Early Christian Beliefs About the Eucharist

Ignatius, Epistle to the Smyrnaeans (Short Version) Direct teaching

They abstain from the Eucharist and from prayer, because they do not acknowledge the Eucharist to be the flesh of our Savior Jesus Christ, who suffered for our sins, and whom the Father, in His goodness, raised up again. Those, therefore, who speak against this gift of God, bring upon themselves death in the midst of their disputes. Yet it would be better for them to treat it with respect, so that they might also rise again. It is fitting, therefore, that you should keep away from such people, and not speak of them either in private or in public, but to pay attention to the prophets, and above all, to the Gospel, in which the passion of Christ has been revealed to us, and the resurrection has been fully proven. But avoid all divisions, as they are the beginning of evils.

Justin Martyr, The First Apology Direct teaching

This food is called among us [the Eucharist], and only those who believe that our teachings are true, have been washed with the washing for the remission of sins and renewal, and live as Christ instructed, are allowed to partake. We do not receive these as common bread and drink, but in the same way that Jesus Christ our Savior became flesh by the Word of God and had flesh and blood for our salvation, we have been taught that the food blessed by His word and prayer, which nourishes our blood and flesh through transformation, is the flesh and blood of Jesus who became flesh. The apostles, in the writings they composed, which are called Gospels, have passed down to us what Jesus instructed them: that He took bread, gave thanks, and said, "Do this in remembrance of Me, this is My body;" and in the same way, after taking the cup and giving thanks, He said, "This is My blood;" and gave it to them alone. The wicked devils have imitated this in the mysteries of Mithras, commanding the same actions. You either know or can learn that bread and a cup of water are used with certain incantations in the mystical rites of someone being initiated.

Irenaeus, Against Heresies: Book V Direct teaching

...attain salvation, then the Lord did not redeem us with His blood, nor is the cup of the Eucharist a communion of His blood, nor the bread we break a communion of His body. Blood can only come from veins and flesh, along with everything else that makes up the substance of a person, just as the Word of God was truly made. He redeemed us by His own blood, as His apostle states, "In whom we have redemption through His blood, even the remission of sins." Since we are His members, we are also nourished by the creation (which He Himself grants us, as He causes His sun to rise and sends rain when He wishes). He has recognized the cup (a part of creation) as His blood, from which He nourishes our blood; and the bread (also part of creation) He has established as His body, from which He nourishes our bodies.

Cyprian, Treatises Direct teaching

...e forever, it is clear that those who partake of His body and receive the Eucharist by the right of communion are living. So, on the other hand, we must fear and pray lest anyone who is kept from communion, and is separated from Christ’s body, should remain far from salvation, as He Himself threatens and says, “Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink His blood, you shall have no life in you.” John 6:53 And therefore we ask that our bread—that is, Christ—may be given to us daily, so that we who remain and live in Christ may not depart from His sanctification and body.

Irenaeus, Against Heresies: Book V Direct teaching

When, therefore, the mixed cup and the made bread receive the Word of God, and the Eucharist of the blood and body of Christ is formed, from which the substance of our flesh is grown and sustained, how can they claim that the flesh is incapable of receiving the gift of God, which is eternal life, when this flesh is nourished from the body and blood of the Lord and is a part of Him? Just as the blessed Paul states in his letter to the Ephesians, that “we are members of His body, of His flesh, and of His bones.” He does not speak of some spiritual and invisible person, for a spirit does not have bones or flesh; but he is referring to the arrangement by which the Lord became an actual man, consisting of flesh, and nerves, and bones,—that flesh which is nourished by the cup that is His blood, and grows from the bread that is His body. And just as a branch from the vine planted in the ground bears fruit in its season, or as a grain of wheat falling into the earth and breaking down, rises with abundant growth by the Spirit of God, who holds all things, and then, through the wisdom of God, serves human use, and having received the Word of God, becomes the Eucharist, which is the body and

Irenaeus, Against Heresies: Book IV Direct teaching

5. Then, again, how can they say that the flesh, which is nourished with the body of the Lord and with His blood, goes to corruption and does not partake of life? Let them, therefore, either change their opinion or stop offering the things just mentioned. But our opinion agrees with the Eucharist, and the Eucharist in turn supports our opinion. For we offer to Him His own, consistently announcing the fellowship and union of the flesh and Spirit. For just as the bread, which is produced from the earth, when it receives the invocation of God, is no longer common bread but the Eucharist, consisting of two realities, earthly and heavenly; so also our bodies, when they receive the Eucharist, are no longer corruptible, having the hope of the resurrection to eternity.

