Hebrew Voices #68 – An Early Christian Passover (Rebroadcast)
In this episode of Hebrew Voices, An Early Christian Passover, Nehemia Gordon continues his fascinating discussion with Prof. Shaye Cohen of Harvard University. This time, the two focus on a Christian Church Father named Melito of Sardis, who in the second … Continue reading →
In this episode of Hebrew Voices, An Early Christian Passover, Nehemia Gordon continues his fascinating discussion with Prof. Shaye Cohen of Harvard University. This time, the two focus on a Christian Church Father named Melito of Sardis, who in the second century, wrote a prayer service or sermon, for a Christian Passover. This leads Gordon and Cohen to discuss the differences and similarities between Easter, Pascha and Passover, what each commemorated, and when each of these holidays were observed by different historical groups. Be sure to also listen to Part 1 - Was the Last Supper a Passover Seder!
I look forward to reading your comments!
Transcript
Hebrew Voices #68 - An Early Christian Passover
You are listening to Hebrew Voices with Nehemia Gordon. Thank you for supporting Nehemia Gordon's Makor Hebrew Foundation. Learn more at NehemiasWall.com.
Shaye: Melito of Sardis is a fascinating text we know is a 14th er… is a Quartodeciman. For him, the Pascha means it’s the Passover, but it also means it’s the holiday of the suffering of Jesus Christ. And that happens on the 14th day of Nissan.
Benjamin Netanyahu: Le ma’an Zion lo ekhesheh, u’l’ma’an Yerushalayim lo eshkot. (For Zion’s sake I will not be silent, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest. Isaiah 62:1)
Nehemia: Shalom, this is Nehemia Gordon, and welcome to Hebrew Voices. This is the second of my two conversations with Professor Shaye Cohen of Harvard University. In this episode, we focus on a Christian Church Father named Melito of Sardis, who in the 2nd century wrote a prayer service or sermon for a Christian Passover. This leads us to a discussion about the differences and similarities between Easter, Pascha and Passover, what each commemorated, and when each of these holidays was observed by different historical groups. Be sure to also listen to Part 1 - Was the Last Supper a Passover Seder? Here is Part 2 of my conversation with Professor Shaye Cohen.
I’m here with Professor Shaye Cohen, who’s a Professor of Jewish Studies at Harvard University, and we’re going to talk today about Melito of Sardis. He was a Christian author who around the year 190 AD wrote a book called, “Peri Pascha”, “On the Pascha”, “On the Passover”.
So, I heard a lecture that you gave on iTunes University, talking about Melito of Sardis’ Peri Pascha, and I was completely fascinated by it. I thought this was really, really interesting.
You have this Christian author in the 2nd century, and he is writing what sounds to me is a Christian Passover Seder. And I know you don’t entirely accept that, but you had recommended to me a book by Alistair Stewart called On Pascha; Melito of Sardis circa 80-190, and he actually makes a really strong case, or I could say he argues vehemently that this was something like a Christian Passover. And I was left with some questions, but in any event, it definitely is a fascinating text here.
Shaye: So, the interesting thing is that this text, about which we are now speaking, was actually not discovered until 1940. In other words, it’s one of the most recent discoveries that up-ends expectations and comes out of the blue. Nobody knew where it was going to come from, and here it is. We can read a text now that, two generations ago, scholars could not read, because they simply didn’t have it.
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Paul was a Torah genius and therefore was difficult to understand:
2Pe 3:16 as also in all his letters, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which the unlearned and unstable pervert, as also they do the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction).
