Early Church History (Part 8 of 11)

The Biblical Roots Podcast

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We continue our examination of Jewish-Christian relations in the early Church by reviewing two more early writings:
#1 - Melito of Sarde’s "On the Pascha" (~AD 170).
This is a lesser-known work and one which Jewish scholar Shaye Cohen considers one of the foremost anti-Jewish texts of the 2nd century. The writing is believed to be a sermon intended for a Christian audience during the Paschal (Passover/Easter) season. In it, Melito recounts the Easter story by picking up the idea introduced by Paul (1 Cor 5:7) and John (John 1:29, 36) that Jesus was the unblemished Passover Lamb whose sacrifice brought forgiveness and salvation to His people. It's an examination of the mystery of the Passover.
#2 - Cyprian's "Testimonies against the Jews" (~AD 250)
Cyprian (AD 210-285) was born in North Africa, became a bishop in AD 249, and remained a controversial figure during his lifetime. Known for his exceptional pastoral skills and accomplished Latin rhetoric, he was considered one of the foremost Latin writers of Western Christianity. Among his many writings, Cyprian authored a treatise called "To Quirinius: Testimonies against the Jews," which he delivered in three books. This work was requested by a friend who wanted a compendium of the church’s teaching on Judaism and on the relationship and opposition between Judaism and Christianity.
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