Eucharist Warning: You are not logged in. Your IP address will be publicly visible if you make any edits. If you log in or create an account, your edits will be attributed to your username, along with other benefits.Anti-spam check. Do not fill this in! ==History== {{Further|Origin of the Eucharist}} [[File:Juan de Juanes 002.jpg|thumb|right|upright|''Christ with the Eucharist'', [[Vicente Juan Masip]], 16th century.]] ===Biblical basis=== The [[Last Supper]] appears in all three [[Synoptic Gospels]]: [[Gospel according to Matthew|Matthew]], [[Gospel according to Mark|Mark]], and [[Gospel according to Luke|Luke]]. It also is found in the [[First Epistle to the Corinthians]],<ref name=EB/><ref>Tyndale Bible Dictionary / editors, Philip W. Comfort, Walter A. Elwell, 2001 {{ISBN|0842370897}}, article: ''Lord's Supper, The''</ref><ref>Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church / editors, F. L. Cross & E. A. Livingstone 2005 {{ISBN|978-0192802903}}, article ''Eucharist''</ref> which suggests how early Christians celebrated what [[Paul the Apostle]] called the Lord's Supper. Although the [[Gospel of John]] does not reference the Last Supper explicitly, some argue that it contains theological allusions to the early Christian celebration of the Eucharist, especially in the chapter 6 [[Bread of Life Discourse]] but also in other passages.<ref>{{Cite book|title = "A Hard Saying" : The Gospel and Culture|last = Moloney|first = Francis|publisher = The Liturgical Press|year = 2001|pages = 109–30}}</ref> ====Gospels==== In the [[synoptic gospels]], Mark 14:22–25,<ref>{{Bibleverse|Mark|14:22–25}}</ref> Matthew 26:26–29<ref>{{Bibleverse|Matthew|26:26–29}}</ref> and Luke 22:13–20<ref>{{Bibleverse|Luke|22:13–20}}</ref> depict Jesus as presiding over the Last Supper prior to his crucifixion. The versions in Matthew and Mark are almost identical,<ref>Heron, Alisdair >I.C. ''Table and Tradition'' Westminster Press, Philadelphia (1983) p. 3 {{ISBN|9780664245160}}</ref> but the Gospel of Luke presents a textual difference, in that a few manuscripts omit the second half of verse 19 and all of verse 20 ("given for you […] poured out for you"), which are found in the vast majority of ancient witnesses to the text.<ref>Metzger, Bruce M. ''A Textual Commentary on the New Testament'' UBS (1971) pp. 173ff {{ISBN?}}</ref> If the shorter text is the original one, then Luke's account is independent of both that of Paul and that of Matthew/Mark. If the majority longer text comes from the author of the third gospel, then this version is very similar to that of Paul in 1 Corinthians, being somewhat fuller in its description of the early part of the Supper,<ref>Heron, Alisdair >I.C. ''Table and Tradition'' Westminster Press, Philadelphia (1983) p. 5</ref> particularly in making specific mention of a cup being blessed before the bread was broken.<ref>Caird, G.B. ''The Gospel of Luke'' Pelican (1963) p. 237 {{ISBN?}}</ref> In the one prayer given to posterity by Jesus, the [[Lord's Prayer]], the word [[epiousion]]—which is otherwise unknown in Classical Greek literature—was interpreted by some early Christian writers as meaning "super-substantial", and hence a possible reference to the Eucharist as the [[Bread of Life]].<ref>{{Cite CCC|2.1|2837}}</ref> In the Gospel of John, however, the account of the Last Supper does not mention Jesus taking bread and "the cup" and speaking of them as his body and blood; instead, it recounts other events: his humble act of washing the disciples' feet, the prophecy of the betrayal, which set in motion the events that would lead to the cross, and his long discourse in response to some questions posed by his followers, in which he went on to speak of the importance of the unity of the disciples with him, with each other, and with God.<ref name="Harris">[[Stephen L Harris|Harris, Stephen L.]], Understanding the Bible. Palo Alto: Mayfield. 1985.</ref><ref>Tyndale Bible Dictionary / editors, Philip W. Comfort, Walter A. Elwell, 2001 {{ISBN|0842370897}}, article: "John, Gospel of"</ref> Some would find in this unity and in the washing of the feet the deeper meaning of the Communion bread in the other three gospels.