Paul did away with the man-made laws that went against the Torah, but never the Torah itself:
Rom 3:31 Do we then make the Law void through faith? Let it not be! {But we establish the Law.}
Act 21:24 taking them, be purified with them, and be at expense for them, so that they may shave their heads. And all may know that what they have been told about you is nothing, {but you yourself also walk orderly and keep the Law.}
Act 24:14 But I confess this to you, that after the Way which they call heresy, {so I worship the God of my fathers, believing all things that are written in the Law and in the Prophets.}
Act 25:8 Defending himself, Paul said, {Neither against the Law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar have I offended in anything.}
Act 28:17 And after three days it happened that Paul called together those being chief of the Jews. And they coming together, he said to them, Men, brothers, {I did nothing against the people or customs of our fathers.} I was delivered a prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans
Act 28:23 And they having appointed him a day, many came to him in his lodging; to whom he expounded, testifying the kingdom of God, and persuading them the things concerning Jesus, {both out of the Law of Moses and out of the Prophets,} from morning until evening.
The things that are said around 31min to 34min is faithfully taken (unfortunately) from the christian bible. It seems surprising cause lots of people shy away from it, but If a person is going to follow paul, theyre supposed to believe this replacement stuff and the doing away with the law:
2Co 3: v7. But if the ministration of death, written [and] engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which [glory] was to be done away:
v8. How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious?
v9. For if the ministration of condemnation [be] glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory.
v10. For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth.
v11. For if that which is done away [was] glorious, much more that which remaineth [is] glorious.
v12. Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech:
v13. And not as Moses, [which] put a vail over his face, that the children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished:
v14. But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which [vail] is done away in Christ.
v15. But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart.
But my response to paul would be very simple: Deu 29: v29. The secret [things belong] unto the LORD our God: but those [things which are] revealed [belong] unto us and to our children for ever, that [we] may do all the words of this law.
(To any christians questioning themselves over paul and have a crisis of faith, there are christians who remain christians while rejecting paul)
Good point. I am not a Greek scholar, but it does appear from Biblehub resource that the meaning of Greek “protos” does include “before”. I looked in Hebrew Matthew, the word used there is “הראשין” a variation of “רֵאשִׁית” rasheet = beginning. It is part of the first word of the Hebrew Bible – “בְּרֵאשִׁית.” I am not an expert in Hebrew, so Nehemia you will have to help here, but it appears from the context, that “b’rasheet” could also have the meaning of “before it all began” (“Before it all began, ….the earth was void and darkness…” vs. “on the first day”). If this is true, could it be that Matthew was saying, “before the feast of Passover began, the deciples came to Yeshua to ask where he wanted the feast prepared. It would make more sense for them to ask ahead of time vs at the last minute.
Nehemia, would this be a possible meaning of the word “רֵאשִׁית” (and the Greek “prote” of Matthew 26:17) and a possible solution to the issue?
Thank you.
Syncretism actually began much earlier – invoked heavily by the Emperor Hadrian persecution sparked by the Bar Kokhba revolt. As Roman hatred of the Jewish people intensified, Gentile leadership in Yeshua sought to distance themselves from the Jews, hoping to avoid Roman persecution.
This occured and deepened most prevelently in areas farther to the West, away from strong Jewish influence. Lacking the “Jewish traditions” to tie their celebratiins to, “heathen converts” began to incorporate elements of their own national customs into their celebrations. While the believers in Palastine remained Torah observant (p. 82).
The syncreatism at first was very effective in gaining Gentile Christians the favor of the Emperors, though later they too endured fierce persecution when they refused to make sacrifices to the Emperor.
When Emperor Constantine “converted to Christianity” he did however, make much of the syncretism into offical church doctrine at the Council of Nicia in 325 CE, ending persecution to those willing to compromise, and banned – on peanalty of death – any Judaizing (Torah Observance). Such rigid laws demonstrates that there was still a strong presence of Torah Observant believers in Yeshua at that time. (See Texrbook of Ecclesiastical History, by Johann Karl Ludwig Giesler 1836. Available Online at Internet Archive)
Possibilities;
1.The Last Supper, the last meal the disciples share with Jesus. Not meaning the Passover meal, just a meal where they found lodgings before they were to celebrate the Passover Festival. Prayers, blessings, wine and bread are usual parts aren’t they?
