Do this in Remembrance of Me

The Eucharist from the Early Church to the Present Day

Spinks

• Publisher: SCM Press
• Year: 2014
• ISBN:
  9780334052029
• Topic: Theology & Religion
• Subtopic: Christian Rituals & Practice

Bryan Spinks is one of the world's leading scholars in the field of liturgy and to have a comprehensive work by him on the Eucharist is a major catch for SCM. Like the author's previous work on Baptism, this will become a standard work about the Eucharist and Eucharistic theology worldwide. The book, a study of the history and theology of the Eucharist, is the fifth volume in the SCM Studies in Worship and Liturgy series and will help to establish the series as a place for landmark books of liturgical scholarship.

1 Some Early Eucharistic Practices and Beliefs from Ignatius to Origen

The liturgical evidence for celebration of the Eucharist in the pre-Nicene period is sparse. Since it seems that the prayers uttered were extemporary,1 there was no need for manuscript copies, and there was no one central theological school of thought. What may be gleaned about the rites tells us only what some communities did, and where we have theological expositions, they tell us only what that particular writer thought and taught.

Justin Martyr (c. 100–c. 165): a community in Rome

Among the most important sources are the writings of Justin Martyr. Origin­ally from Samaria, and a philosopher by training, Justin ended his days as a Christian teacher in Rome in the mid-second century. Paul’s letters indicate that Christianity was already found in Rome in the 50s ce, and he refers to various groups meeting in private houses. It may be that some of the Roman Tituli churches in the city were built over foundations of what were once private homes of Christian patrons and patronesses.2 However, other groups appear to have centred on a teacher and modelled themselves on the philosophical schools.3 Justin seems to have been head of one such school model which was located at the house of Martin over the Tiburtine baths. His famous pupil, Tatian, was to write a harmony of the Gospels, the Diatessaron. Justin’s Palestinian origin and Tatian’s Syriac abilities may point to a particular ethnic make-up for his Church.4 Rome was the political centre of the Empire, and had large numbers of ethnic immigrants, including many from Syria and Palestine.

Justin’s First Apology addressed to the emperor Antoninus Pius, c. 150, and the Dialogue with Trypho provide information about the eucharistic practice of his assembly and something of Justin’s understanding of the Eucharist. Perhaps­ it is because the First Apology was addressed to a hostile outsider that it is limited in its language and in what it reveals, since he was concerned to portray Christianity as a harmless movement. On the other hand, when we consider who was likely to read this and how it circulated, it may be that it was addressed to pagan philosophical schools, or even to other Christian churches of the house model, since it was Christian groups who circulated and copied the work. The Dialogue with Trypho, an imaginary Jewish opponent (though it may have some factual basis), is more theological.

In chapter 65 of the First Apology Justin describes a baptism, after which the candidates join the eucharistic assembly, which is making common prayers. At the end of these common prayers, or intercessions, came the Kiss of Peace. Bread and a cup of water mixed with wine are brought to the presiding one, who takes them and offers a prayer at great length. At the conclusion the people respond with Amen. The deacons distribute communion and take it to those who are absent – no doubt for a variety of reasons, and not just sickness. It may be that more of the membership were absent than were present. In 1 Apol. 66 a little more information regarding the origin of this rite is given to the Emperor, and an analogy is drawn between the Eucharist and the mysteries of Mithras; or rather, these are contrasted. The Sunday Eucharist is described in 1 Apol. 67 – a similar pattern to a baptismal Eucharist, though of course without the details of a baptism. There are readings from the memoirs of the apostles (Gospels?) or from the writings of the prophets. Justin’s understanding of the term ‘prophets’ included the books of Hystaspes and the Sibyl, and it may be that the memoirs included Epistles or even what later would be regarded as non-canonical­ Christian writings. After the readings, the president gives a discourse – a homily. Then they all stand and offer prayers. Then bread and wine and water are brought, and the president offers prayers and thanksgivings. At the end the people say Amen, and the distribution is as in chapter 65.

Such is the pattern of the eucharistic liturgy. There is no substantial meal mentioned, just bread and a mixed cup. Justin does not go into great detail, presumably because he is addressing a non-Christian audience. He gives a description that can be easily understood, and that leaves no room for suspicion of lewd or outrageous practices. We have a service that is bipartite. The first part seems to be reading of Scripture, homily and intercession; and the Kiss of Peace. The second, the bringing of bread, and wine and water, is followed with thanksgivings and distribution of communion.

Two points need further comment. First, Andrew McGowan has questioned the authenticity of the mention of wine. Justin compared the Christian meal with the rites of Mithras, and the latter used water in its ritual, not wine. McGowan notes that in 1891 Adolf von Harnack had suggested that in 1 Apol. 65 the president offers ὕδατος καὶ κράματος, which literally means ‘of water and of wine mixed with water’.5 No such ambiguity or suspicion of emendation arises in the second reference in 1 Apol. 65 and in 67, where it is simply wine with water, but McGowan has suggested that in accordance with other evidence of other ecclesial groups using water rather than wine, Justin’s assembly also used only water. However, although Harnack may be correct about the oddity of water added to wine mixed with water, there is no reason to doubt the other two references, and it would seem that Justin’s community knew a ‘mixed cup’, which was simply the common custom of diluting neat wine.

Second, there is the nature of the prayers associated with the bread and the cup. In 1 Apol. 65 we have the following:

1 The president offers praise and glory to the Father of all in the name of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. That is, there was something trinitarian about it.

2 He gives thanks at some length for being counted worthy. It was therefore long, and had something to do with salvation.

3 It concluded with an Amen said by all; the president prays on behalf of the congregation.

In 1 Apol. 66 we have:

Jesus’ Words of Institution are quoted, but as an explanation of why the rite is performed at all. There is no evidence here that the words formed part of the prayers, except perhaps there is a connection between the Prayer of the Word, or whatever this phrase means, and the certain formulae of the Mithras rites.

There has been, and continues to be, disagreement over the precise meaning of the words di’ euches logou tou par’ autou (δι΄ εύχῆς λόγου τοῦ παρ’ αύτοῦ).

In a paper published posthumously, Edward Ratcliff argued that it referred to the Institution Narrative, which was recited first in baptismal Eucharists so that candidates knew why they were doing this. It later became a regular feature of all Eucharistic Prayers.6 G. J. Cuming argued that the Greek is best rendered ‘a form of words which is from Jesus’ and means the Institution Narrati...