Early
Church Testimonials Regarding the Eucharist
In our study this week we
read: "The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation
in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not
a participation in the body of Christ? Because the loaf of
bread is one, we, though many, are one body, for we all partake
of the one loaf" (1Cor 10:16-17).
In the next chapter, Paul
again returns to a discussion of Eucharist, particularly the fruitful
and worthy celebration of it. After citing the words of institution
spoken by Jesus, Paul adds: "For as often as you eat this bread
and drink the cup, you proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes.
. . . Anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body,
eats and drinks judgment on himself" (1Cor 11:24-26,29).
These words give a glimpse
into the importance of Eucharist in the early church. This
week's article will feature a few selections from other early Christian
writings that shed light on how Christians valued, believed in,
and celebrated Eucharist.
From the Didache,
Greek for "Teaching," referred to as "The Teaching
of the Twelve Apostles," known to exist by the third century,
but could have been written as early as 70 AD: "But let no
one eat or drink of your Eucharist, unless they have been baptized
into the name of the Lord" (chapter 9). "But every
Lord's Day gather yourselves together, and break bread, and give
thanksgiving after having confessed your transgressions, that your
sacrifice may be pure. But let no one who is at odds with
his fellow come together with you, until they be reconciled, that
your sacrifice may not be profaned. For this is that which
was spoken by the Lord: "In every place and time offer to me
a pure sacrifice'" (ch. 14).
From Justin, martyr, 100-165
AD: "And this food is called among us the Eucharist of which
no one is allowed to partake but the one 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 Savior, 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. For
the apostles, in the memoirs composed by them, which are called
Gospels, have thus delivered unto us what was enjoined upon them;
that Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, said, 'Do this
in remembrance of me, this is my body' and that, after the same
manner, having taken the cup and given thanks, he said, 'This is
my blood' and gave it to them alone." (First Apology,
ch. 66).
"There is then brought
to the president of the brethren bread and a cup of wine mixed with
water; and he, taking them, gives praise and glory to the Father
of the universe, through the name of the Son and of the Holy Ghost,
and offers thanks at considerable length for our being counted worthy
to receive these things at His hands. And when he has concluded
the prayers and thanksgivings, all the people present express their
assent by saying Amen. And when the president has given thanks,
and all the people have expressed their assent, those who are called
by us deacons give to each of those present to partake of the bread
and wine mixed with water over which the thanksgiving was pronounced,
and to those who are absent they carry away a portion." (First
Apology, ch. 65).
"God has therefore
announced in advance that all the sacrifices offered in God's name,
which Jesus Christ offered, that is, in the Eucharist of the Bread
and of the Chalice, which are offered by us Christians in every
part of the world, are pleasing to Him." (Dialogue with
Trypho, ch. 117).
From Ignatius of Antioch,
bishop and martyr, who heard St. John preach when he was a boy,
35-107 AD: "Stand fast, brethren, in the faith of Jesus Christ,
and in his love, in his passion, and in his resurrection.
Do you all come together in common, and individually,
through grace, in one faith of God the Father, and of Jesus Christ
His only begotten Son, and 'the first-born of every creature,' but
of the seed of David according to the flesh, being under the guidance
of the Comforter, in obedience to the bishop and the presbytery
with an undivided mind, breaking one and the same bread, which is
the medicine of immortality, and the antidote which prevents us
from dying, but a cleansing remedy driving away evil, [which causes]
that we should live in God through Jesus Christ." (Epistle
to the Ephesians, ch. 20).
"They have no regard
for charity, none for the widow, the orphan, the oppressed, none
for the man in prison, the hungry or the thirsty. They abstain
from the Eucharist and from prayer, because they do not admit that
the Eucharist is the flesh of our Savior Jesus Christ, the flesh
which suffered for our sins and which the Father, in His graciousness,
raised from the dead." (Letter to the Smyrnaeans,
paragraph 6).
"I have no taste for
the food that perishes nor for the pleasures of this life. I want
the Bread of God which is the Flesh of Christ." (Letter
to the Romans, paragraph 7).
"Take care, then, to
use one Eucharist, so that whatever you do, you do according to
God: for there is one Flesh of our Lord Jesus Christ, and one cup
in the union of His Blood." (Epistle to the Philadelphians,
3:2 - 4:1).
From St. Irenaeus of Lyons:
"[Christ] has declared the cup, a part of creation, to be his
own Blood, from which he causes our blood to flow; and the bread,
a part of creation, he has established as his own Body, from which
he gives increase to our bodies" (Against Heresies,
180 AD).
And finally, from St. Basil
the Great, Bishop, 329-379: "What is the mark of a Christian?
That he be purified of all defilement of the flesh and the spirit
in the Blood of Christ, perfecting sanctification in the fear of
God and the love of Christ, and that he have no blemish nor spot;
that he be holy and blameless and so eat the Body of Christ and
drink his Blood; for 'whoever eats and drinks unworthily, eats and
drinks judgement to oneself.' What is the mark of those who
eat the Bread and drink the Cup of Christ? That they keep
in perpetual remembrance him who died for us and rose again"
(The Morals, Ch. 22).
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