John 6:51 Direct teaching

I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.”

John 6:54 Direct teaching

Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.

John 6:53 Direct teaching

So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you.

John 6:56 Direct teaching

Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him.

1 Corinthians 11:25 Direct teaching

In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.”

Matthew 26:26 Direct teaching

And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.”

Luke 22:19 Direct teaching

And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”

1 Corinthians 11:26 Direct teaching

For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.

1 Corinthians 10:16 Direct teaching

The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?

1 Corinthians 11:27 Direct teaching

Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord.

Justin Martyr, The First Apology Supporting witness

that Jesus took bread, and when He had given thanks, said, “This do ye 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.

Cyprian, Epistles Supporting witness

... shall be given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.’ In the same way also, He took the cup after supper, saying, ‘This cup is the new testament in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.’ For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you show forth the Lord’s death until He comes.” 1 Corinthians 11:23-26. But if this is both commanded by the Lord, and the same thing is confirmed and handed down by His apostle, that as often as we drink, we do in remembrance of the Lord the same thing that the Lord also did, then we find that what was commanded is not observed by us unless we also do what the Lord did. And by mixing the Lord’s cup in the same way, we do not depart from the divine teaching. Rather, we must not depart at all from the gospel precepts, and disciples also ought to observe and do the same things that the Master both taught and did. In another place, the blessed apostle teaches even more earnestly and strongly, saying, “I wonder that you are so soon removed from Him who called you into grace, to another gospel, which is not another. But there are some who trouble you and would pervert the Gospel of Christ. But though we, or an ange

Cyprian, Epistles Direct teaching

those presbyters, contrary to the Gospel law, contrary also to your respectful petition, before penitence was fulfilled, before confession even of the gravest and most heinous sin was made, before hands were placed upon the repentant by the bishops and clergy, dare to offer on their behalf, and to give them the eucharist, that is, to profane the sacred body of the Lord, although it is written, Whosoever shall eat the bread and drink the cup of the Lord unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. 1 Corinthians 11:27

Cyprian, Epistles Supporting witness

But what a crime is theirs on the one hand who receive, or on the other, theirs who are received, that their foulness not being washed away by the layer of the Church, nor their sins put away, communion being rashly seized, they touch the body and blood of the Lord, although it is written, Whosoever shall eat the bread or drink the cup of the Lord unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord! 1 Corinthians 11:27

Cyprian, Epistles Supporting witness

although it is written, Whosoever shall eat the bread and drink the cup of the Lord unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. 1 Corinthians 11:27

Cyprian, Treatises Supporting witness

1 Corinthians 10:21 He threatens, moreover, the stubborn and Lord unworthily, is guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. 1 Corinthians 11:27

1 Corinthians 11:28 Background

But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.

1 Corinthians 11:29 Background

For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.

Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata (Miscellanies) Supporting witness

So that whosoever shall eat the bread and drink the cup of the Lord unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.

Clement of Alexandria, The Stromata (Miscellanies) Background

But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup.

Didache, The Teaching of the Twelve Apostles Direct teaching

...ng, or Eucharist, give thanks in this way. First, about the cup: "We thank You, our Father, for the holy vine of David Your Servant, which You made known to us through Jesus Your Servant. To You be the glory forever." And about the broken bread: "We thank You, our Father, for the life and knowledge that You made known to us through Jesus Your Servant. To You be the glory forever." Just as this broken bread was scattered over the hills, and then was gathered together and became one, so let Your Church be gathered together from the ends of the earth into Your kingdom. For Yours is the glory and the power through Jesus Christ forever. But let no one eat or drink of your Thanksgiving, or Eucharist, except those who have been baptized into the name of the Lord. For about this also the Lord has said, "Do not give what is holy to dogs." Matthew 7:6

Didache, The Teaching of the Twelve Apostles Supporting witness

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.

Didache, The Teaching of the Twelve Apostles Supporting witness

Now concerning the Thanksgiving (Eucharist), thus give thanks.

