Eucharist: Old Testament Roots

• Syro-Malabar Catholic Eparchy of Mississauga presents the Eucharist Year Bible Quiz
• The quiz is scheduled for March 29, 2025, at 3 PM EST
• Emails for inquiries are [email protected] and [email protected]

Old Testament Roots

• The Holy Eucharist is viewed as the "source and summit" of Christian life
• The Old Testament foreshadows the Eucharist through symbols, practices, and prophecies
• Finding the Old Testament roots involves evaluating images, events, and concepts for New Testament parallels
• The Eucharist is not explicitly found in the Old Testament, but its pre-figurations exist
• Old Testament events are shadows, revelations are incomplete without Christ, and realities are understood in the light of Christ
• New Testament elements surpass Old Testament ones; Eucharist is greater than Manna
• Foreshadowing of the Eucharist include the Tree of Life, Abel's sacrifice, Passover, manna, and temple sacrifices
• Understanding these roots will help our appreciation for the Eucharist

Tree of Life and Holy Eucharist

• The Tree of Life and the Holy Eucharist are connected by life, nourishment, and salvation
• In the Garden of Eden, the Tree of Life symbolized eternal life and immortality per Genesis 3:22-24
• Adam and Eve's expulsion resulted from eating from the Tree of Knowledge and loss of eternal life
• The Tree of Life is associated with healing and restoration
• Revelation 22:2 describes it bearing twelve kinds of fruits monthly, with leaves for healing nations
• The Eucharist offers spiritual nourishment and eternal life
• The Tree of Life and the Eucharist are sources of both physical and spiritual life
• John 6:53 affirms Jesus' body and blood are the source of life
• The Eucharist and the Tree of Life are means of salvation and redemption
• Eternal life lost by Adam and Eve can be regained through the Eucharist per John 6:54
• The statement by Saint Albert the Great draws a parallel between the Tree of Life and the Eucharist
• Ignatius of Antioch describes the Eucharist as an antidote to death and a medicine for immortality

Melchizedek and Holy Eucharist

• Melchizedek's sacrifice and the Eucharist are linked to Christian theology, especially in Catholic and Orthodox traditions
• Melchizedek is a mysterious figure in Genesis 14:18-20 and Hebrews 7
• He is a priest-king of Salem, identified with Jerusalem, who offered bread and wine to Abraham
• His priesthood was unique, unlike the Levitical priesthood and he was considered a priest "after the order of Melchizedek."
• Melchizedek's offering of bread and wine prefigures the Eucharist.
• Melchizedek was king of Salem/Jerusalem and King of Peace
• Isaiah 9:6 relates Jesus to being the new king of Jerusalem and also King of Peace
• Hebrews states that Jesus is a priest "after the order of Melchizedek."
• Christ's priesthood is eternal and not bound by Levitical laws.
• Melchizedek's offering and Eucharist involve sacrifice, communion, and the union between God and humanity

Passover and Holy Eucharist

• The Passover is a foundational event that prefigures and is fulfilled by the Holy Eucharist

Sacrificial Lamb

• The Israelites sacrificed an unblemished lamb, whose blood protected homes from the angel of death per Exodus 12:5-7
• Jesus is recognized as the "Lamb of God,” and his sacrifice brings salvation
• Being Israelite requires physically eating the flesh of the Passover lamb
• Being a member of the new Israel, the Church, we must eat the flesh of the New Passover lamb

Meal of Remembrance

• The Passover meal commemorated God's deliverance from slavery in Egypt per Exodus 12:14 as a reminder of covenant with His people
• At the Last Supper, Christ instituted the Eucharist- a Passover meal- and the Eucharist is the memorial of salvation from the slavery of sin
• The remembrance is commanded by God

Covenantal Renewal

• The Passover began the Mosaic covenant
• The Eucharist established a new and eternal covenant through the sacrifice of Christ, uniting believers per Hebrews 9:15
• Jesus states that this is the blood of the New Covenant

Manna in the Wilderness

• Manna was received by the Israelites in the wilderness per Exodus 16:13-36 and Numbers 11:1-35
• Manna was described as the bread from heaven, bread of angels and grain of heaven (Exodus 16:4; Psalms 105:40, 78:25, 78:24)
• Manna adapted to everyone's taste.
• John referenced Manna as bread from heaven
• Jesus is presented as the true bread from heaven.

