Fast Fact  - The Sacrifice of the Mass

 

Defense of the sacrificial aspect of the Mass

 

     

    The Christ’s once for all sacrifice on the Cross is made present in the Christian Eucharistic celebration called the Mass.

     The Eucharist is the Paschal Mystery

    (The hyperlinks will open an online NAS bible to the chapter referenced)

  • Scripture

    • Exodus 12:1-20. - The sacrificial feast of the Passover was instituted –

    Firstborn’s life was spared if (1) unblemished lamb was slain (v. 5-6), its blood was oblated on the door posts (v. 7) and it is the lamb and bread was eaten.

    Matthew 26:2; Mark 14:12; Luke 22:7– The institution of the Eucharist (Lord’s Supper) took place during the sacrificial Passover meal.

    John 1:29,36; Acts 8:32; 1 Peter 1:19, Revelation 3:20 – Jesus is the "Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world."

    John 19:14 – Jesus was crucified on the day of preparation for the Passover and during the time when lambs began to be slaughtered for the Passover.

    John 19:23-24 – Jesus is wearing a seemless, linen ephod worn by the priest during sacrifices (See Exodus 28, 29).

    John 19:29 – Jesus receives sour wine on a hyssop branch which was used to smear the blood of the Passover lamb in Exodus 12:22.

    John 19:32-36 – Jesus legs were not broken. John tells us that this fulfills the command that the Passover Lamb could not have broken bones (See Exodus 12:46, Numbers 9:12 and Heb. 9:14)

    1 Corinthians 5:7 – "For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed…"

    Sacrificial Background of the words of the institution of the Eucharist

    The institution of the Eucharist contains several Greek words and phrases that were used in the Greek Old Testament (Septuagint or LXX) in the contexts of sacrifice.

    Institution Narratives: Matthew 26:22-28; Mark 14:22-24, Luke 22:19-20 and 1 Corinthians 11:23-25

    "Do this" – "Do" can in certain contexts can mean "offer this [sacrifice]" – See Leviticus 5:10, 9:7 and 16, 15:15, 16:24, Numbers 6:17, 29:2 and others.

    "…blood of the covenant" – used in Exodus 24 for the sacrifices that initiated the Old Covenant with Moses.

    "…which has been poured out" – The Greek word used here is associated with the oblation or pouring out of the blood of sacrifices (See Leviticus 4:7, Exodus 24:6, 29:12).

    "… in memory of me…" – The Greek word translated memory is used 4 out of 5 times in the LXX for something offered in sacrifice (See Leviticus 24:7, Psalm 38 [37]:1, 70 [69]:1, Numbers 10:10, also Hebrews 10:3). Only once in the LXX is this word used as simply calling to mind a past deed (See Wisdom 16:6). Ironically, this one time is it used in the sense that Protestants understand it today is in a book that they reject as "apocrypha" (uninspired)

     
    Pauline Evidence of Sacrifice

    1 Cor. 10:16-22 – "Is not the cup of blessing which we bless a sharingin the blood of Christ? Is not the bread which we break a sharing in the body of Christ? Since there is one bread, we who are many are one body; for we all partake of the one bread. Look at the nation Israel; are not those who eat the sacrifices sharers in the altar? What do I mean then? That a thing sacrificed to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything? No, but I say that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons and not to God; and I do not want you to become sharers in demons. You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons; you cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons. Or do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? We are not stronger than He, are we?"

    * The words in bold show Paul stating that the Eucharist is a sacrifice, which differs in that the participants share in Christ and not the Temple altar nor demons. The phrase "the table of the Lord" clearly refers to a sacrificial altar (See Malachi 1:7, 12).

    ** The words in bold and underlined are rendering the same Greek word that is used throughout this passage (koinonia – participation or sharing)

    *** The "cup of blessing" in verse 16 likely refers to the cup of wine used during the celebration of the Passover.

  • History / Tradition
    • Assemble on the Lord’s day, and break bread and offer the Eucharist; but first make confession of your faults, so that your sacrifice may be a pure one. Anyone who has a difference with his fellow is not to take part with you until he has been reconciled, so as to avoid any profanation of your sacrifice [Matt. 5:23–24]. For this is the offering of which the Lord has said, "Everywhere and always bring me a sacrifice that is undefiled, for I am a great king, says the Lord, and my name is the wonder of nations" [Mal. 1:11, 14] (Didache, 14 written ca. AD 70).
    Our sin will not be small if we eject from the episcopate those who blamelessly and holily have offered its sacrifices. Blessed are those presbyters who have already finished their course, and who have obtained a fruitful and perfect release" (Clement of Rome, Letter to the Corinthians 44:4–5 written AD 80).
    "Make certain, therefore, that you all observe one common Eucharist; for there is but one body of our Lord Jesus Christ, and but one cup of union with his blood, and one single altar of sacrifice—even as there is also but one bishop, with his clergy and my own fellow servitors, the deacons. This will ensure that all your doings are in full accord with the will of God" (Ignatius of Antioch, Letter to the Philadelphians, 4 written ca. AD 110).
    "God speaks by the mouth of Malachi, one of the twelve [minor prophets], as I said before, about the sacrifices at that time presented by you: "I have no pleasure in you, says the Lord, and I will not accept your sacrifices at your hands; for from the rising of the sun to the going down of the same, 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" [Mal. 1:10–11]. He then speaks of those Gentiles, namely us [Christians] who in every place offer sacrifices to him, that is, the bread of the Eucharist and also the cup of the Eucharist" (Justin Martyr, Dialogue with Trypho the Jew, 41 written ca. AD 155).
    "He took from among creation that which is bread, and gave thanks, saying, "This is my body." The cup likewise, which is from among the creation to which we belong, he confessed to be his blood. He taught the new sacrifice of the new covenant, of which Malachi, one of the twelve [minor] prophets, had signified beforehand: "You do not do my will, says the Lord Almighty, and I will not accept a sacrifice at your hands. For from the rising of the sun to its setting my name is glorified among the Gentiles, and in every place incense is offered to my name, and a pure sacrifice; for great is my name among the Gentiles, says the Lord Almighty" [Mal. 1:10–11]. By these words he makes it plain that the former people will cease to make offerings to God; but that in every place sacrifice will be offered to him, and indeed, a pure one, for his name is glorified among the Gentiles (Irenaeus of Lyon, Against Heresies 4:17:5 written ca. AD 180).
    Cyprian
    If Christ Jesus, our Lord and God, is himself the high priest of God the Father; and if he offered himself as a sacrifice to the Father; and if he commanded that this be done in commemoration of himself, then certainly the priest, who imitates that which Christ did, truly functions in place of Christ (Cyprian, Letters 63:14 written AD 253).
     

  • Summary

    • The Eucharist contains within it an aspect of sacrifice. It is not merely a "calling to mind" of Jesus’ sacrifice, but it is an extension of his once for all sacrifice on the cross. The can be see first in that the Mass (or the Lord’s Supper) was instituted within the context of the Passover meal (CCC 1362-1364). The Passover is a sacrificial feast that saved all the first born sons whose household eat the Passover lamb and oblated its blood upon the door post. In the Eucharist, the death of God’s only begotten Son enables us to eat the true Passover lamb, Christ’s body and blood. Christ is NOT re-sacrificed again in the Mass (See Romans 6:9, CCC 1366-1367) Rather, the same sacrifice of the cross is made present again in the Eucharistic celebration. Indeed, the very words Jesus uses in the institution of the Eucharist are terms associated with sacrifice (CCC 1365).

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