Establishment of the Eucharist Mystery.

(Mat. 26:26-29; Mark 14:22-25 and Luke 22:19-20).

All three Synoptics narrate this event in nearly the same detail. The Lord “took” the bread, blessed it and in distributing it among the disciples, said: “Take, eat; this is My Body.” The word “bread” here is called “artos” in Greek, which means “bread that has risen,” one that has fermented yeast, as opposed to “aksimon,” bread that is unleavened, which was eaten by the Jews at Passover. It must be assumed that such leavened bread was especially prepared on the Lord’s instructions, so as to establish the new Mystery. The significance of such a bread lies in that it is seemingly alive, symbolizing life, as opposed to unleavened bread, lifeless bread. “Blessed,” “gave thanks,” indicate a spoken expression of gratitude to God the Father, as it happened before e.g. at the moment that Lazarus resurrected: the request was granted at the very moment of its asking. That’s why it too became the moment of expression of gratitude.

It is extremely important to note that the Lord said: “This is My Body”: He didn’t say “this bread,” but specifically “this,” because at that moment, the bread ceased to be bread and became the genuine Body of Christ, retaining the appearance of bread. The Lord didn’t say: “Here is an image of My Body, but this is My Body” (Saint Chrysostom and Blessed Theophylactus). As a result of the Lord’s prayer, the bread took on the nature of flesh while preserving its outward appearance as bread. “Inasmuch as we are weak,” says Blessed Theophylactus, “and would not elect to eat raw meat, especially human flesh, we are offered bread, though in reality it is flesh.” “Why did the disciples,” asks Saint Chrysostom, “become agitated upon hearing this? Because prior to this, the Lord said many important things to them about this Mystery.” (recall His dialogue on the bread descending from the heavens John chp. 6). The term “Body of Christ” is understood to mean all the physical nature of God-Man, inseparably joined to His soul and Divinity. This same nature of God-Man is given in the form of wine, not as a separate identity but only for the fullness of its visible form. That’s why the expression “Partake of the Holy Communion in its two forms” is a completely precise expression — meaning: partake of Holy Communion of one and the same essence.

However, this doesn’t mean that Flesh can replace the Blood and that it is sufficient to have Communion of Bread only. If this was so, the Lord would not have established the Holy Sacraments in two specific forms. As all three Synoptics narrate, having communed His disciples with Bread, the Lord picked up the chalice and again gave thanks i.e. summoned the Holy Spirit that changed the wine into genuine Blood of Christ, and said: “Drink from it, all of you. For this is My Blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.” It is not by chance that the words “all of you” were included. The wine could not be broken up like the bread, which the Lord Himself divided among the disciples. As there was one chalice, it had to be passed from hand to hand. So that nobody is overlooked and the chalice passed by, the Lord resolutely declares: “Drink from it, all of you.” This invariably serves as an accusation to the Roman-Catholics, who have denied Christ’s chalice to their laymen. As Blessed Theophylactus explains: “Inasmuch as not everyone can partake of firm food, but only those of an advanced age, everybody can drink. It is for this reason that the Lord said: ‘all of you.’” Again, the Lord declares: “this is My Blood” — not only its image, not a symbolic blood, but genuine blood.

What does “New Testament” mean? As Saint Chrysostom explains: “Just as the Old Testament had sheep and lambs, so does the New Testament have the Lord’s Blood.” Also, the Lord shows with this that He endured death. That’s why He mentions the Law and the Old Testament, inasmuch as it too was renovated with blood. By its initial meaning, the word “law” is identical to the word “testament.” The law holds within itself a promise, together with the conditions for receiving that, which is promised. In this instance, it is the observance of God’s commandments. From this point of view, the word law may be explained as a “covenant” between God and people.

A covenant is always confirmed and bonded. And the Lord wants to say that the Old Testament one between God and the people, is replaced by the New covenant, bonded with His Blood. “Shed for many for the remission of sins” — means, that the sufferings of the One and only Son of God, served as the sacrifice for the propitiation of sins of the whole human race (many instead of all), many meaning those that believe in Christ and partake of His Precious Flesh and Blood. In the 11^th chapter of the first Epistle, both Saints Luke and Paul state that with this, the Lord added: “Do this in remembrance of Me.” Therefore, the Eucharist cannot be taken as just a plain “remembrance” of the Last Supper — as do all the sectarians. This was said because the Lord would not be with His disciples and followers in a visible sense, and that they will be entering into a mysterious communion with Him through the partaking of His Flesh and Blood, remembering His former bodily presence among them. In the Acts of the Holy Apostles, in Apostle Paul’s Epistle and in many Christian writings, we find much proof that every Christian prayer gatherings in those days was accompanied by the partaking of Christ’s Flesh and Blood, in the form of bread and wine. In the initial centuries, all Christians (excluding those banned and excommunicated) that came to church on Sundays and feast days, invariably partook of the Holy Sacraments.