Manna as Heavenly Bread

• Manna sustained the Israelites during their journey in the wilderness per Exodus 16:4
• Jesus calls himself the true bread from heaven, offering eternal life

Temporary Sustenance

• Manna sustained the Israelites physically for forty years, till they came to a settled land per Exodus 16:35
• The Eucharist offers spiritual sustenance and John 6:51 states that whoever eats this bread will live forever.

Daily Provision and Trust

• The Israelites were to gather manna daily as a teaching from God per Exodus 16:16
• The Eucharist is a daily spiritual provision per Matthew 6:11
• Manna prefigured the greater gift to come per Psalm 78:24
• Jesus clarifies that manna signalled the true bread from heaven per John 6:32

Bread of the Presence

• A special table was created in front of the Ark of the Covenant to place showbread called the Bread of the Presence
• Exodus 25:30 states to set the bread before God at all times
• The bread was placed in front of God and the Priest would take bread out to show the people four times a year

Significant Features

• The Bread of the Presence was offered up every Sabbath by the priest per 1 Chronicles 9:32
• A fascinating account involved David, whose troops were hungry and went to the Temple for bread per 1 Samuel 21
• The priests reply that "There is no ordinary bread on hand, but there is consecrated bread; if only the young men have kept themselves from women.”
• Leviticus 24:9 dictated that the bread was consumed only by the priests who were celibate

Bread of the Presence

• Jesus establishes a New Priesthood through the Bread of the Presence
• The disciples ate while they walked per Matthew 12
• Jesus said that David ate the consecrated bread when he and his companions were hungry per Matthew 12:3-8
• Christ Disciples can partake of the Bread of Presence on the Sabbath

Todah Sacrifice and Todah and the Eucharist

• Todah was a significant Jewish sacrifice; Rabbinic teaching stated that thank offerings would never cease
• The Todah is offered by the redeemed to show gratitude
• Offering involved family for a todah meal with sacrificed lamb
• The importance comes when you realize what the Hebrew word was in Jesus' day
• The Hebrew word todah was eucharistia meaning thanksgiving, thus it has roots in communion
• Jesus took bread and wine and gave thanks (eucharistia)

Eucharist names in the Bible

Eucharist meaning gratitude

• Eucharist comes from thanksgiving, in Greek "eucharistia"
• Christians express gratitude for sacrifice, presence and grace
• A reminder of Last Supper & participation in salvation
• In the Old Testament, giving thanks in the todah was a subset of peace offerings and expression of gratitude per Psalm 116:12-13
• In 1 Corinthians 11:23-24, St. Paul recalls the words of Jesus. The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks,
• In all situations the people are recognizing thanksgiving
• It became a defining term of this practice

Last supper

• Originated from the Synoptic Gospels and referenced by Paul in 1 Corinthians

Breaking of Bread

• Was done by Jesus during multiplication of loaves, in Last Supper and post resurrection per Matthew 14:19

The Sacrifice

• The Eucharist is related to Christ's death per Last Supper
• The new covenant as the means to the faithful per Luke 22:19-20
• Lamb of God per John 1:29
• In this light, we partake in the true and perfect sacrifice
• Sacrifice must be once for all

As holy communion

• Believers to Christ to shares in the body and blood to a tangilble
• Unity of church as Christ is its head

Qurbana

• In Syriac Christian traditon for "offering" or "sacrifice"
• Links to sacrifices and Christ's
• Sacrifice for remission of God
• Leviticus 1:2-3 God says I want from the herd and the flock. Part of a desire to make something precious

Key aspects of Communion

• Scripture tells a transformative event occurred during the Passover
• Luke states: "And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying to remember him
• The breaking bread is a real participation