2.A Messianic Rabbi once said there was a traditional meal that men shared before the Passover meal.
3.Jesus can’t be eating the Passover meal as he is supposed to be the Lamb to be sacrificed .
4.Jesus is sacrificed on Preparation Day which allows him to be the sacrifice before the Passover Meal
Melito of Sardis destroyed the Way of YHVH which is precisely what Yeshua exemplified. The “church” is NOT the ekklesia or qahal. It has been the same formula front the beginning – grace faith obedience. Torah is Truth, which Yeshua exemplified, it is alive and well.
Melito may have had (or not) good intentions but he was full of error. Many of the so-called faithful began to leave The Way of YHVH after the apostle John died, following these antisemites like Melito and Marcion etc. And, here we are today, with a “church” that hardly resembles Yeshua’s qahal/ekklesia/assembly of called out ones or faithful.
The fact is, neither “Judaism” not “Christianity” are found in the Bible. What is in the Bible is The Way of YHVH, and a whole bunch of “do it our own way” (tradition instead of Torah), disobedient (sinful) people. This includes Rabbinic Judaism, arising out of Babylonian captivity, and Christianity, arising out of pagan Greek/Roman dominance. The further are to Torah, while the latter has done away with Torah altogether.
Melito of Sardis was not Jewish. Why not? Because no Jew would refer to the Tanakh as the “old testament.” He is the one responsible for the misnomers, old and new testament.
Father, Son, lamb, these are metaphors, so accept their meaning but not as much their literal nature, except as role.
Easter is syncretism which began under the Emperor Constantine, and is based on the Greek/Roman Ishtar. This is how eggs, bunnies, and other pagan elements enter the Christian holiday. Ironically, of course, this is forbidden by YHVH.
What’s missing is First Fruits, which begins when the weekly Sabbath ends after Passover.
There “Last Supper” was a rehearsal so the disciples (and the rest of us) would understand His connection to the Holy-days.
Absolutely! This is the correct chronology of events that year. I came out of wwcg. Now with Pacific Church of God. We currently are debating The Calendar.
When Melito wrote his sermon the church was only about 140 years old. There were limited scriptures to read and the early church was not yet informed. The pentecostal church does not belive Israel is replaced in fact they teach that Israel will return to the proper place in G-d’s kingdom. The Father has many promises to Israel that will soon be fulfilled. We do not belive in the Catholic eucharist in which the bead is transformed into Jesus actual flesh and the wine his actual blood. . The people who attack Jewish people are not born again. G-d loves his people Israel. The Romans killed Jesus but it was G-d’s plan.
Thank you for sharing. Love it!
Absolutely love the thoughtfulness and information from this post. Thank you for sharing the history and the background!
Oooh another good clue, I missed so much in reading the gospels before learning to look at the context. This is such an exciting time, having the eyes of my/our hearts opened
It’s so funny…I barely recognized your voice at first, Nehemia
Easter Sunday, is just a excuse to have eggs candy, lost the real foues,in the foues today, it just a excuse to keep pagan holiday .That all it is
Amen!…starting with sin in the Garden. And even then, His death was the plan from the beginning:
“No one takes My life from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to receive it again. This command I have received from My Father” (Joh 10:18).
“…knowing that you were redeemed from your futile behaviour inherited from your fathers, not with what is corruptible, silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Messiah, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, foreknown, indeed, before the foundation of the world…” (1 Pet 1:18-20).
He was buried in haste on Tuesday, just before the High Sabbath of the first day of Unleavened Bread, which began Wednesday evening.
“And taking it down, he wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a tomb hewn out of the rock, where no one was yet laid. And it was Preparation day, and the Sabbath was approaching” (Luk 23:53-54).