Justin Martyr, Dialogue with Trypho Supporting witness

...required to be presented on behalf of those purified from leprosy, was a symbol of the bread of the Eucharist. This celebration, our Lord Jesus Christ established in remembrance of the suffering He endured for those purified in soul from all sin. This allows us to thank God for creating the world and everything in it for the sake of humanity, for delivering us from the wickedness we were in, and for overthrowing principalities and powers through Him who suffered according to His will. Thus, God speaks through Malachi, one of the twelve prophets, as I mentioned before, about the sacrifices presented by you at that time: 'I have no pleasure in you, says the Lord; and I will not accept your sacrifices from your hands: for from the rising of the sun to its setting, My name has been glorified among the Gentiles, and in every place incense is offered to My name, and a pure offering: for My name is great among the Gentiles, says the Lord: but you profane it.' So He then speaks of those Gentiles, namely us, who in every place offer sacrifices to Him, such as the bread of the Eucharist and the cup of the Eucharist, affirming that we glorify His name, while you profane it. The command of

Justin Martyr, Dialogue with Trypho Supporting witness

“Accordingly, God, anticipating all the sacrifices which we offer through this name, and which Jesus the Christ enjoined us to offer, i.e., in the Eucharist of the bread and the cup, and which are presented by Christians in all places throughout the world, bears witness that they are well-pleasing to Him.

Early Liturgies, Divine Liturgy of St. James Supporting witness

This do in remembrance of me; for as often as you eat this bread, and drink this cup, you do show forth the Lord's death, and confess His resurrection, till He come.

Didache, Connection to 1 Corinthians 11:26 Supporting witness

We also, our Father, thank Thee for the precious blood of Jesus Christ, which was shed for us and for His precious body, whereof we celebrate this representation, as Himself appointed us, "to show forth His death."

Didache, Connection to Luke 22:19 Supporting witness

For this reason do you also, now the Lord is risen, offer your sacrifice, concerning which He made a constitution by us, saying, "Do this for a remembrance of me; "

Early Liturgies, Divine Liturgy of St. James Supporting witness

Take, eat: this is my body, broken for you, and given for remission of sins.

Apostolic Constitutions, Apostolic Constitutions Supporting witness

...we carry out His constitution. For on the same night in which He was betrayed, He took bread in His holy and undefiled hands, and looking up to You, His God and Father, He broke it and gave it to His disciples, saying, "This is the mystery of the new covenant. Take of it, and eat. This is my body, which is broken for many, for the remission of sins." In the same way, He also took the cup, mixed it with wine and water, sanctified it, and gave it to them, saying, "Drink all of this, for this is my blood, which is shed for many, for the remission of sins. Do this in remembrance of me." For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you show my death until I come. Therefore, remembering His passion, death, resurrection from the dead, return into the heavens, and His future second appearing, in which He is to come with glory and power to judge the living and the dead, and to repay everyone according to his works, we offer to You, our King and our God, according to His constitution, this bread and this cup. We give You thanks through Him, because You have counted us worthy to stand before You and to sacrifice to You. And we beg You to look mercifully upon these gifts set befor

Apostolic Constitutions, Apostolic Constitutions Supporting witness

Being mindful, therefore, of those things that He endured for our sakes, we give You thanks, O God Almighty, not in such a manner as we ought, but as we are able, and fulfil His constitution: For in the same night that He was betrayed, He took bread 1 Corinthians 11:23 in His holy and undefiled hands, and, looking up to You His God and Father, He broke it, and gave it to His disciples, saying, This is the mystery of the new covenant: take of it, and eat.

Hippolytus, Exegetical Fragments Supporting witness

it also refers to His honoured and undefiled body and blood, which day by day are administered and offered sacrificially at the spiritual divine table, as a memorial of that first and ever-memorable table of the spiritual divine supper.

Irenaeus, Fragments from the Lost Writings of Irenæus Direct teaching

...ing to the Spirit, for we must worship God “in spirit and in truth.” Therefore, the offering of the Eucharist is not physical but spiritual, and in this respect, it is pure. For we offer to God the bread and the cup of blessing, thanking Him for commanding the earth to produce these fruits for our nourishment. Then, after perfecting the offering, we invoke the Holy Spirit, so that He may make this sacrifice—both the bread as the body of Christ and the cup as the blood of Christ—so that those who receive these symbols may obtain forgiveness of sins and eternal life. Those who perform these offerings in remembrance of the Lord do not align with Jewish practices, but by performing the service in a spiritual manner, they are called sons of wisdom.

Origen, Against Celsus Supporting witness

And we have a symbol of gratitude to God in the bread which we call the Eucharist.