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://vatikos.wordpress.com/2013/10/11/eucharist-and-gospel-of-john/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131015050651/http://vatikos.wordpress.com/2013/10/11/eucharist-and-gospel-of-john/|url-status=dead|archive-date=2013-10-15|title=Eucharist and Gospel of John|date=2013-10-11|work=VatiKos Theologie|access-date=2017-12-10|language=en-US}}</ref> In John 6:26–65,<ref>{{bibleverse|John|6:26–65}}</ref> a long discourse is attributed to Jesus that deals with the subject of the living bread; John 6:51–59<ref>{{bibleverse|John|6:51–59}}</ref> also contains echoes of Eucharistic language. ====First Epistle to the Corinthians==== 1 Corinthians 11:23–25<ref>{{Bibleverse|1 Corinthians|11:23–25}}</ref> gives the earliest recorded description of Jesus' Last Supper: "The Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, 'This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.'" The Greek word used in the passage for 'remembrance' is {{lang|grc|ἀνάμνησιν}} ({{transliteration|grc|[[Anamnesis (Christianity)|anamnesis]]}}), which itself has a much richer theological history than the English word "remember". [[File:Agape feast 07.jpg|thumb|right|Early Christian painting of an Agape feast.]] The expression "The Lord's Supper", derived from [[Paul the Apostle|Paul]]'s usage in 1 Corinthians 11:17–34,<ref>{{Bibleverse|1 Corinthians|11:17–34}}</ref> may have originally referred to the [[Agape feast]] (or love feast), the shared [[communal meal]] with which the Eucharist was originally associated.<ref>{{cite book |last=Lambert |first=J.C. |title=''The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia'' |publisher=Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. |year=1978 |edition=reprint |isbn=978-0802880451 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/internationalsta0002unse }}</ref> The Agape feast is mentioned in Jude 12<ref>{{bibleverse|Jude|12}}</ref> but "The Lord's Supper" is now commonly used in reference to a celebration involving no food other than the sacramental bread and wine. ===Early Christian sources=== The ''[[Didache]]'' (Greek: {{lang|grc|Διδαχή}}, "teaching") is an [[Early Church]] treatise that includes instructions for [[baptism]] and the Eucharist. Most scholars date it to the late 1st century,<ref>[[Bruce Metzger]], ''The canon of the New Testament''. 1997</ref> and distinguish in it two separate Eucharistic traditions, the earlier tradition in chapter 10 and the later one preceding it in chapter 9.<ref>"There are now two quite separate Eucharistic celebrations given in Didache 9–10, with the earlier one now put in second place". Crossan. ''The historical Jesus''. Citing Riggs, John W. 1984</ref>{{efn|"9.1 Concerning the thanksgiving give thanks thus: 9.2 First, concerning the cup: "We give thanks to you, our Father, For the holy vine of David your servant which you have revealed to us through Jesus your servant. To you be glory for ever". 9.3 And concerning the fragment: "We give thanks to you, our Father, For the life and knowledge, which you have revealed to us through Jesus your servant". But let no one eat or drink of your Eucharist, unless they have been baptized into the name of the Lord; for concerning this also the Lord has said, "Give not that which is holy to the dogs". 10.1 After you have had your fill, give thanks thus: 10.2 We give thanks to you holy Father for your holy Name which you have made to dwell in our hearts and for the knowledge, faith and immortality which you have revealed to us through Jesus your servant. To you be glory for ever. 10.3 You Lord almighty have created everything for the sake of your Name; you have given human beings food and drink to partake with enjoyment so that they might give thanks; but to us you have given the grace of spiritual food and drink and of eternal life through Jesus your servant. 10.4 Above all we give you thanks because you are mighty. To you be glory for ever. 10.5 Remember Lord your Church, to preserve it from all evil and to make it perfect in your love. And, sanctified, gather it from the four winds into your kingdom which you have prepared for it. Because yours is the power and the glory for ever. ..."}} The Eucharist is mentioned again in chapter 14.{{efn|"14.1 But every Lord's day do ye gather yourselves together, and break bread, and give thanksgiving after having confessed your transgressions, that your sacrifice may be pure. 14.2. But let no one that is at variance with his fellow come together with you, until they be reconciled, that your sacrifice may not be profaned. 14.3. For this is that which was spoken by the Lord: In every place and time offer to me a pure sacrifice; for I am a great King, saith the Lord, and my name is wonderful among the nations."}} [[Ignatius of Antioch]] (born {{circa|35 or 50}}, died between 98 and 117), one of the Apostolic Fathers,{{efn|The tradition that Ignatius was a direct disciple of the [[Apostle John]] is consistent with the content of his letters.