Pascha is a 2nd century document from Melito of Sardis that was assembled from surviving fragments in the 1930s, and translated into English in the 1940s....
(On the Passover
Passover
Passover is a Jewish holiday and festival. It commemorates the story of the Exodus, in which the ancient Israelites were freed from slavery in Egypt...
) in the Bodmer Papyri
Bodmer Papyri
The Bodmer Papyri are a group of twenty-two papyri discovered in Egypt in 1952. They are named after Martin Bodmer who purchased them. The papyri contain segments from the Old and New Testaments, early Christian literature, Homer and Menander. The oldest, P66 dates to c. 200. The papyri are kept at...
, only fragments of his works survive.
Apology
About 161 Melitus wrote a celebrated apologyChristian apologetics
Christian apologetics is a field of Christian theology that aims to present a rational basis for the Christian faith, defend the faith against objections, and expose the perceived flaws of other world views...
for Christianity which he sent to Marcus Aurelius, begging him "not overlook us in the midst of such lawless plundering by the mob."
Date of Easter
Melito was a Quartodeciman (Fourteenther),observing Easter
Easter
Easter is the central feast in the Christian liturgical year. According to the Canonical gospels, Jesus rose from the dead on the third day after his crucifixion. His resurrection is celebrated on Easter Day or Easter Sunday...
on the Jewish Passover
Passover
Passover is a Jewish holiday and festival. It commemorates the story of the Exodus, in which the ancient Israelites were freed from slavery in Egypt...
date of 14 Nisan, as did Polycrates of Ephesus
Polycrates of Ephesus
Polycrates of Ephesus was an Early Christian bishop who resided in Ephesus.Roberts and Donaldson noted that Polycrates "belonged to a family in which he was the eighth Christian bishop; and he presided over the church of Ephesus, in which the traditions of St. John were yet fresh in men's minds at...
et al., writing On the Passover and other works, which were destroyed after Easter observance was fixed on Sunday and they were declared heretics.
Old Testament Canon
Around 170 after traveling to Palestine, and probably visiting the library at Caesarea Maritima, Melito compiled the earliest known Christian canon of the Old TestamentOld Testament
The Old Testament, of which Christians hold different views, is a Christian term for the religious writings of ancient Israel held sacred and inspired by Christians which overlaps with the 24-book canon of the Masoretic Text of Judaism...
, a term he coined. A passage cited by Eusebius contains Melito's famous canon of the Old Testament. Melito presented elaborate parallels between the Old Testament
Old Testament
The Old Testament, of which Christians hold different views, is a Christian term for the religious writings of ancient Israel held sacred and inspired by Christians which overlaps with the 24-book canon of the Masoretic Text of Judaism...
or Old Covenant
Old Covenant
The Old Covenant was the name of the agreement which effected the union of Iceland and Norway. It is also known as Gissurarsáttmáli, named after Gissur Þorvaldsson, the Icelandic chieftain who worked to promote it. The name "Old Covenant", however, is probably due to historical confusion...
, which he likened to the form or mold, and the New Testament
New Testament
The New Testament is the second major division of the Christian biblical canon, the first such division being the much longer Old Testament....
or New Covenant
New Covenant
The New Covenant is a concept originally derived from the Hebrew Bible. The term "New Covenant" is used in the Bible to refer to an epochal relationship of restoration and peace following a period of trial and judgment...
, which he likened to the truth that broke the mold, in a series of Eklogai, six books of extracts from the Law and the Prophets presaging Christ and the Christian faith.
Millennialism
According to the Catholic Encyclopedia, Melito was a Chiliast, and believed in a Millennial reignMillennialism
Millennialism , or chiliasm in Greek, is a belief held by some Christian denominations that there will be a Golden Age or Paradise on Earth in which "Christ will reign" for 1000 years prior to the final judgment and future eternal state...
of Christ
Christ
Christ is the English term for the Greek meaning "the anointed one". It is a translation of the Hebrew , usually transliterated into English as Messiah or Mashiach...
on Earth, and followed Irenaeus
Irenaeus
Saint Irenaeus , was Bishop of Lugdunum in Gaul, then a part of the Roman Empire . He was an early church father and apologist, and his writings were formative in the early development of Christian theology...
in his views.
Jerome [Comm. on Ezek. 36 ] and Gennadius [De Dogm. Eccl., Ch. 52] both affirm that he was a decided millennarian.
Idolatry
Melito wrote against idolatryIdolatry
Idolatry is a pejorative term for the worship of an idol, a physical object such as a cult image, as a god, or practices believed to verge on worship, such as giving undue honour and regard to created forms other than God. In all the Abrahamic religions idolatry is strongly forbidden, although...
, or relying on teachings of Church fathers to condone it (Melito's Apology addressed to Marcus Aurelius Antoninus).
Attributes of God
OrigenOrigen
Origen , or Origen Adamantius, 184/5–253/4, was an early Christian Alexandrian scholar and theologian, and one of the most distinguished writers of the early Church. As early as the fourth century, his orthodoxy was suspect, in part because he believed in the pre-existence of souls...
, in a brief note, relates that Melito ascribed corporeality to God
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
, and believed that the likeness of God is preserved in the human body. The note is too brief to tell exactly what Melito might have meant by this.
Death and legacy
A letter of Polycrates of EphesusPolycrates of Ephesus
Polycrates of Ephesus was an Early Christian bishop who resided in Ephesus.Roberts and Donaldson noted that Polycrates "belonged to a family in which he was the eighth Christian bishop; and he presided over the church of Ephesus, in which the traditions of St. John were yet fresh in men's minds at...
to Pope Victor I
Pope Victor I
Pope Saint Victor I was Pope from 189 to 199 .Pope Victor I was the first bishop of Rome born in the Roman Province of Africa: probably he was born in Leptis Magna . He was later canonized...
written in about 194, mentioned by Eusebius
Eusebius of Caesarea
Eusebius of Caesarea also called Eusebius Pamphili, was a Roman historian, exegete and Christian polemicist. He became the Bishop of Caesarea in Palestine about the year 314. Together with Pamphilus, he was a scholar of the Biblical canon...
, (H.E. 5.24) states that "Melito the eunuch
Eunuch
A eunuch is a person born male most commonly castrated, typically early enough in his life for this change to have major hormonal consequences...
" was interred at Sardis.
Melito's reputation as a writer remained strong into the Middle Ages: numerous works were pseudepigraphically ascribed
Pseudepigraphy
Pseudepigrapha are falsely attributed works, texts whose claimed authorship is unfounded; a work, simply, "whose real author attributed it to a figure of the past." The word "pseudepigrapha" is the plural of "pseudepigraphon" ; the Anglicized forms...
to him.
External links
- Catholic Encyclopedia: Melito of Sardis
- Melito, Homily on Passover (Peri Pascha) from Kerux: The Journal of Northwest Theological Seminary
- A different assembly of Melito’s Peri Pascha fragments
- Opera Omnia by Migne Patrologia Graeca with Analytical Indexes