ACC ~ Mark 14 v22 - 25

OVERVIEW:

Like the wheat that is scattered over the hills and is gathered together to become one, so does the community of faith, gathered from the ends of the earth, become one in the Eucharist (DIDACHE). As the bread and wine are consecrated according to Christ’s institution, they become his body broken for us and his redeeming blood that offers salvation (AMBROSE). It is not the visible bread alone that has saving efficacy but the word of the mystery of the Lord’s broken body and not the visible wine alone but the word of the mystery of the Lord’s blood poured out on the cross that saves (ORIGEN). As the new birth is by both water and Spirit, so the bread of the new covenant is both common bread and his body broken for us, so as to correspond with Adam’s compound nature (JOHN OF DAMASCUS). Marcion’s theory of the phantom body of Jesus offers no adequate premise for developing the figure of bread as body (TERTULLIAN). All around the world by these ordinary creaturely elements the faithful offer to God the first fruits of his creatures, and God offers to the faithful eternal life (IRENAEUS). The consecrated bread and wine are offered to those who have repented and believe (JUSTIN MARTYR).

14:22a | He Took Bread and Blessed and Broke It

AN EARLY EUCHARISTIC PRAYER

DIDACHE: We thank you, our Father, for the holy vine of David your servant; [1] to you be glory forever. And concerning the broken bread: We thank you, our Father, for the life and knowledge which you made known to us through Jesus your servant; to you be the glory for ever. Even as this broken bread was scattered over the hills, and was gathered together and became one, so let your church be gathered together from the ends of the earth into your kingdom. DIDACHE 9. [2]

[1] Cf. Mt 26:29; Mk 14:25; Jn 15:1.

[2] TLG 1311.001, 9.2.2-4.3; cf. ANF 7:380.

HOW THE BREAD IS BROKEN

JUSTIN MARTYR: When the president has given thanks and the whole congregation has assented, those whom we call deacons give to each of those present a portion of the consecrated bread and wine and water. They then take it to those absent. This food we call Eucharist, of which no one is allowed to partake except one who believes that the things we teach are true, and has received the washing for forgiveness of sins and for rebirth, and who lives according to the way Christ handed down to us. [1] For we do not receive these things as common bread or common drink; but as Jesus Christ our Savior being incarnate by God’s Word took flesh and blood for our salvation, so also we have been taught that the food consecrated by the word of prayer which comes from him, from which our flesh and blood are nourished by transformation, is the flesh and blood of that incarnate Jesus. For the apostles in the memoirs composed by them, which are called Gospels, thus handed down what was commanded them: that Jesus, taking bread and having given thanks, said, “Do this in remembrance of me. This is my body”; and similarly taking the cup and giving thanks he said, “This is my blood”; and gave it to them alone. [2] FIRST APOLOGY 65-66. [3]

[1] Cf. 1 Cor 11:27-29.

[2] HE BEGINNING OF THE GOSPEL | MARK 1:1-5

[3] LCC 1:286; TLG 0645.001, 65.5.1—66.3.6.

14:22b | Take, This Is My Body

CREATURELY ELEMENTS CONSECRATED

IRENAEUS: Giving directions to his disciples to offer to God the first fruits of his creatures—not as if he stood in need of them, but that they might be themselves neither unfruitful nor ungrateful—he took that created thing, bread, and gave thanks, and said, “This is my body.” And the cup likewise, which is part of the creation to which we belong, he confessed to be his blood, [1] and taught the new offering of the new covenant. This is what the church has received from the apostles and throughout the whole world offers to God, who affords us nourishment as the first fruits of his gifts in the New Testament. AGAINST HERESIES 4.17.5. [2]

[1] Cf. Mt 26:26-28; Mk 14:22-24; Lk 22:19-20; 1 Cor 11:23-25.

[2] AHR 2:197-99; ANF 1:484*; cf. AEG 5:260.

THE BODY OF JESUS

TERTULLIAN: Then having taken the bread and given it to his disciples, he made it his own body by saying “This is my body,” [1] that is, the figure of my body. A figure, however, there could not have been, unless there had first been a palpable body. A phantom or mere void is not capable of embodying a figure. But Marcion would claim that Jesus only pretended that the bread was his body because he presumably had no bodily substance, so in the absence of his body he gives us bread. It wouldn’t change his theory of a phantom body much if we stretched the point to say that the bread was crucified! But in that case why would we need to call his body bread? Why not rather come up with some more interesting edible thing, like a melon, which maybe Marcion had in place of a heart! AGAINST MARCION 4.40. [2]

[1] Mt 26:26; Mk 14:22; Lk 22:19; 1 Cor 11:24.

[2] Cetedoc 0014, 4.559.22; ANF 3:418**.