Clement of Alexandria, The Instructor (Paedagogus) Direct teaching

.... Elsewhere, in the Gospel according to John, the Lord showed this by symbols when He said, “Eat my flesh, and drink my blood,” John 6:34. By metaphor He clearly described the drinkable nature of faith and of the promise. By these, the Church, like a human being made up of many members, is refreshed and grows. It is joined together and made firm out of both: faith, which is the body, and hope, which is the soul, just as the Lord is of flesh and blood. For in truth the blood of faith is hope, by which faith is held together like a life-giving principle. And when hope dies out, it is as if blood has flowed away, and the life of faith is destroyed. If, then, some object and say that milk means the first lessons, like first food, and that meat means those spiritual understandings that they reach by lifting themselves up to knowledge, let them understand this: when they say that meat is solid food, and the flesh and blood of Jesus, their own vain wisdom brings them to the true simplicity. For blood is found to be a primary product in man, and for this reason some have dared to call it the substance of the soul. And this blood, changed by a natural process in the mother during pregnan

Clement of Alexandria, The Instructor (Paedagogus) Supporting witness

Further, the Word declares that He Himself is the bread of heaven. For He says, "Moses did not give you that bread from heaven, but My Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world. And the bread that I will give is My flesh, which I will give for the life of the world." Here the mystery of the bread should be noted, since He speaks of it as flesh, and therefore as flesh that has risen through fire, just as wheat springs up out of decay and germination. And truly, it has risen through fire for the joy of the Church, like bread that is baked. But this will be shown more clearly a little later in the chapter on the resurrection. But since He said, "And the bread that I will give is My flesh," and since flesh is moistened with blood, and blood is figuratively called wine, we are instructed to understand that, just as bread, crumbled into a mixture of wine and water, takes in the wine and leaves the watery part, so also the flesh of Christ, the bread of heaven, absorbs the blood. That is, it takes in those among men who are heavenly, nourishing them to immortality, and leaves only the desires of the flesh

Origen, Commentary on Matthew Supporting witness

...filed, so also what enters into the mouth does not sanctify the man, even though what is called the bread of the Lord may be thought by the simpler disciples to sanctify. And I think this saying is not to be despised, and for this reason it demands clear explanation, which seems to me to be this. Just as it is not the food, but the conscience of the one who eats with doubt, that defiles the one who eats, for "he that doubts is condemned if he eat, because he eats not of faith," Romans 14:23, and just as nothing is pure to him who is defiled and unbelieving, not in itself, but because of his defilement and unbelief, so also that which is sanctified through the word of God and prayer does not, in its own nature, sanctify the one who uses it. For if this were so, it would sanctify even the one who eats unworthily of the bread of the Lord, and no one because of this food would become weak or sickly or asleep. Yet Paul represented something of this kind when he said, "For this cause many among you are weak and sickly and not a few sleep." 1 Corinthians 11:30 And accordingly, in the case of the bread of the Lord, there is advantage for the one who uses it when he partakes of the bread

Origen, Commentary on John Supporting witness

He that eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him,— then the flesh thus spoken of is that of the Lamb that takes away the sin of the world;

Origen, Against Celsus Supporting witness

and this bread becomes by prayer a sacred body, which sanctifies those who sincerely partake of it.

Clement of Alexandria, The Instructor (Paedagogus) Supporting witness

And to drink the blood of Jesus, is to become partaker of the Lord's immortality;

Clement of Alexandria, The Instructor (Paedagogus) Supporting witness

...tand it in this way, and perhaps you take it in a more general sense. Hear it in this way also. The flesh figuratively represents the Holy Spirit to us, for the flesh was created by Him. The blood points us to the Word, for the Word, like rich blood, has been poured into life. And the union of both is the Lord, the food of infants — the Lord who is Spirit and Word. This food, that is, the Lord Jesus, is the Word of God, the Spirit made flesh, the heavenly flesh made holy. The nourishment is the Father's milk, by which alone we infants are fed. The Word Himself, then, the beloved One and the One who nourishes us, has shed His own blood for us to save humanity. And through Him, we who believe in God flee to the Word, the Father's breast that soothes our cares. And He alone, as is fitting, gives us children the milk of love. And only those who drink from this breast are truly blessed. Therefore Peter also says, "Laying aside all malice, and all deceit, and hypocrisy, and envy, and all evil speaking, as newborn babes, desire the milk of the word, so that by it you may grow to salvation, if you have tasted that the Lord is Christ." And if someone were to grant them that solid food wa