St. Mark’s Adult Education Meeting Summary
Session One: From Age to Age
By Edward Foley
Sunday, March 7, 2004
The Gift of the Eucharist — New Testament Sources
1 Corinthians 11:23-2623For I received from the Lord what I also handed on to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took a loaf of bread, 24and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 25In the same way he took the cup also, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.
Mark 14:22-2522While they were eating, he took a loaf of bread, and after blessing it he broke it, gave it to them, and said, “Take; this is my body.” 23Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks he gave it to them, and all of them drank from it. 24He said to them, “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many. 25Truly I tell you, I will never again drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.”
Matthew 26:26-2926While they were eating, Jesus took a loaf of bread, and after blessing it he broke it, gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.” 27Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you; 28for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. 29I tell you, I will never again drink of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.”
Luke 22:17-2017Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks he said, “Take this and divide it among yourselves; 18for I tell you that from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” 19Then he took a loaf of bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 20And he did the same with the cup after supper, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.”
“From Age to Age” — Session 1 — Supplemental Notes
Henry Chadwick, The Early Church, “Worship and Art”:
“The bread and wine of the Jewish Passover and other sacred meals were invested for the Church with an intense significance by their association with the Last Supper and the Crucifixion when, as St. Paul puts it, “‘Christ our Passover was sacrificed for us.’ (1 Cor. 5:7)…
“But the Christians were well aware that if they were to be a society with a coherent community life they could not live on a purely individualistic inwardness. They needed form and order, and they knew that the visible signs of baptism and eucharist were dona data, God’s gifts to his church, verba visibilia, a visible actualization of the very substance of the gospel.” (page 258)
Some Early Christian Hymns
Luke 1:46-55 (Magnificat):
Canticle 15
hymn 437/438 (The Hymnal 1982) “Tell Out My Soul”
Luke 1:68-79 (Benedictus):
Canticle 16
hymn 444 ((The Hymnal 1982) “Blessed Be the God of Israel”
hymn 889 (Wonder, Love, and Praise) “Blessed Be the God of Israel”
Luke 2:29-32 (Nunc Dimittis):
Canticle 17
hymn 499 ((The Hymnal 1982) “Lord God, You Now Have Set Your Servant Free”
hymn 891 (Wonder, Love, and Praise) “Lord, You Have Fulfilled Your Word”
Also used in many other hymns are the following:
John 1:1-16
Philippians 2:6-11
Colossians 1:15-20
various songs throughout the Book of Revelation
plus, possibly:
Hebrews 1:3
1 Timothy 3:16
1 Peter 3:18-22