“Therefore, since it was the Preparation Day, that the bodies should not remain on the stake on the Sabbath – for that Sabbath was a high one – the Yehudim asked Pilate to have their legs broken, and that they be taken away. Then they took the body of Yehoshua, and bound it in linen wrappings with the spices, as was the habit of the Yehudim for burial” (Joh 19:31, 40)
So after 3 days and nights, He rose shortly before sunset on the Sabbath.
Revelation 3:1-6 KJVS
[1] And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead. [2] Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God. [3] Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee. [4] Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy. [5] He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels. [6] He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
Thank you.
Yes, it would would Nehemia. 🙂
Jesus said that he would spend three nights and three days in the heart of the earth Matthew 12: 39 – 40.
So if Jesus was crucified on Wednesday, and buried before sundown =
Wednesday night, Thursday day day of the eating of passover lamb
Thursday night Friday day Feast of Tabernacles High holy day ? like a Sabbath
Friday night, Saturday day Sabbath and the next day was day of the Firstfruits?
Then he would have risen just as the Sabbath ended after dusk on the day of the firstfruits which makes sense..
Which would fit with the stone being rolled away before dawn.
On the basis of what Jesus said, I can’t see how he could have been crucified on a Friday.
So the question is, how did mainstream christianity make three night and three days into Friday to Sunday?
Sounds intellectually challenging to me….
Good connection, Elizabeth! I wonder what the evidences are, even the anectodal evidence.
Oohhh! There’s a Classic! Will have to listen to that(both parts) several times – and a future episode with a Wed. pesach/crucifixion for a Sat. sunset resurrection, sounds about right.
The word Jew may not be an appropriate description of what you are trying to say.
However…
The high priests/hood in the time of Yeshua must have feared for their position, hence their hatred for him….
if anybody knew, then “they” would have known who Yeshua was, as they had the knowledge of the genealogy of people and they knew that he was the legitimate and rightful king through his parents.(King Herod in times before knew too , why else would he have wanted to kill the children, those after king Herod , the Herodians must also have had knowledge of it, Yeshua himself warned of them)
Most of the Jewish people loved Yeshua and great multitudes followed him ..
Professor Cohen was echoing the scholarly consensus, which in turn reflects the mainstream Christian understanding that Jesus was crucified on a Friday. The alternative Hebrew Roots explanation that he was crucified on a Wednesday afternoon would would make a great future episide!
I thought I heard your guest say that Yeshua died on Passover/Friday. I don’t know that I have heard you discuss this either. Wouldn’t ‘Passover’ have been on Wednesday that year?
Nehemia, they blame the Jews and not the Romans because some of the Jews of that time handed over Jesus to the Romans according to NT.
No one had/has authority to change the instructions for Passover or Unleavened Bread from Leviticus, Exodus and as observed by Jewish Jesus and His Jewish Followers. There is no good friday and resurrection Sun god day. You cannot get 3 days and 3 nights in the grave from Fri to Sun. Must use the biblical defintion for begining of a day erev to end of next day erev. No such thing as a Christian Passover, as defined by the bible, do not add to or subtract from the Hebrew instructions, they are eternal for all your generations.
Easter is from pagan fertility goddess Israr, which was accepted in Roman pantheon, where Istar rolled eggs in blood, and rabbits connected with fertility. Do not study what the nations do, to do what they do. You shall have no other gods or goddess before me, especiallly not Istar/Easter.
There is really no difference between the synoptic Gospels and John. The main problem with Matthew’s gospel is the translation of the Greek “protos” which with a genetive does not mean “first” but should be understood as “before” as is the case in the correct translations given in John 1:15, 30; 15:18. The problem with Matthew is translation and not any calendrical or any other issues. Mark and Luke present somewhat different problems to Matthew but these can be easily reconciled with John. It seems that Christian translators were careless with their translations probably because they did not and still do not value the Holy Days of Lev 23 in the way that they should. Jesus did not eat a Passover meal with his disciples at his last supper at the end of the 13th day of Aviv if only because he was the passover lamb who died the next day on the 14th day of Aviv.
