Dear of Rabbi Gellman: It seems that when you answer a question regarding Christianity, you usually come up with a “Catholic” answer. I think sometimes, like when you gave this advice, “Christianity immortalized Jesus’ sacrifice in the Eucharist, which allowed all believers to participate in this event,” is completely off the mark. The Eucharist is not a biblical manifestation of Holy Communion in remembrance of Jesus (Luke 22:20, 21, NASB), but a Catholic ritual found nowhere in the Bible.
Additionally, any non-Catholic believer is prohibited from receiving Holy Communion in a Catholic church.
Thank you, Rabbi, for helping everyone who seeks your advice and opinions. God bless you and keep writing! — From M
GM: In this holy Christian season of Lent leading up to Easter, I thought it wise to remind us all that not all Christians are the same. My example today is the Eucharist, a central Christian ritual and for some a sacrament of faith.
The origin, according to Luke 22, of the Eucharist is a Jewish ritual: the Passover meal. The fundamental Christian ritual was the Last Supper, as you point out, dear M, in your kind and thoughtful note. As noted in the book of Luke, the Last Supper was considered a Passover Seder meal where unleavened bread (matzo) and wine were consumed in remembrance of the Exodus from Egypt.
It was at this point that Christianity forever declared its theological independence from Judaism. You see, in Judaism there are no real symbols. Matzo, unleavened bread, eaten at the Passover meal is just bread. Passover wine is also just wine. What Jesus did at the Last Supper was a dramatic break from Jewish anti-symbolism. For Christians, bread would be considered the body of Christ and wine his blood. In Judaism, the Passover meal is eaten for God. During the Eucharistic feast, the meal is taken by God.
The transformation of bread and wine into body and blood occurs by transubstantiation. This is the point of disagreement between Protestant Christians and Catholic Christians.
For Catholics, the substances of bread and wine actually transform into the body and blood of Christ, even though their appearances do not change. The Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox Churches agree with Catholics that an objective change occurs in the bread and wine. For Lutherans, the body and blood of Christ are present “in, with, and under” the forms of bread and wine. Reformed Christians are still one step away from transubstantiation but believe in a true spiritual presence of Christ in the Eucharist.
These subtle but very different beliefs about the Eucharist have made it impossible for some Protestant Christians whose Church is not in communion with Rome to receive the Eucharist at a Catholic service.
Something as simple as bread and wine is not simple at all in Western history.
