Transcript Slide 1

THE MASS:
The
Early Church
Part IIIa:
The Mass
of the Apostles
30 AD c. 250 AD
100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 1000 1100 1200 1300 1400 1500 1600 1700 1800 1900 2000
The Mass in the Early Church
Date:
Place:
Time:
Attending:
Preparation:
Environment:
From 30 until c. 250 AD
In Apostolic Israel and in Paul’s Greek Churches
Apostolic to Post Apostolic Times
Baptized Christians
A full meal with provision for wine and unleavened bread
A setting of a meal was important.
The First Eucharist was created in the meal setting of the Passover and was
repeated in a meal. “House churches” were the most common environment
for the Eucharist.
A meal environment probably meant a number of tables to accompany
the early Christians at one sitting--the chief presider, the episcopos, at one
table. Because Jesus instituted the Eucharist as the “breaking of bread”
within the context of a larger meal, so, to the Apostles followed suit. A meal
either proceeded the Eucharist, during a meal, or immediately following.
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Developments during this Era (30-c. 250)
The parts of the Last Supper remain the structure of the Eucharist for this
period:
Jesus took bread and wine
Jesus gave thanks/said a blessing
Consecrated the bread
Jesus broke the bread
Jesus gave it as food to the Apostles
Consecrated the wine mixed with little water
Passed around the cup to His Apostles.
The apostles and their successors repeated the structure: They called
the format “the Breaking of the Bread”
The place for having Eucharist was the “house church.” This should not be
surprising given the familial setting of the Passover in which celebrated
the First Eucharist. No evidence that the Passover ritual was repeated.
When the Apostles are seen gathered together after Jesus’ Resurrection,
it seems to be the common table that brings them together. This would also
have been the case after Pentecost.
Because most sacred meals of the day were held at an evening hour,
so too the Apostles; once the meal disappeared, another time of the
day easily followed. With the celebration of the Resurrection on Sunday
was understood, morning became the accepted time for the Breaking
of the Bread.
This was then the opportunity at set times to combine it with the memorial
meal of the Lord--just as He Himself combined it with a meal. [Jungmann,
S.J., p. 6] (Proof of this is the Didache)
A liturgy is adapted by the Apostles from the usage of the synagogue:
reading and psalm, reading and psalm, reading and psalm, and homily/
instruction. Known today as the “liturgy of the Word.”
Prayers develop the common way of starting and ending--“Dominus
vobiscum”, “Et cum spiritu tuo”, “in secula saeculorum” and “Amen.”
[Jungmann, S.J., p. 11]
The two consecrations are put together.
The vernacular language was always used--mostly Greek. They had the
Old Testament in Greek (the Septuagint); the New Testament was written
in Greek.
The Latin translation of the Bible, Old and New Testaments, did not
come until St. Jerome translated it in 350!
Agape Meal
Synagogue Service
of Readings/Responses
“Kyrie eleison”
Table Prayers
“Dominus vobiscum”
“Et cum spiritu tuo”
“in secula saeculorum”
“Amen”
“Vere dignum et justum est”
“Sanctus, sanctus, sanctus”
Agape Meal
“Sursum corda” and “Gratias agamus”
*Anamnesis and *Epiclesis
Presider took bread and wine
Gave thanks/said a blessing
Said what Jesus said
He broke the bread
Doxology
Mass of the Apostles
Prayer after Communion
Gave the Body of Jesus
to fellow Christians;
Distributed the Precious Blood
to fellow Christians
*Anamnesis: a remembrance
the prayer of remembrance
in which the Church calls to
mind the Lord's passion,
resurrection, and ascension
into heaven.
*Epiclesis: an invocation of the
Holy Spirit said by the celebrant.
Developments during this Era (30-c.55)
House Churches were the first places in which to remember Jesus’ Last
Supper and celebrate, as He did, the Eucharist.
People sat or reclined at one table or multiple tables depending on the
attendance at the Eucharist; usually small in number--but growing.
The presider would lead the liturgy, reclining, at his own table.
[Jungmann, S.J., p. 8]
House Churches
It should not be forgotten that because the Passover was celebrated in a
home/family setting, the earliest Eucharist celebrations should be in a
home setting; it was a meal. These places have come to be known as
“House Churches.” One surmises that the Emmaus Eucharist was one such
occasion. Others were to follow for years to come.
The first New Testament evidence of Eucharist in a house church setting
was the Emmaus story from St. Luke’s Gospel.
One of the oldest House Churches was the House of Peter in Capernaum.