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www./|title=Introduction to the Roberts-Donaldson translation of his writings |access-date=2007-10-20 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071229052738/http://www./|archive-date=29 December 2007}}</ref>}} mentions the Eucharist as "the flesh of our Saviour Jesus Christ": {{blockquote|They abstain from the Eucharist and from prayer, because they confess not the Eucharist to be the flesh of our Saviour Jesus Christ, which suffered for our sins, and which the Father, of His goodness, raised up again. [...] Let that be deemed a proper Eucharist, which is [administered] either by the bishop, or by one to whom he has entrusted it.|Smyrnaeans, 7–8<ref>[https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/0109.htm Letter to the Smyrnaeans, 7-8]</ref>}} {{blockquote|Take heed, then, to have but one Eucharist. For there is one flesh of our Lord Jesus Christ, and one cup to [show forth ] the unity of His blood; one altar; as there is one bishop, along with the presbytery and deacons, my fellow-servants: that so, whatsoever you do, you may do it according to [the will of] God.|Philadephians, 4<ref>[https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/0108.htm Letter to the Philadelphians, 4]</ref>}} [[Justin Martyr]] (born {{c.|100}}, died {{c.|165}}) mentions in this regard: {{blockquote|And this food is called among us {{lang|grc|Εὐχαριστία}} [the Eucharist], of which no one is allowed to partake but the man who believes that the things which we teach are true, and who has been washed with the washing that is for the remission of sins, and unto regeneration, and who is so living as Christ has enjoined. For not as common bread and common drink do we receive these; but in like manner as Jesus Christ our Saviour, having been made flesh by the Word of God, had both flesh and blood for our salvation, so likewise have we been taught that the food which is blessed by the prayer of His word, and from which our blood and flesh by transmutation are nourished, is the flesh and blood of that Jesus who was made flesh.<ref>{{cite book |last1=St. Justin Martyr |title=CHURCH FATHERS: The First Apology Chapter 66 |url=https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/0126.htm |access-date=5 December 2021}}</ref><ref>See [http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/anf01.viii.ii.lxv.html First Apology], 65–67</ref>}} [[Paschasius Radbertus]] (785–865) was a Carolingian theologian, and the abbot of [[Corbie Abbey|Corbie]], whose best-known and influential work is an exposition on the nature of the Eucharist written around 831, entitled {{lang|la|De Corpore et Sanguine Domini}}. In it, Paschasius agrees with [[Ambrose|St Ambrose]] in affirming that the Eucharist contains the true, historical body of Jesus Christ. According to Paschasius, God is truth itself, and therefore, his words and actions must be true. Christ's proclamation at the [[Last Supper]] that the bread and wine were his body and blood must be taken literally, since God is truth.<ref name="Chazelle">Chazelle</ref>{{rp|9}} He thus believes that the [[transubstantiation]] of the bread and wine offered in the Eucharist really occurs. Only if the Eucharist is the actual body and blood of Christ can a Christian know it is salvific.<ref name="Chazelle"/>{{rp|10}}{{efn|Radbertus was canonized in 1073 by [[Pope Gregory VII]]. His works are edited in {{lang|la|[[Patrologia Latina]]}}, volume 120 (1852).}} === Jews and the Eucharist === The concept of the Jews both destroying and partaking in some perverted version of the Eucharist has been a vessel to promote [[anti-Judaism]] and anti-Jewish ideology and violence. In medieval times, Jews were often depicted stabbing or in some other way physically harming communion wafers.{{Citation needed|date=March 2023}} These characterizations drew parallels to the idea that the Jews killed Christ; murdering this transubstantiation or "host" was thought of as a repetition of the event. Jewish people's eagerness to destroy hosts were also a variation of [[blood libel]] charges, with Jews being accused of murdering bodies of Christ, whether they be communion wafers or Christian children. The blood libel charges and the concept of Eucharist are also related in the belief that blood is efficacious, meaning it has some sort of divine power.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Niremberg |first=David |title=Anti-Judaism: The Western Tradition |publisher=W.W. Norton & Company |date=February 4, 2013 |isbn=9780393347913 |location=New York}}</ref> Summary: Please note that all contributions to Christianpedia may be edited, altered, or removed by other contributors. If you do not want your writing to be edited mercilessly, then do not submit it here. You are also promising us that you wrote this yourself, or copied it from a public domain or similar free resource (see Christianpedia:Copyrights for details). Do not submit copyrighted work without permission! Cancel Editing help (opens in new window) Discuss this page