2. All the faithful are bound to offer to the Eucharist that same adoration of Latria, which is paid to the Deity: for such adoration rests upon the belief, that in that sacrament there is substantially present the filial God, concerning whom the Father pronounced; Let all the angels of God worship him. And, analogously, in point of beneficial efficacy, the Eucharist, being the identical sacrifice which Christ offered upon the cross, must be deemed a true propitiatory sacrifice, making satisfaction, each time that it is offered, not only for the living, but likewise for the dead in the Lord who have not as yet been fully purified. [11a]
II. Let us now hear Scripture with respect to this same holy sacrament.
1. I am the living bread, which came down from heaven. If any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world. The Jews, therefore, strove among themselves, saying: How can this man give us his flesh to eat? Then Jesus said unto them: Verily, verily, I say unto you; Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life: and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is meat indeed: and my blood is drink indeed. He, that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him—These sayings said he in the synagogue, as he taught in Capernaum. Many, therefore, of his disciples, when they had heard this, said: This is an hard saying; who can hear it? When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them: Doth this offend you? What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before? IT IS THE SPIRIT THAT QUICKENETH: THE FLESH PROFITETH NOTHING. THE WORDS, THAT I SPEAK UNTO YOU, ARE SPIRIT AND LIFE. [11b]
When our Lord enforced the necessity of eating his flesh and of drinking his blood, the Jews and even his disciples, understanding him literally just as the Romish Clergy now expound his language, murmured at so hard a saying, and asked how he could possibly give men his flesh to eat. Whereupon Christ, in the avowed way of explanation, immediately declared: that the words, which he spake, are spirit; and that the flesh profiteth nothing. Clearly, therefore, according to his own distinct explanation, his words are to be understood spiritually or figuratively, not carnally or literally.
2. As they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and brake, and gave to his disciples, and said: Take, eat; this is my body. And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave to them, saying: Drink ye all of it; for this is my blood of the New Testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. But I say unto you: I will not drink henceforth of THIS FRUIT OF THE VINE, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom. [12a]
(1.) The authoritative interpretation of such language, as that which is here employed by our Lord, had already been given by him at Capernaum. His words are to be understood spiritually or figuratively: just as when he declared himself to be a vine and his disciples to be branches. [12b]
Accordingly, even after consecration, when the Romish Clergy assert the wine to have been literally transubstantiated into the actual material blood of Christ; he himself still calls it this fruit of the vine: an appellation, if we receive as scriptural truth the doctrine of Transubstantiation, then clearly false and erroneous and inaccurate.
(2.) We may note, that the Apostles expressed not the least surprise, or uttered the smallest murmur, on account of our Lord’s phraseology, when he instituted the sacrament of the Eucharist.
The reason is obvious, though the fact is highly worth our special attention. They had heard and recollected his own explanation of the parallel language which he employed at Capernaum. Hence they now, as a matter of course, understood him to speak figuratively, not literally: and hence, what was the natural result, his words now gave them NO offence.
3. I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you: that The Lord Jesus, the night in which he was betrayed, took bread: and, when he had given thanks, he brake, and said: Take, eat; this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. After the same manner also, the cup, when he had supped, saying: This cup is the New Testament in my blood: this do ye as oft as ye drink, in remembrance of me. For, as often as ye eat THIS BREAD and drink THIS CUP, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come. Wherefore, whosoever shall eat THIS BREAD and drink THIS CUP of the Lord unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself: and so let him eat of THE BREAD, and drink of THE CUP. [13a]