It is known that the churches for the breaking of the bead in Corinth during
Paul’s ministry there were house churches.
AUTHORSHIP OF NEW TESTAMENT DOCUMENTS
STAGE ONE
STAGE TWO
STAGE THREE
Life and teachings
of Jesus
Oral proclamation
by Apostles
Written down
by the Evangelists
Post-resurrectional faith
The Gospel according to John +
The Acts of the Apostles by Luke +
The Gospel according to Luke +
The Gospel according to Matthew +
Peter goes home to Capernaum: c. 30
Emmaus Narrative
The Gospel according to Mark
+
+ COUNCIL OF JERUSALEM
+ DESCENT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT UPON THE APOSTLES
+ ASCENSION OF JESUS
+ DEATH OF PETER
+ RESURRECTION OF JESUS
+ DEATH OF PAUL
+ CRUCIFIXION AND DEATH OF JESUS
30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85 90
+ BIRTH OF JESUS
10 5 - 5 10 15 20 25
+ DEATH OF HEROD Paul’s First Letter to the Thessalonians
+
Paul’s Second Letter to the Thessalonians +
Paul’s Letter to the Galatians +
Paul’s Letter to the Philippians +
Paul’s Letter to Philemon +
Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians +
Paul’s Second Letter to the Corinthians +
Paul’s Letter to the Romans +
Paul’s Letter to the Colossians +
Paul’s Letter to the Ephesians +
Paul’s Letter to Titus +
Paul’s First Letter to Timothy +
Paul’s Second Letter to Timothy +
Paul is in Corinth: 52
Paul writes 1 First Corinthians: 55-56
The Book of Revelation of John
The Third Letter of John +
The Second Letter of John +
The First Letter of John +
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100
105
110
+
The Letter to the Hebrews +
The First Letter of Peter +
The Letter of James +
The Letter of Jude +
The Second Letter of Peter 130?
Luke 24:13-35
Now that very day two of them were going to a village seven miles
from Jerusalem called Emmaus, and they were conversing about
all the things that had occurred. And it happened that while they
were conversing and debating, Jesus himself drew near and
walked with them, but their eyes were prevented from recognizing
him. He asked them, “What are you discussing as you walk
along?” They stopped, looking downcast. One of them, named
Cleopas, said to him in reply, “Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem
who does not know of the things that have taken place there in
these days?” And he replied to them, “What sort of things?” They
said to him, “The things that happened to Jesus the Nazarene,
who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all
the people, how our chief priests and rulers both handed him over
to a sentence of death and crucified him. ~
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But we were hoping that he would be the one to redeem Israel;
and besides all this, it is now the third day since this took place.
Some women from our group, however, have astounded us: they
were at the tomb early in the morning and did not find his body;
they came back and reported that they had indeed seen a vision of
angels who announced that he was alive.
Then some of those with us went to the tomb and found things just
as the women had described, but him they did not see.” And he
said to them, “Oh, how foolish you are! How slow of heart to
believe all that the prophets spoke! Was it not necessary that the
Messiah should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” Then
beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them
what referred to him in all the scriptures. As they approached the
village to which they were going, he gave the impression that he
was going on farther. But they urged him, “Stay with us, for it is
nearly evening and the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay
with them. ~
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And it happened that, while he was with them at table, he took
bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them. With that
their eyes were opened and they recognized him, but he vanished
from their sight. Then they said to each other, “Were not our hearts
burning (within us) while he spoke to us on the way and opened
the scriptures to us?” So they set out at once and returned to
Jerusalem where they found gathered together the eleven and
those with them who were saying, “The Lord has truly been raised
and has appeared to Simon!” Then the two recounted what had
taken place on the way and how he was made known to them in
the breaking of the bread.
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The House Church at Capernaum
One of the oldest House Churches was the House of Peter in Capernaum.
There is evidence of a House Church there where early Eucharists were
celebrated going back to as early as the 1st Century. Wall writings from that
period were found. After the Ascension (30 AD) and before relocating to
Antioch and then Rome, Peter would have spent time in his home town,
Capernaum.
Over time the House Church in Capernaum was enlarged. After the Edict
of Constantine (313) a Byzantine Church was built on the site.
It was later destroyed after the Byzantine period in the wake of Christian/
Muslim conflicts. The whole area of Capernaum lay buried until the 1940s
when it was rediscovered.
