On Pascha

On Pascha" is a beatiful example of Asian style of poetry. It can be roughly divided into two parts. In the first part of the homily, Melito recollects the episodes of the Hebrew exodus from Egypt and gives them his own interpretation. He believes that many events in the Old Testament were just models, which can be properly understood only through the Incarnation of Christ. That is why, while describing Lords protection of Israel, Melito discusses typology in principal and in general. In the second part of the homily, Melito turns to Jesus Christ, the true Passover. He gives reasons for His Incarnation, lists persons who prefigured Him in the Old Testament, and mentions some prophesies about Him. Then he demonstrates that through His Coming, Passion, and Crucifixion, Jesus Christ indeed fulfilled these prophesies. The ingratitude of Israel, who rejected the Messiah, makes Melito reproach the Jews. Finally, he explicates the consequences of Israels ignoring its own Lord, depicts vividly the crime of Deicide and its effect on Israel, and makes evident the triumph of the the resurrected Lord.