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THE MASS: The Early Church

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 : From 30 until c. 250 AD

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THE MASS: The Early Church

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  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

  2. The Mass in the Early Church Date: From 30 until c. 250 AD Place: In Apostolic Israel and in Paul’s Greek Churches Time: Apostolic to Post Apostolic Times Attending: Baptized Christians Preparation: A full meal with provision for wine and unleavened bread Environment: 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. BC AD 10 5 1 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85 90 100

  3. 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.

  4. 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.

  5. 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!

  6. Beginning of “Breaking of the Bread” A Dismissal Instruction Agape Meal Synagogue Service of Readings/Responses Prayer after Communion “Vere dignum et justum est” Agape Meal “Sanctus, sanctus, sanctus” “Kyrie eleison” “Sursum corda” and “Gratias agamus” Table Prayers *Anamnesis and *Epiclesis “Dominus vobiscum” “Et cum spiritu tuo” “in secula saeculorum” “Amen” Presider took bread and wine Gave thanks/said a blessing Said what Jesus said He broke the bread *Anamnesis: a remembrance the prayer of remembrance in which the Church calls to mind the Lord's passion, resurrection, and ascension into heaven. Doxology Gave the Body of Jesus to fellow Christians; Distributed the Precious Blood to fellow Christians Mass of the Apostles *Epiclesis: an invocation of the Holy Spirit said by the celebrant.

  7. 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]

  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.

  9. AUTHORSHIP OF NEW TESTAMENT DOCUMENTS STAGE THREE Written down by the Evangelists STAGE TWO Oral proclamation by Apostles STAGE ONE Life and teachings of Jesus Post-resurrectional faith + The Gospel according to John + The Acts of the Apostles by Luke Peter goes home to Capernaum: c. 30 + The Gospel according to Luke + The Gospel according to Matthew Emmaus Narrative + The Gospel according to Mark + COUNCIL OF JERUSALEM + DESCENT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT UPON THE APOSTLES + ASCENSION OF JESUS + RESURRECTION OF JESUS + CRUCIFIXION AND DEATH OF JESUS + DEATH OF PETER + DEATH OF PAUL + BIRTH OF JESUS 10 5 - 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85 90 95 100 105 110 + DEATH OF HEROD + + The Book of Revelation of John Paul’s First Letter to the Thessalonians + + The Third Letter of John Paul’s Second Letter to the Thessalonians + + The Second Letter of John Paul’s Letter to the Galatians + + The First Letter of John 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 + The Letter to the Hebrews + The First Letter of Peter Paul writes 1 First Corinthians: 55-56 + The Letter of James + The Letter of Jude The Second Letter of Peter 130?

  10. 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. ~ BC AD 10 5 1 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85 90 100

  11. 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. ~ BC AD 10 5 1 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85 90 100

  12. 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. BC AD 10 5 1 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85 90 100

  13. 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.

  14. Synagogue Capernaum Peter’s Home Church Peter’s Mother-in-Law’s Home

  15. 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. BC AD 10 5 1 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85 90 100

  16. 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

  17. 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. BC AD 10 5 1 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85 90 100

  18. 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.” BC AD 10 5 1 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85 90 100

  19. 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.

  20. 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?

  21. 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.

  22. 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

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