Synagogue
Capernaum
Peter’s Home Church
Peter’s Mother-in-Law’s Home
Corinthian Home Churches
Paul, writing to his converts at Corinth (c. 55) before Luke wrote his Gospel
and the Acts of the Apostles, reflects on aspects of the breaking of the
bread of his day and God’s revelation of the format to him. Paul was not
present at the Last Supper. He records that his converts (in 52 AD) were
meeting in homes--House Churches--and followed what Jesus did at the
Last Supper.
1 Corinthians 11:20-26
When you meet in one place, then, it is not to eat the Lord’s
supper, for in eating, each one goes ahead with his own supper,
and one goes hungry while another gets drunk. Do you not have
houses in which you can eat and drink? . . . For I received from
the Lord what I also handed on to you, that the Lord Jesus, on the
night he was handed over, took bread, and, after he had given
thanks, broke it and said, “This is my body that is for you. Do this
in remembrance of me.” In the same way also 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.” For as often
as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the death of
the Lord until he comes.
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Eating a meal, reclining, in
the ancient world at the time
of Jesus and Paul.
An excavated House Church
in the city of Corinth
from the time of Paul
House Church in the city
of Troas
Luke records an incident in Troas (c. 55)
adding to the elements of the first
Eucharist--a homily.
Acts 20:7-11
On the first day of the week when we gathered to break bread,
Paul spoke to them because he was going to leave on the next
day, and he kept on speaking until midnight. There were many
lamps in the upstairs room where we were gathered, and a
young man named Eutychus who was sitting on the window sill
was sinking into a deep sleep as Paul talked on and on. Once
overcome by sleep, he fell down from the third story and when he
was picked up, he was dead. Paul went down, threw himself upon
him, and said as he embraced him, “Don’t be alarmed; there is life
in him.” Then he returned upstairs, broke the bread, and ate;
after a long conversation that lasted until daybreak, he departed.
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Luke writing in his Gospel (c. 75) gives testimony to the format of the
first Eucharist (30).
Luke 22:14-20
When the hour came, he took his place at table with the apostles.
He said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with
you before I suffer, for, I tell you, I shall not eat it (again) until there
is fulfillment in the kingdom of God.” Then he took a cup, gave
thanks, and said, “Take this and share it among yourselves; for I
tell you (that) from this time on I shall not drink of the fruit of the
vine until the kingdom of God comes.” Then he took the bread,
said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is
my body, which will be given for you; do this in memory of me.”
And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup is
the new covenant in my blood, which will be shed for you.”
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Luke writing his Acts of the Apostles (c. 80) affirms the label for the
Eucharist and its propagation beyond the twelve apostles.
Acts 2:42
They devoted themselves to the teaching of the apostles and to
the communal life, to the breaking of the bread and to the
prayers.
Acts 2:46-47
Every day they devoted themselves to meeting together in the
temple area and to breaking bread in their homes. They ate
their meals with exultation and sincerity of heart, praising God
and enjoying favor with all the people.
The End of the Meal:
Difficulties with House Liturgies
1 Corinthians 10:14-22
Therefore, my beloved, avoid idolatry. I am speaking as to
sensible people; judge for yourselves what I am saying. The cup of
blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of
Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the
body of Christ? Because the loaf of bread is one, we, though
many, are one body, for we all partake of the one loaf. Look at
Israel according to the flesh; are not those who eat the sacrifices
participants in the altar? So what am I saying? That meat
sacrificed to idols is anything? Or that an idol is anything? No, I
mean that what they sacrifice, (they sacrifice) to demons, not to
God, and I do not want you to become participants with demons.
You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and also the cup of demons.
You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and of the table of
demons. Or are we provoking the Lord to jealous anger? Are we
stronger than he?
1 Corinthians 11:3-34
In giving this instruction, I do not praise the fact that your meetings
are doing more harm than good. First of all, I hear that when you
meet as a church there are divisions among you, and to a degree I
believe it; there have to be factions among you in order that (also)
those who are approved among you may become known. When
you meet in one place, then, it is not to eat the Lord's supper, for
in eating, each one goes ahead with his own supper, and one goes
hungry while another gets drunk. Do you not have houses in
which you can eat and drink? Or do you show contempt for the
church of God and make those who have nothing feel ashamed?
What can I say to you? Shall I praise you? In this matter I do not
praise you. . . Therefore, my brothers, when you come together to
eat, wait for one another. If anyone is hungry, he should eat at
home, so that your meetings may not result in judgment. The other
matters I shall set in order when I come.
The End of
History of the Mass: The Mass of the Apostles, Part IIIa
Go to
History of the Mass: The Mass of the Apostles, Part IIIb