As always breathtaking, perplexing. Of course I had to listen to both parts about five times with many rewinds.
So, I believe the are powers that be that have always found cause to separate Jewish people from Christian people so that neither can realize the gifts they have for each other.
I have received so much revelation from your teaching that I can now see through ignorance to a greater realization of truth, and that without hating the ignorant institutionalization and stifling tradition binding of the people.
I have come to appreciate truth and hope to recognize it on all fronts as I look to both camps, Jewish and Christian, and peel back the pages of history to uncover it.
Thank you, once again, Nehemiah.
Also, per both lessons,I have a roadmap of practices to memorialize the Passover and the crucifixion all over my calendar.
Seeking Eliyahu,
P’alex.
Link to “On the Passover” presumed by Melito of Sardis.
Agreed. His students would have been with their families.
Interestingly enough, I too understand it that way , one of the reasons , Yeshua’s disciples didn’t even understand what he has been trying to tell them, as they were distressed at his death. To remember also , these people have been Torah keeping people, including keeping the feast days in its correct fashion..
Shalom Nehemia, I know it sounds like accusations for the Jews. Roman occupation was a perfect death machine for those thrown in. Yeshua was betrayed by a friend for money from the Jewish Prists at a time. Accused for talking to destroy Jerusalem Temple, given to Romans and pushed in until executed. Even though performed by Romans he became Jewish sacrifice by the Prists and Jewish National rulers at the time. If Israel extradited prime minister to Iran for accusation of a bribe to cut his hand who do you think could be blamed? But Yeshua knew and prophesied that it was a plan from the beginning of time and for a reason. God bless you, thank you for sharing.
Melito is thought to be the immediate successor of the “angel” (or “apostle”) of the church of Sardis in Rev 3. He says the Jews lie dead and the Torah is depleted. It is to this church that Yeshua said, ‘I know your works. You have the reputation of being alive, but YOU ARE DEAD. Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God.’
St Patrick and the early Celtic church were quartodecimans and Torah keepers until the catholic church decided to make them into good catholics about 500 years later!
I can hardly express my appreciation for coming accross this web site. Knowing the Lord, as it is said, for 30 years, finding my jewish roots as an African American following this movement than that movement I’m astounded at how much i am lacking. Thanks to a reply from this site ” Read your Bible” my life has taken a vast about face. Thank you for sharing what some believers dont know because we are spoon fed instead of taking responsibility for ” study(ing) to show yourself approved”. No offense to others, i am speaking for myself and of my experience.
Interesting, Michael Rood in Chronological Gospels doesn’t see a conflict between John and other gospel accounts. He views other accounts as a just a normal evening meal on the 13th, then Yeshua killed on the 14th.
Nehemia,, is it possible that yeshua is the FINAL attonment sacrifice for the sins of mankind .
Oops! Yeshuah said Love YHWH with all your SOUL, all your heart, all your mind.” I confused might with soul.
Dear Nehemiah, Thank you for your excellent work helping Christians to understand the Jewish roots of Yashuah Ha Messiach! I hope all Christians will love the Jewish people as I do.
The Jewish people are not dead to YHWH. When Yeshuah returns, all Jewish people will be given the chance to see he is Ha Meshiach. Your good works are appreciated by YHWH. Even Yeshuah said “even those who speak against me can still be saved, but those who offend the Ruach Ha Kodesh will suffer the second death.”
Yeshuah said, in Mathew, that “I would not change one mark or dot in the Torah, I came to fulfill it.” He preached the 10 commandments. He said “This above all: Love YHWH with all your heart, all your mind and all your might; and love your neighbor as yourself.”
My question is: Since Yeshuah was a devout Jew, who observed Shabbat and the High Holy Days, does this mean Christians should do also?
Shalom, Margaret East
If I may add a thought. From a Christian perspective, I think we are all to blame. Both Jew and Gentile. For it is our sin that put Messiah on the cross.
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