THE BREAD AND ITS MYSTERY

ORIGEN: That bread which God the Word confesses to be his own body is the Word that nourishes souls, the Word proceeding from God, the very bread that comes from the living bread which is set out upon our table of which was written: “Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of my enemies.” [1] That drink which God the Word confesses to be his blood is the Word that gives refreshment and exhilarates the heart. … This drink is the fruit of the true vine, [2] the blood of that grape cast in the winepress of the passion. So also the bread is the word of Christ made from that corn which, falling onto the good ground, brought forth much fruit. [3] He was not speaking of the visible bread alone which he was holding in his hands as he called it his body. It is the word in the mystery of which that bread was to be broken. Nor did he call that visible drink as such his blood, but the word in the mystery of which that drink was to be poured out. For to what else could the body and blood of the Lord refer other than the atoning Word that nourishes and gladdens the heart? Why did he not say, “This is my bread of the New Testament” just as he said, “This is my blood of the New Testament?” [4] Because the bread is the word of righteousness, by the eating of which souls are nourished. The drink is the word of knowledge of Christ according to the mystery of his birth and passion. COMMENTARY ON MATTHEW 85. [5]

[1] Ps 23:5.

[2] Cf. Mk 14:25; Jn 15:1.

[3] Mt 13:8; Mk 4:8; Lk 8:8.

[4] Mt 26:28; Mk 14:24; Lk 22:20; 1 Cor 11:25.

[5] PG 13:1734-35; AEG 5:263-64**.

THE BREAD CONSECRATED

AMBROSE: Do you wish to know how it is consecrated with heavenly words? Accept what the words are. The priest speaks. He says: “Perform for us this oblation [1] written, reasonable, acceptable, which is a figure of the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. On the day before he suffered he took bread in his holy hands, looked toward heaven, toward you, holy Father omnipotent, eternal God, giving thanks, blessed, broke, and having broken it gave it to the apostles and his disciples,” saying: “Take and eat of this, all of you; for this is my body, which shall be broken for many.” [2] Take note. Before it is consecrated, it is bread; but when Christ’s words have been added, it is the body of Christ. THE SACRAMENTS 4.5. [3]

[1] Perform this offering just as it is promised in the written word.

[2] 1 Cor 11:24.

[3] Cetedoc 0154 (M), 4.5.21.55.1; FC 44:304-5. In the eucharistic prayer, which asks God to accomplish what was promised in the Last Supper, as the bread is consecrated according to Christ’s institution it becomes the body of Christ. Medieval speculations on the substance of the eucharistic bread were to come much later. It is best not to read these or sixteenth-century controversies into Ambrose’s intention.

HOW DOES OUR HUMAN NATURE CORRESPOND WITH THE SPIRITUAL BREAD GIVEN IN REGENERATION?

JOHN OF DAMASCUS: Human beings have a compound nature: body and spirit. So it is fitting that the new birth should correspond to that compound nature, and also that the food of faith be compound. We were therefore given a birth both by water and by the Spirit, [1] that is, in holy baptism, and with it food that is the very bread of life, even our Lord Jesus Christ, who came down from heaven. [2] For when he was about to take on himself a voluntary death for our sakes, on the night on which he gave himself up, he offered a new covenant to his holy disciples and apostles, [3] and through them to all who believe on him. In an upper chamber, then, on holy and glorious Zion, after he had eaten the ancient Passover with his disciples and had fulfilled the ancient covenant, he washed his disciples’ feet [4] in token of the holy baptism. Then having broken bread he gave it to them saying, “Take, eat, this is my body broken for you for the remission of sins.” [5] EXPOSITION OF THE ORTHODOX FAITH 4.13. [6]

[1] Cf. Jn 3:5.

[2] Jn 6:35, 48, 51.

[3] Cf. Lk 22:20.

[4] Jn 13:4-12.

[5] Mt 26:26.

[6] NPNF 2 9:82*; TLG 2934.004, 86.40-53.

14:23 | He Took a Cup

WINE, WORD AND BLOOD

AMBROSE: Before the words of Christ, the chalice is full of wine and water; when the words of Christ have been added, then the blood in effect redeems the people. So behold in what great respects the expression of Christ is able to change all things. Then the Lord Jesus himself testified to us that we receive his body and blood. Should we doubt at all about his faith and testimony? THE SACRAMENTS 4.23. [1]

[1] Cetedoc 0154 (M), 4.5.23.56.22; FC 44:305*. By Christ’s institution the wine and water in the cup become for us the redeeming blood that offers salvation.

14:24 | This Is My Blood of the Covenant, Which Is Poured Out for Many

WHY BLOOD?

CLEMENT OF ALEXANDRIA: He blessed wine, saying: “Take, drink, this is my blood.” He used the “blood of the vine” [1] as a figure of the Word who “was shed for us for the remission of sins,” [2] a stream of gladness. CHRIST THE EDUCATOR 2.32. [3]

[1] Cf. Gen 49:11; Sir 50:15-16.

[2] Mt 26:28.

[3] FC 23:121-22; TLG 0555.002, 2.2.32.2.5-3.1. The blood of the vine is a figure for the incarnate Word who suffered for our sins.

CONSECRATION OF THE WINE

AMBROSE: Jesus himself speaks of his blood. Before the consecration it is mentioned as something else; after the consecration it is called blood. And you say “Amen,” that is, “It is true.” Let the mind within confess what the mouth speaks. Let the heart feel what the words utter. ON THE MYSTERIES 1. [1]

[1] Cetedoc 0155, 9.54.113.57; FC 44:26*.