In the Old Testament, the Hebrew word for Worship (or to bow down) was hishtakhavah. In each occasion of the use of this word (Gen 22:5 is the first use) worship consisted of a sacrifice (or in some rarer cases bowing down). In the New Testament Greek was used, but the same meaning was attributed to that word. In each case, the sacrifice dealt with a food (meat in most cases, unleavened bread in others) and blood. This was as decreed by God as a reminder of the Covenant with God and His people.
In the New Testament, Jesus ends that Covenant, and creates a new Covenant with the People of God through His Death and Resurrection. The new Sacrifice He requires is the Sacrifice of the Eucharist, which also becomes the Sacrament of the Eucharist in our consuming of His Body and Blood.
Justin Martyr wrote between 150-155 the “First Apology” to the Roman Emperor Antoninus Pius a large book in which he outlines the liturgy of the times from the times of the Apostles until that time: “Then we all rise together and pray, and, as we before said, when our prayer is ended, bread and wine and water are brought, and the president (priest) in like manner offers prayers and thanksgivings … and the people assent, saying Amen; and there is a distribution to each, and a participation of that over which thanks have been given, and to those who are absent a portion is sent by the deacons.”
Martin Luther, the leading “Founder” of the Protestant religions, was VERY adamant on the fact that the Eucharist WAS the body and blood of Christ. He fought for this being the 15th of was finally 14 agreed upon “foundations” for Protestantism. Zwingli being the leading force in NOT allowing it as a foundation, by stating that Jesus could not be everywhere. The Lutheran Church continued to believe in the Eucharist as being the living Body and Blood of Christ for many years. (Some “sects” of the Lutheran Church no longer accept it, some still do.)
In today’s Mass of the Catholic Church, we recreate that Sacrifice of Jesus to God on our behalf, and the accept his Body and Blood as He requires of us though the Bible.
Related Posts
- 35Many non Catholic Christians do not believe that the Communion elements, and in actuality many Catholics don't either, are the Body and Blood of Christ in truth, but are just a symbol. Let's start talking about that. First, in Genesis 14:18 we have the bread and wine offered by the…
- 28One of the issues I had early on in life and most Protestants still have is the perceived way the Catholics deal with Saints. Early on, this was a factor for me that kept me away from the Catholic Church and from looking at it seriously. I felt that instead…
- 25Two Sundays ago my Parish had our Confirmation Mass, where young adults came before the Church and announced their desire to take the final step, of three, of becoming a Catholic by choice instead of by their parent's decision. They came before the Church and accepted Jesus as their Savior…
- 23There are many, many translations of Bibles out on the streets to pick from. Even within the Catholic Church there are many approved and acceptable Bible translations to pick from. Should you be able to read and understand Latin, the recommend Bible is the Catholic Latin version, as it is…
- 22At the end of March, the Dioceses of Saint Augustine Florida Bishop stopped all Masses, and all forms of the Sacraments of the Church to the lay people. Churches where closed and locked down and the Priest were no longer to hold Mass, offer up the Host, hear confessions, etc. …